#NationalRescueDogDay-Where to Adopt a Shelter Dog

May 20th is National Rescue Dog Day, this day personally is special to me. Both of my dogs are rescue dogs, and they've both taught me the importance of rescuing.

Did you know that according to the ASPCA each year approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter shelters? And of that 6.5 million, 1.5 million of those animals will be euthanized? Both of those numbers are entirely too high. So with the help of people making the conscious decisions to spay and neuter their pets, and consider rescuing their next pet, we can help make those numbers go down.

My first ever experience with adopting a rescue dog is my Wrigley girl (the tan one pictured above). I adopted her when she was only 8-weeks old through Another Chance for Animals. She came to Evansville Animal Control as a two-week-old puppy with her litter and her mom. They had been a part of a pretty bad situation, they were kept in a pin outside, in awful weather conditions with no shelter, and no food. Thanks to the hard work of our Evansville Animal Control, Wrigley's litter was rescued and then pulled by Another Chance for Animals to find their forever homes. Wrigley is now 8 years old and I can't imagine her being in a bad situation like the one she was born into. She is spoiled and loves sleeping under the covers, and really only likes being outside if I'm outside with her, so she would not have been stoked to be outside all the time.

Then there's my George, my friends all lovingly refer to him as a potato. We found him after my husband and I bought our first home. We decided we wanted a second dog for Wrigley to enjoy the new big backyard with. We decided we would go to some local rescues to "just look" (famous last words) and we found George. While I don't exactly know his back story, I know he came to It Takes a Village as a puppy with mange. Poor guy lost all his hair, and when we adopted him most had grown back but he has some scarring on his head from it. I'm so thankful that he was able to find his way to ITV to then become ours.

After having two rescue dogs of my own, I personally don't see myself owning a dog that isn't from a rescue/shelter. We have two really good dogs, and I'm so thankful for the hard work our local rescues and shelters do in the community so these two could find their way to my home. I really think they were meant to be ours. If you're looking to add a new furry family member to your home, please consider checking local rescues/shelters first. You never know, you just may find the pet who is a perfect fit for your family there.

To help you get started, here's some great places to rescue your next best friend in the Tri-State!

If I forgot any, don't hesitate to let me know! I'm happy to keep this list updated!

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