My urban homestead Producing food on a city lot

Usually my “Pause for a Cause” posts are about charities that you might not come across otherwise. But this one is a deeply personal plea to adopt older shelter dogs. My beloved black lab Jack died this weekend at age 15 after seven wonderful years with us. When I met him in the city shelter he had been owner-surrendered three different times, had been feral in the Rio Grande bosque for months, and had fractures that healed without medical attention and other  signs of abuse and neglect. He was aggressive toward men and, in short, looked like the worst possible candidate for a family dog. A year later he was my personal bodyguard and my husband’s best friend. He was brave and loving in a way that’s hard to describe.  We will never forget him or cease to feel honored that he was part of our lives.

So, please, think beyond puppies. Older dogs don’t deserve to end their lives in shelters. They have histories and quirks and need your patience while they learn to be loved. But they come with the equipment to be good dogs, if given the time and space to learn.