Why, oh why do I even look...

I know what you mean. I always wanted to volunteer and help out. Now that I am, I feel I just can't do enough. Everything you do is important though! I try to remind myself of that, but sometimes it just seems so overwhelming. It would be cool if we had a local TV program that showed a shelter and did a few bios of the animals up for adoption. They could showcase animals on there that have been waiting a while for a home. You know people would adopt them, if they could see their personality and hear their story! We need more things to market the animals as individuals. I'm all for busting butt on a project like that, if I knew how to get it going!

One of Mom's goals for 2008 is to volunteer with animal shelters. I hope she can do it without getting heart-broken. She wants to buy a house in the spring so we can adopt or foster. Wish us luck!

I understand your feelings about this. It feels like whatever you do is never enough. I do encourage you to volunteer at your local shelter though. When you leave there, you will have a good feeling knowing that all of the pets there benefited in some way from you whether you walk them, groom them or just snuggle with them. It is a sad feeling knowing they all need a home and some of them will not get one, but the good feeling of helping them will make you smile. I am getting ready to foster my first shelter dog. Her name is Molly and she is a beagle mix that no one wants and I can't wait to bring her to my home. I also think that getting better pictures on petfinder and better descriptions will help them maybe get adopted sooner too so that is my plan for Molly. I think Oakley will love having a playmate. I wish I could take on more fosters, but even though I may not be able to help more of them, at least this one will benefit.Also, my 11 year old loves to go to the shelter to walk the dogs and brush and play with them. It can be a whole family experience.

If anybody wants to do something important, you can always donate to a rescue; they ALWAYS need your help. For instance, Indiana Great Pyrenees Rescue has had to pay for THREE surgeries this month and they just don't have the funds for that! That doesn't even count the dollars spent on cages, food, supplies, etc. (www.igpr.org)

I hear you. I have a bad habit of checking out PetFinder.com only to end up feeling sad. I don't know why I torture myself because I know I can't afford to adopt another dog. Plus, I don't have the room. It's hard to think about all those poor animals, but no matter how many pets you adopt, there are always going to be tons of homeless animals. So I tell myself, I am doing some good as I am a responsible pet owner and am giving my dogs a good life.