In the animal welfare world, human cruelty is a given – but so is human kindness.

“What’s the point in having a dog, if you can’t be good to her?”

If your dog goes missing, here are some tips from The Retrievers to help get your dog home quickly and safely.

I knew Emmie was telling me something important.

Emmie seemed to know we all needed her help.

Adopting Rex opened up a space for another dog to be helped. His foster family headed to a crowded shelter the very next day, and brought  home their next foster.

Is “no-kill” always the kindest option? I don’t know.

Rasta was always good for a laugh.

Consider taking a chance on a dog that comes with challenges. It just might be the best thing you ever do.

Breeders often market their businesses as farms, giving the idea that the dogs run free, play all day, and are doted on by the breeders. The reality is far different.

I was beginning to learn just how mighty Vida was. She’d make two steps of forward progress, and then end up a step back. But she persisted in everything she aimed to do.

In puppy mills, dogs are identified by a number, not a name. They’re just a business commodity, and only have value if they produce more than they cost.

Volunteers specially trained to work with fearful dogs spent time with her each day, some even picking up extra shifts to help her. Though her odds of euthanasia were high, no one wanted to give up on her. There was just something about her that touched your soul.

The terrified dog paused, and with every ounce of courage she had, took a single step forward. It was her way of saying “Please, don’t give up on me.” 

Our dog Rasta had a great sense of humor and a passion for mischief. She got a kick out of breaking rules. We could always tell when she was about to get a little reckless, because she’d get a gleam in her eye.

The suicide rate of those working and volunteering in animal welfare is five times higher than the general population and reportedly higher than any profession in the United States.

When you work in rescue, there are animals you never forget, even when years have passed. Some have heartbreaking endings; others are adopted. But you rarely get to see them again or hear how they are doing. You just wonder.

Like most places in the world, there is an overpopulation of dogs in Turkey, with more dogs than people who have the interest and ability to adopt them.

Adding to the challenge is the cost of caring for a dog in Turkey, where inflation reached 75% last year, and the government’s new priority to eliminate street dogs.

You could say that Rasta was a handful or that she was a character – and she was – but she was so much more. She was friendly, fun, energetic, and loveable. Sparks of joy seemed to radiate from her body. In our universe, she was the sun.

I gave Mama and Hija space when I visited, not wanting to scare them. But they quickly became my favorite dogs at the shelter. I could sense how special both dogs were. Despite what they’d been through, they were gentle souls.