For years I have shopped at “Heavy Petting” in West Hollywood and also bought products at the regular dog adoption fairs. As we have no children, we spoil our dogs spending more on them for clothes/treats than we do for ourselves.
When we moved to the valley I was looking for a pet specialty shop closer than going over the hill and heard about Mutts and Moms. It has been on my ”to-do” list for a long time to check out the store the next time I’m in Pasadena.
Then I herd about what Mutts and Moms did and it really struck a nerve. We have also been the recipient of pet adoption prejudice.
When my Husky died at 16yrs (extremely old for a Husky – he lead a good life), I looked at adopting a dog from a pet rescue I met at the dog fair. Upon seeing that we had a pool (even though it was fully fenced away from the dogs) they turned us down.
When my lab contracted cancer at 10yrs we spent thousands on holistic meds and even chemotherapy for 2yrs but lost him anyhow. Again I went to a pet adoption fair and filled out another form to adopt a dog there. When the representatives came to look at our house, they saw we were remodeling our kitchen and said “we didn’t qualify because of the construction”
We have since adopted a Terrier mix we found on the street half dead and a Shibu mix from my cousin that lost it’s home from a divorce. Both dogs are loved from morning to night as I work at home. We prepare fresh food for them ourselves as it is better than dog food. We pay medical bills to keep them healthy even if it means we have to delay care for ourselves. We set aside quality time each day just for playtime, walks and “pet massage” In short, we love these dogs as our own children.
But two pet adoption agency’s found us lacking. They passed judgment on someone that really would have loved their dog because we didn’t fit their “preferred profile”. Maybe those two other dogs found a loving home. But I do know that wherever they are, they’re not getting more love and attention than the dogs we have now.
Pet adoption agencies pass judgment on people's lives not from the heart, where it counts, but from the head, checking off a list of requirements and protocols. I believe “Love” is the most important qualifier to adopt a pet. I am reminded of this every time I see a homeless man on the street with a dog outside a fast food joint. When I buy them something they always feed the dog before themselves. Thay have no home at all, but love and companionship is all it takes.
I will not even consider shopping with Mutts and Moms unless the dogs are returned to the little girls that love them.
All people make mistakes, It’s never too late to do the right thing. I hope Mutts and Moms sees it in their hearts to re-unite a family.