I made the mistake of looking at dog rescues online.

And made my way to the special needs sections and sanctuary dog sections (dogs that have been at shelters all of their lives and can’t seem to get adopted whether it’s because of age, medical needs, or they just aren’t the cutest one of the bunch but have so much love to give). Now I’m sitting here wanting to cry and rescue all of them, especially the ones overlooked because they are older or have special needs.

Abuse of animals - emotional or physical - is intolerable. It absolutely breaks me to know that so many of them go unappreciated, unloved, and neglected. Rylie, the dog that my fiancée and I share, came from off the streets where she lived as a stray for who knows how long. Without a home, she wandered and probably made it by eating trash. She is terrified of thunderstorms, probably because she had to face them alone without shelter before the rescue took her in. When she does something wrong she slinks away and hides, as if she’s expecting a beating that she got in her younger days.

Jesse, my dog that my parents and I share, came from a severely abusive home and into a lab rescue. Even you do something mild like turn around quickly and brush her with a paper shopping bag because you didn’t see her, she cowers in fear and looks at you with pain stricken eyes begging you not to hit her.

I don’t understand how anybody could damage such beautiful, amazing animals. They are both so incredibly loving, so gentle, and so forgiving despite how humans have treated them in the past. They have found their forever home, but so many have not. I am blessed to call them both mine and be a source of love, support, and caring for them. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I could never own a pet that didn’t come from an adoption agency or rescue (my cats were rescued as kittens, too, but luckily before they were old enough to endure lasting damage). These days there are so many rescues that are breed-specific and have dogs of all ages that I don’t see any reason to go to a breeder. I’m not dismissing their work or condemning people who have gotten pets from breeders, but it encourages the reproduction of more dogs when there are so many already out there who need homes. Please, if you are considering getting a pet, adopt. If you’re that serious and need more information on where you might find the breed that you want in a rescue so you don’t have to go to a breeder I’d be more than willing to help. This post was never meant to be this long, but passion knows no limit.