Old Dominion Humane Society (ODHS) has dozens of reasons to celebrate International Homeless Animals’ Day (IHAD) on August 17, and they’re waiting to be adopted. The dogs, some of which have come from neglect, hoarding and mistreatment situations, are taken in by ODHS, a nonprofit, no-kill rescue as their safe haven. When the rescues arrive at ODHS, they receive examinations by veterinarians, vaccinations and medical attention if needed, and all of them receive care and attention by the volunteers, including exercise through walks and hikes, day trips and fostering. Many of the rescues haven’t been socialized because of their extreme circumstances prior to coming to ODHS, and the volunteers work patiently with them to show they can trust them.
“Many of the rescues at ODHS come to us as scared, timid dogs that won’t even venture out of the kennel,” said Chrissy Blake, ODHS founder. “After the volunteers spend time getting to know them and treat them gently, they learn to trust humans. It’s satisfying to watch their transformation and see a whole different dog. As we celebrate International Homeless Animals’ Day, ODHS continues its commitment to caring for the rescues and ensuring they’re matched in their permanent homes.”
Adopting a rescue and providing a comfortable and caring environment will give a dog the life and love it deserves. What’s more, adopting a rescue can offer many benefits to the humans they may not have realized. According to the Purina website, the following are additional benefits for both humans and the rescues they adopt:
* Dogs help with mental health—Inviting a rescue into the family can help individuals with mental health problems to recover and feel better. They’re fun, have a way of making people laugh and are there waiting after a hard day or when a hug is needed. Dogs make great companions, because they’re highly sociable and love company. For loneliness, there’s nothing better than the comfort of a best friend that happens to have four legs.
* A full heart-A dog will always be happy to see his people and has a lot of love and devotion to give.
* Dogs keep people active—Dogs need to be walked to get fresh air and exercise, and it’s great for the humans to get out, too.
* New ways to socialize--Taking a dog on a walk and saying hello to others along the way provides a way to meet new people. It’s so much easier to stop and chat with a stranger with a dog than when alone. Whether it’s at the park or an obedience class or the local pet shop, there’s much more opportunity to be sociable.
* Dogs are good for the blood pressure—Dogs have the ability to make people feel calm, which has a great effect on health. Harvard University studies show that dog owners have lower blood pressure because of increased exercise. By simply petting a dog, the study found blood pressure goes down.
* Dogs teach valuable skills—Dogs can teach the children in the family about responsibility. Giving children jobs, such as brushing or feeding the dog, is a valuable way to teach life skills.
IHAD was introduced in 1992 by the International Society for Animal Rights and is celebrated every third Saturday in August. The day was earmarked to bring attention to homeless animals, find a voice for them and help mitigate their suffering.
To celebrate IHAD on Saturday, August 17, ODHS has plenty of options, including the Saturday Stroll which takes place every week at 7:30 a.m. Visit ODHS for adoption events, which include Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to meet the rescues. (To adopt a dog, applications in advance are preferred and take priority over walk-ins, so visit the website at www.olddominionhumanesociety.org to view “Our Dogs.”) Other ways to commemorate the day are fostering and volunteering at ODHS.