Rose, a senior dog available for adoption at Northwest Dog Project, relaxes on the couch in the rescue’s “Senior Sanctuary.”

By: Ellen Dula

The issue of dog adoption is widespread, but local dog rescues have a large impact on the conversation around adoption. Their efforts to educate the public on proper dog rescue and adoption allow people to make the best decisions when they are considering bringing a new pet into their home. According to Greenhill’s annual report, by mid 2016 the shelter had already taken in 2,931 animals. Many animals, frequently dogs, are taken into rescues from high kill shelters that will euthanize them to make space for others.

Alexandra Protopopova and Clive David Lawrence Wynne’s study titled “Adopter-dog interactions at the shelter: Behavioral and contextual predictors of adoption” cited several indicators of adoption in shelter dogs. They observed behaviors such as the dog’s initiation of play, how close they would sit to people, if they would accept petting, and how excitable they were. They also observed trainable behaviors, such as on-leash pulling and obeying commands. People are hesitant to take in rescue dogs. Adopters feel as if they don’t know what they’re getting. Shelter dogs are often full grown, causing the shelter staff to pick up on the dog’s social habits as time goes on.

The phrase “adopt, don’t shop” is used in the rescue community to remind those in search of a companion animal that rescue dogs are in need of homes, and that pet stores, and especially puppy mills, are typically not run in an ethical fashion. The local dog rescues in Eugene, Oregon have given hundreds of dogs a new outlook on life and have allowed them to regain their trust in humans.