Not too long ago I was thinking about adopting a rescue soft-coated Wheaton terrier. I saved up the money and found a great organization to apply to. But man! Who would have thought that rescuing a dog, saving a dog’s life, giving that family-less dog a home would undergo so many rules?
So you can only imagine my interest in following the Ellen DeGeneres story. I was turned off from adopting one of those dogs long before this news broke, but it happened to be for the same reason Ellen shed tears on national TV.
Average dog adoption rules:
· If you move you have to let them know
· Every year you have to send them an update
· Must get your house checked and everyone living there
· You cannot sell, give away, or transfer ownership
· Must notify about this, must notify about that, I am surprised you are allowed to go to the bathroom without them knowing
Don’t get me wrong, I like rules and I like having the best interest for the dog, and Ellen (or her “people”) should have known those. But why can I or Britney Spears walk into a pet store and leave with a dog no questions asked? Even some first-class breeders go through a very intense background checks, but after that, the dog is yours, to move with or give to your child for a Christmas gift.
The best part of the Ellen story is that these people are not backing down. It is almost like they no longer care about the interests of the dog, just taking it back and selling it again. Do you really think it is in bad interest of the dog to be given to a close friend of Ellen DeGeneres, one of the most famous entertainers in the world? That dog would have been set for life.
Ellen, I do hope there is a happy ending out there for you. I hope that your hairdresser’s family does get Iggy back. It will show not only how powerful the media is, but also, what crying on TV can do for you. — Molli Megasko