Today’s show focused on Town & County K9 ResQ located in Mohegan Lake, New York. Town & County is a 501c3 charity devoted to finding loving homes for adoptable pets and keeping current pets with their owners and out of the shelter system when times are tough.
Jen and I share a life-long passion for dogs. Hers became a full-time career after retiring from thirty-two years in the world of finance in New York City. She is originally from Duchess County, New York, and her dream is to return to her home-town on a 10.5 acre farm where she can carry out the mission of Town & Country.
Town & County suggests four ways pet lovers can make a difference – 1. Get educated before adopting a pet from a rescue. Make sure the pet has been properly vetted so the health history of the pet is known in advance. The last thing you want to have happen is to adopt a sick pet that either ends up costing hundreds of unexpected dollars, or worse, dies. 2. When you want to adopt, reach out to reputable organizations. Seek out knowledgeable people in the rescue world – they know the good organizations. Learn about the prospective adoption organization, including their history and philosophy regarding the re-homing of pets. Where do their pets come from? How will they provide support after the adoption? 3. Will the organization take the pet back if something happens and you are unable to keep your adopted pet? 4. Do they offer lifetime training and support? Town & Country works close with Allied Dog Training to ensure their adoptable dogs have a solid training background. Town & Country also provides ongoing lifetime training support so adopters have the resources they need to keep good dogs in loving homes.
All kinds of dogs can be found in rescue, you can find any breed you want. It’s important to match the breed with the owner’s personality. If you are a couch potato, you’ll likely want a less active dog. If you are an active person, then a younger, more energetic dog might be right for you. Town & Country doesn’t work exclusively with bull dog breeds but they feel they are often misunderstood and need more help to find forever homes than some of the other breeds. Jen told us she can adopt a Golden Retriever with a bite history in about 12 hours. A bull dog breed with the same bite history would likely be euthanized. It’s all about perception. And, many times, it’s not the dog’s fault – it could be their prior socialization, lack of training, or breeding. Jen agrees, “there are no bad dogs.”
You can help Town & Country by visiting their website, liking their FaceBook page, by donating or by shopping at AmazonSmile and choosing them as your charity of choice.
Jen says, “Tear do nothing. Actions save lives.” That’s why she chose to act. You can too by adopting the motto, “Until there are none, adopt one.”
