THE POWER OF TRANSPORT
Exponential Impact
Picture yourself in AT&T stadium for a Cowboys football game. Look around – with every seat filled, you are one of 80,000 people there to enjoy the game. Close your eyes and imagine dogs in each of the stadium seats instead of a person. Now add an additional 16,707 dogs to the field and around the parking lot. What you have pictured is the 96,707 dogs euthanized in Texas animal shelters due to lack of space in 2019. Believe it or not, this is a 15% reduction from 2018 where Texas ranked No. 1 in the country for shelter deaths.
Washington state is in a unique position compared to Texas – more potential adopters are looking for dogs than are available for adoption. One of the drivers behind this adoptable pet shortfall are the successful spay and neuter laws, and enforcement of those laws, in place which limit the overall dog population. Washington’s success is reflected in the numbers: no dogs have been euthanized due to lack of shelter space in over 10 years. The Humane Societies of Washington developed a plan to facilitate shelter dog transport to help fill the gap of dogs available for adoption and began partnering with shelters and rescue organizations in Texas.
Dallas Dog partnered with the Washington Humane Societies to create greater opportunity for our dogs to find their forever homes. The incredibly successful outcome of the partnership program is clear. Whereas a dog may spend months in foster with Dallas Dog seeing little or no adoption interest, our transport alumni are typically adopted within one to four days - sometimes even within hours - of their arrival in WA.
Transport saves 3 LIVES for each dog transported:
The life of the dog being transported
It creates a foster opening for another dog we can save
It creates an open shelter kennel for another dog to be rescued
Transport Requirements
Hours are spent putting together the presentation slides which include every dog's medical history, printing records, and making travel envelopes for every dog. As fosters, it is emotional, sometimes the uncertainty gets the best of us, we have a gut reaction and request to foster fail. We call those "emotional adoptions" and they are often more for the foster themselves than the pup. They will quickly bond with and love another family, just as they bonded with and loved you. When adopting a pet it should be because you can not live without that best and you can provide it the best life, not because it hurts too much to let them go.
We seek out animals that are hungry, dehydrated, or sick and have no hope. We find the unwanted creatures and rehabilitate them in preparation for their forever homes. It’s our belief that every animal deserves a chance.
LOCAL REACH