For many dog parents, adoption is a great choice. While some first-time dog parents, or people with younger children, might prefer to get a dog from a responsible breeder, adoption gives you the chance to give a dog who may not have had the best start in life a loving home.
You can give your new pup plenty of love and affection – as well as some of the best dog treats, of course! It’s something that can be incredibly rewarding.
If adoption is something you’re considering – no matter your circumstances – you might want to take a look at this new book by Lara Eurdolian King (available on Amazon), which aims to teach families about adoption – based on the real-life story of a senior dog.
Charlie the Pomeranian, who’s now 18, was living in a hotel in Palm Springs, California in 2016 when King met him on vacation. He lived in the hotel lobby as part of a pet adoption program that let one dog at a time live at the hotel until they found their forever home.
King warmed to Charlie and started taking him on walks during her time at the hotel. The situation made her feel sad, she explained in an interview with Good Morning America, given his age, and she gradually fell in love with the pup.
While she’d never adopted a dog before, and had much more experience rescuing cats, she decided that she couldn’t leave him. She said, “To be honest, my heart kind of just broke when I saw him living there…he was the longest-running dog in the program. He didn’t look quite as fluffy and healthy as he does today at 18, but I knew we could fix that or at least give him a very comfortable, loving life.”
Indeed, Charlie now looks happy and healthy – and he’s even the inspiration for King’s book, Charlie at the Pom Springs Hotel.
The book tells the story of Charlie being a tour guide at the hotel, making friends with the local animals but being desperate for his forever home. In the book, says King, Charlie is a happy dog, but feels as though he’s missing his family. “Spoiler alert, he gets his wish,” she explains.
Her aim is that the book will teach families – including those who’ve adopted children themselves – as well as parents who want to teach kids about adoption, that it’s a “happy way” to find a forever family.
If adoption is something that you’re considering exploring when you come to get your next dog, here’s what you need to know about adopting a dog. And if you need any more excuses, here are 32 reasons to adopt a dog.
