Twenty-five Percent

Hello Blogging Friends!! This post was supposed to be "published" on Monday. But.... I stumbled across some complications!! I wrote it on Monday, and was unable to post!! Sigh.... Oh well, here it is now!!

According to a 2007 statistic, twenty-five percent of dogs that enter into United States animal shelters are purebreds. Really....? Twenty-five percent? I don't have to be a brilliant math whizz, which I'm not, to see the depressing numbers in that!! Nope. If there was a twenty-five percentage of purebreds residing in wall-to-wall kennels during 2007, where did that leave the mongrels? Homeless. Sad. Unloved. And in an even higher percentage!! This bit of information provoked me to tears!! Literally. It reminded me just how passionate I have grown toward mixed breed adoption!! This evening, I used my "journalist at heart" skills and put them to work. I conducted a little research. 2007 was, after all, five years ago, and as Earth keeps spinning, life is constantly changing!! I visited my local Humane Society's website. On it are endless photographs of homeless canines. Which they keep flawlessly updated. I searched these pictures carefully--every one--scribbling tally marks on a yellow piece of paper. Adoptable mutts.... Versus homeless purebreds. Posted on my state's Humane Society's website are seventy mongrels. And twelve purebreds. Why are mutts still the highest percentage of homeless dogs? Because.... According to my observation, which probably means nothing, more Americans rescue and love purebreds. But all I can do is look around. Example number one: When we adopted Rose, in September 2010, two diverse families happily brought home twain canines. A yellow Labrador Retriever, and an enormously-sized St. Bernard. Example number two: Around our suburban cul-de-sac, reside nine dogs. Only two of them--Rose included-- are mutts. Sad!! People prefer them over beautifully unique mixed breeds. Why? As most people pay for puppies, predictability is a main reason.... Or, rather, excuse. You usually know beforehand how large your purebred will grow, plus his temperament. Mutts are, in every aspect, mysterious. Even if you know their "breed"!! But I love mysteries.... And that is only part of the fun in mongrel ownership!! It does not require simple research to figure out if your mixed breed behaves like his Golden Retriever "half", or German Shepherd "part". You can't log online and purchase breed books for such answers. But it is not impossible, either!! If owners get to know and understand their mongrel companions, the mystery should gradually lessen. Purebreds are just an easy route!! I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Rose as my little girl. Her temperament, behavioral issues, positives, negatives. It has proven to be quite an adventure, but entirely worthwhile!! And completely rewarding!! I would embark on this mixed breed adventure one-thousand times over!! Rose "speaks" to me somehow.... She was born different--like Shadow--and myself.