Did you know that every year, around 3.3 million dogs alone enter animal shelters?
Crazy, I know.
To put it in perspective for you, about 1.6 million dogs are adopted every year. While that number is very impressive and heartwarming, that still leaves 1.7 million dogs in shelters.
Now, I’m not one to tell you what to do, if you want to drop the money on a professionally bred Golden doodle, go right ahead. In my book, anyone who takes the initiative to give a dog a home and treats it well is a good person. But, why choose to adopt?
Okay, I am not going to guilt you into adoption – cue Sarah McLachlan singing – but I do plan on maybe pulling at some heart strings.
Sure, you might not change the world by adopting a dog, but you sure can bet that you’ll change that dogs whole world. That’s something I think about a lot, you have the opportunity to change an animals course of life, that is one of the most rewarding feelings in the world. Plus, that dog will love you unconditionally, now that sounds pretty amazing to me.
Okay, time to tie it all back to the point of me writing this.
How does a Beagle dressed up as the dog version of Superman have anything to do with adopting dogs? An underdog is someone who isn’t expected to win, no one places bets on the underdog, no one really roots for the underdog. Starting to see the similarities now?
Shelter animals, whether it be dogs, cats, bunnies, or even snakes if thats your preferred animal, do not really have a huge audience rooting for them. A lot of times, people forget that shelter animals are around.
But, think about when the underdog finally does catch their big break, it is the moment that they remember for the rest of their lives. In sports movies where an underdog is depicted, when they finally win, it is seen as a life long defining moment for every member of the team.
If we take that same attitude and apply it to shelter dogs, that moment when they are adopted and find their forever home, that is their defining moment. They finally caught their big break. The underdog won.
Till next time,
Megan Franklin
The Underdog 
Very thought-provoking. I have been looking at breeders all around the state for that special puppy, but after reading this, you have changed my perspective. I will be visiting my local shelter ASAP!
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