For the past couple of weeks I have been keeping my eyes open for a new member of our family, a boxer. I didn't want a puppy because I refuse to pay for a puppy at a breeder and I'll be damned if I get a puppy from a backyard breeder so I've been looking at different rescue organizations in the area. Aside from Safe House which I foster for and Hope 4 Paws out of Plainfield, IL (where we adopted Pony from years ago) I have never really interacted with other rescue organizations. What I found in looking for a boxer is that there are many, many so called "rescues" out there that the animals are not top priority. I found a boxer that I wanted to meet on PetFinder and there was no phone contact information but there was an e-mail. I sent an e-mail to the rescue asking for an application and some other questions about the dog and also spent some time introducing myself and my family. A couple of days go by and there is no response. Then I went back to PetFinder to look again and I looked at the other dogs that are in the "rescue" and found that these are dogs that are posted on CraigsList. Basically they are getting dogs from CraigsList and selling dogs for $300-400 because they are "purebred". I also found out that this rescue is not non-profit 501-c. To this day I still have not heard back but I wouldn't adopt from them anyway after doing my research. Then I found another boxer but with this rescue you had to jump through hoops and sell your first born child to adopt from them. Sorry, I'm not going to play those games with them. I'm trying to give the dog a good home to love and have it as part of our family.
Yesterday I got an e-mail from someone who is a member of our Facebook Group Illinois Twilight Bark saying that Cook County Animal Control had a boxer. I immediately went to the CACC Facebook page and saw a super sad looking 3-year-old boxer looking back at me saying "please!". I immediately sent an e-mail to Monica at Safe House asking if we can pull her. Monica got in contact with her contacts in Chicago and PAWS had already pulled her but if I wanted her they would hold her for me until Saturday. Typically they don't hold dogs but because of the close connections between the rescue and being a volunteer this girl is essentially ours.
I know its a horrid picture of her behind bars but rest assured that Saturday we will get better pictures of her and she won't look so sad and scared. She will be with her new family, us! Her name is Duchess and she was an owner relinquish so we don't really know anything about her past except that she was bought in with a 10-year-old male boxer. She has been temperament tested and health tested so I'm not really concerned about that. Our family is really excited about it. Her name is Duchess but we are going to change her name. Its between Layla, Emma and Stella but we will probably wait to officially name her until after she gets here.
In other great news: I got an e-mail this morning that there is an application in on Tinker!! I certainly will miss her as she is a wonderful dog but she deserves her forever home! The lady lives in Chicago and is interested in adopting over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully it pans out, if not then she will continue to be spoiled at my house. :)
Yesterday someone asked me if I knew anyone who was looking for a pit bull puppy and there was a lady on Twilight Bark looking for one so I directed her in that direction. Today when I saw her at the twins preschool I asked her if it panned out and she said she didn't know and proceed to say "I don't know why someone would want a pit bull." My response was "why not? They are amazing dogs." She said that she doesn't believe in the hype but she just doesn't like them. I was about to ask her if she has ever been around one and start educating her on the truth of the breed but the preschool teacher opened the door and the kids all walked in and I didn't get to finish what I wanted to say. It takes every fiber of my being to start rambling and not get defensive when people say things like that. I think my face turned bright red and smoke started to come out of my ears until I took a deep breath and calmed myself.
I will update this weekend with pictures of our new family member!
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