My mommy and daddy adopted me from a West Los Angeles shelter in 1998 when I was two months old. There were so many animals that I saw there, but we didn’t belong at a shelter. We all deserved to be loved. We all wanted to live like anyone else. Sometimes I wonder what happened to my pound mates. As I celebrate my 17th birthday with my family, I hope that if you decide you’d like a furry best friend, you will visit your local shelter to adopt a lost or abandoned dog or puppy like me. It doesn’t mean the animals there are bad. It just means they were thrown into a bad situation. I even learned that cats and kitties are good too and that no animal deserves to be abandoned. You can’t save them all, but if you save one that makes you a star thrower, and that animal will love you forever for giving it a chance and giving it life. If you cannot adopt, please give a donation to your local shelter. It will help the chances of finding each animal a loving home.
[According to CNN online (reported 9/21/99), in 1998 when Zuko was adopted 59,663 animals were euthanized in Los Angeles shelters. According to the Humane Society’s website, it is currently estimated that animal shelters across the United States care for 6-8 million dogs a year and an estimated 3-4 million of them are euthanized]
Most shelters are doing the best they can, but people must help too by getting their pets spayed and/or neutered, and by adopting animals from local shelters.
When considering adopting a new pet, please read Ten Things a Dog Asks of Its Family by Bob Christiansen. This piece of paper was included in a bag that was sent home with Zuko when he was adopted, and it says it all.
Scroll down to see available dogs for adoption in Los Angeles.
Not in L.A.? There is a link to find a shelter near you.
Types of Donations Shelters Need (you may request a receipt for tax purposes):
- Monetary donations (you’ll receive a charitable tax deductible)
- Dog food and cat food (even samples)
- Linens (blankets, towels, sheets, pillow cases)
- Treats
- Collars and leashes
- Pet food bowls
- Shampoos, flea powders, grooming brushes
- Chew toys and tennis balls
- Bandanas and scarves
- and, of course, volunteers.
©1998-2021 Original Zuko the Dog
