Tag Archives: Adoption

This could be a double-whammy “wabbit” season for rabbit rescue groups and animal shelters. Not only is Easter almost here, but 2011 is the Chinese year of the rabbit. Cities have celebrated with special events and activities, particularly in “Chinatown” neighborhoods. Celebrating rabbits sounds benign, but now, with Easter imminent, rabbit advocates are bracing forRead More

I’ve been covering the pet beat for about 20 years now, and there have been lots of changes. One is that today it’s considered “cool” to adopt a pet from an animal shelter or rescue group. There are lots of reasons for that, ranging from Benji to shelter outreach programs. Arguably the most significant contribution is from Petfinder.com.

It’s always difficult for children who have been taken from their families and are living in foster care, are adopted by a new family, or live in a residential facility. Even more challenging is when children of color are placed with White foster and adoptive families. This happens often and creates special cultural challenges. Since our culture is predominantly White (consider the lack of characters of color in children’s media), it may be especially difficult for foster and adoptive parents to provide children of color with adequate exposure and interaction with their cultures of origin, and sometimes to assist the children with everyday needs.

My son TyMarion is 5 years old. I named him after a special family member whom I have always been in awe of — my grandfather. Initially, my grandfather scoffed at the idea of someone being named after him, since the name “Marion” is unusual for a man. But I was determined to carry on his legacy.

It’s here! October is American Humane Association’s Adopt-A-Dog Month®, and this year we’re asking: “What can an adopted dog bring to your life?” My own answer to that question is “comfort in difficult times, joy on a daily basis, and a constant companion I can carry in my purse.”

Miss Millie was a 10-year-old Chihuahua who was abandoned at the front door of a veterinary hospital in California. She was brought in as a stray to Sonoma County Animal Care & Control, where I was director at the time. Miss Millie had clearly been loved by someone because of her incredibly sweet disposition, but her health had obviously been neglected — she was unspayed, and she had dental problems that eventually required 95 percent of her teeth to be pulled. Perhaps her owner couldn’t afford her increasing medical needs as she aged — who knows? But as we cared for her at our facility, she became a staff favorite.