When I was 15 I walked into my house late one night and saw something that completely shocked me: a tiny chocolate lab mix puppy with a giant cast on one of her legs. Later I learned that her owner was one of my brother's friends and her name was Lucy. She was only about six months old and her leg had been stepped on and fractured. She needed immediate surgery, but her owner couldn't pay the thousand dollar bill. He was going to have to put her to sleep. My mom, under the spell of Lucy's big green eyes, offered to foot the bill, but only if the dog became ours. That's how we rescued Gracie. It wasn't conventional, but for my family it was absolutely perfect. There are a million reasons that everyone should rescue a dog from their local shelter, but here are ten of the best ones.
1. They will reduce your stress.
There are hundreds of studies that say dogs reduce stress in humans. I don't even need a study to know that, because nothing distracts me from a tough project or a final like playing fetch with Gracie. Being able to play with your dog for awhile will make you quickly forget about your difficult day.
2. You will never be lonely.
I think that Gracie would probably go everywhere with me if she could. It's really okay if you live alone or don't have a boyfriend, because I can testify that a dog is a perfectly good (maybe better?) substitute. After all, your dog will never let you down.
3. They are great exercise partners.
Gracie's leg surgery went perfectly and she has incredible movement ability. Just the word "walk" sends her into a wild frenzy of excitement, as it will with most dogs. They love to get moving just as much as we do, and they also make exercise a lot more fun.
4. They will teach you responsibility.
House training, remembering to feed them and teaching them tricks are just a few of the joys (and difficulties) of having a dog. I know lots of couples who decided to get a dog before they ever had kids to gain experience. While it obviously isn't the same, it is a challenge that will teach you a lot about life. I can't promise they won't chew up something that belongs to you, but I can promise that you'll look into their adorable eyes and realize that you didn't care that much about it anyway.
5. You will never be bored.
If you rescue a dog, you will never sit around for ten minutes with nothing to do ever again. They are always up for fetch, a walk or a nice dinner (especially dinner). If it's too late to go outside, try a nice game of tug-of-war. Gracie beats me every time.
6. They are incredible listeners.
I often speak to Gracie in a language that no one will ever understand. She obviously doesn't understand it either, but I like to think that she pretends to listen. Dogs are basically the best listeners ever because they are fairly attentive, they don't talk back and they don't judge you.
7. You will transform their world.
When you rescue a dog, they leave their dark cage at the shelter and enter a beautiful world. A world they can explore with a new person who cares about them. You seriously become their hero.
8. It saves you money.
In my unconventional case, rescuing a dog didn't save me any money, but it will in most cases. There are breeders that charge upwards of a thousand dollars for dogs, but at the shelter you are likely to pay in the hundred dollar range. This usually includes a vet check-up and shots, and may even include a spay/neuter and microchip. Many shelters even house train their dogs if they aren't already, which makes your job so much easier.
9. You will learn what unconditional love is.
Not only will your dog love you unconditionally, you will also love them unconditionally. I hug Gracie a lot and she really hates it, but she loves me anyway. Gracie sometimes climbs on the furniture even though she isn't supposed to, but I love her anyway. She also ate some of my food off of the counter the other day and I eventually got over the devastation of the event. The love we have for each other is boundless, really.
10. You automatically gain a best friend.
When you walk out of a shelter with your new dog, you gain a new best friend for life. There will be terrible days and amazing days, but your dog will love you any day. Even if I hug her way too enthusiastically, I know that Grace is still my best friend no matter what. I promise that if you adopt a shelter dog, you will get one of the greatest friends that you will ever have.
