Christchurch, New Zealand - The Council’s dog shelter has had another successful year, adopting out 70 dogs and helping another 35 go to dog rescue organisations.
Manager of Animal Services Lionel Bridger said the last financial year saw a 10 per cent increase in dogs being adopted.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in the amount of people coming through the shelter,
we’ve worked really hard to advertise the dogs on social media and it’s paying off.”Lionel said the goal is always to find the right home for a dog.
“We want to save as many dogs from being euthanised as possible, that often means we hold onto dogs for longer and work with them to make sure they’re ready for adoption.”
He said a standout for over the last year was finding a good home for Sarge who had a rough start.
“We found him roaming the streets in November last year, he was a beautiful big dog who thought he was a lap dog.
“A rottweiler, German shepherd cross who was lacking in manners, the shelter team worked with Sarge daily before finding him a forever home with Adam.”
Adam who has always had rescue dogs said after eight years without a dog he started visiting the shelter to find a new friend.
“I looked at a couple of other dogs first and they didn’t work out and then I met Sarge, I decided to take him on because I wasn’t sure anyone else would adopt him.
“Adopting a dog is a huge responsibility, especially a big dog like Sarge who hasn’t had a fair start so I knew he would be a lot of work.”
Six months after taking him home Adam said Sarge has come a long way.
“Seeing the improvement is crazy, I hand fed him to start so he got used to me being close and I also had to work on his general training.
“He is still wary of people, but he has come out of his shell, Sarge is a big goofball, he loves chasing a ball, eating sticks, burying bones and his new obsession is bubbles!”
Adam encourages others to adopt if they can.
“Rescuing a dog is so rewarding but it is a big commitment, if you adopt a dog and are not sure what you’re doing you should get help and go to training classes.
Lionel Bridger said seeing dogs thrive in their new homes is the highlight of his job.
“I love it, knowing those dogs are in good hands and with people who will take care of them means a lot.
“For anyone who is looking for a dog come and have a look at the shelter, we always have a variety of breeds and personalities on offer, it’s always better to adopt than shop!”
You can see all the dogs available for adoption here.
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