When people meet Bear, one of the first things said is, "Where did you get him? I'd like a dog just like him." Well, the answer is the Vancouver SPCA, where a lot of wonderful dogs are turned in. Everyone has their reasons, and some of them are truly heartbreaking. But I'd wager that the majority of the dogs there are the result of poor decision-making on the part of the former owner.
So why did I choose to get an adult dog in need, instead of a cute little puppy? My reasons were partly selfish (I didn't want to train a puppy, I wanted to know how big and how energetic the dog would be as an adult) and partly altruistic (there are thousands of dogs dying every year because their novelty has worn off). Sure, I don't have an album of fuzzy puppy pictures. But I got a dog that was housebroken, past the chewies, and ready to learn whatever I felt like teaching him.
Think a rescue might be for you? Please visit some of these folks to see if your forever fur friend is already waiting!
Aussie Rescue
Border Collie Heaven
Border Collie Rescue - Washington
That'll Do Border Collie Rescue
Already have a rescue dog who defies the old 'can't teach an old dog new tricks' fallacy? Why not get a shirt to advertise to the world how awesome second-chance dogs can be? Beauty of the Beasts has great rescue (and non-rescue) t-shirts.