�About 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs�about one every 11 seconds�are put down in U.S. shelters each year.� Says the Human Society of the United States. I keep a record on Pinterest of all the dogs that show up in municipal shelters every day that I would adopt, if I could. Those dogs disappear and I pray, deeply pray, that these dogs aren�t just disappearing because someone decided that their time was up. I imagine them being adopted and going off to some nice family with a big yard like we have and a good trainer like I want to be and I think, �well isn�t it wonderful that dog found a home.�

Everyone knows dogs are good to have around. Dogs are good for your health. The average dog owner is less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes and many other health problems. Experts suggest this may be due to the fact that dog owners must walk their dogs, be active with their dogs and the like. Dog owners also demonstrate many psychological benefits from pet ownership, as well. They are less susceptible to stress and hypertension.

Of course, there are drawbacks. Dogs take up time and energy. Dogs need you to feed them and let them out in the morning to go to the bathroom. They need to be walked; they need to be taken to the vet. All of these things cost two of our most valuable assets: time and money and I am guessing that, were someone to be pinged on their cellphone to ask how happy they were the moment they bent down the pick up their dog�s s*!t at the dog park, they would rate that experience the lowest of their experiences throughout the day.

The fact is that I want a dog in my life and there are so many dogs that need homes. They�re not perfect, but they are alive. And no matter what I do, I can�t help but think, what if it were me who saved them? What if I knew that they didn�t run out of time? What if, this 11 seconds, nobody died. But they do and I can't.

Name.

URL.

[to enter your email, use "mailto:[email protected]"]
Subject.

Comment.

Word verification.

Copy the first 4 characters only.

If you are a member, try logging in again or accessing this page here.