Everyone knows puppies are cute. Snuggly. Playful. Adorable. Everyone loves puppies. And with all that cuteness, it’s probably no surprise that puppies are adopted very, very quickly.
It might be surprising to hear, then, that puppies are one of the most vulnerable animals in a shelter.
Puppies are tiny (obviously) and their little immune systems aren’t fully formed yet. They’re also not able to be fully vaccinated until they’re older, which means they are super susceptible to a huge number of diseases. Kennel cough, parvovirus, upper respiratory disease – it seems there’s a never-ending list of ways puppies can become ill. Puppies are also starting completely from scratch learning about the world – they’re getting used to new noises, people, environments, and situations, and they need lots of guidance to help them grow up to be confident and secure.
We put a ton of effort and resources into making sure the puppies in our care stay healthy, receive treatment for any disease they came in with, and receive the socialization they need to become happy, healthy dogs. We care for thousands of puppies every year, but we don’t do this hard work alone. And this year more than ever, we need your help to continue saving and caring for puppies. Here are some of the ways you can help this holiday season:
Adopt
If you’ve thought about adding a new family member to your home, now is the time! We have so many sweet, tiny pups waiting for homes. Plus, every time a puppy is adopted from us, space is created in our shelter that allows us to bring in more puppies from partner shelters who need our help. So when you adopt a puppy, you’re not only changing the life of your new pup, you’re also making a positive impact on a puppy in need. Win-win! See all the puppies currently looking for homes and bring home a new furry bundle of joy today.
Foster
Bringing a dog or puppy into your home and providing them with a temporary safe space to grow is one of the most rewarding things you can do. By helping get vulnerable puppies out of our shelter, you’re helping to keep them safe from contagious diseases and helping socialize them in the ways they need to become confident adult dogs. We truly couldn’t do our lifesaving work without our incredible fosters! If you’ve ever thought about trying out fostering, now is the time! We need help to ensure we have space in our shelter to help our partner shelters and bring in even more vulnerable puppies. Plus, when you foster with us, we’ve got you covered nose to tail! We provide training, a mentor, online groups, supplies, vet checkups and more to make it easy to get started and support you and your furry guest. Learn more about fostering and sign up for an onboarding session.
More ways to help
If you aren’t able to foster or adopt but still want to help, there are still so many ways to get involved. Spread the word to family and friends about the benefits of adopting and fostering with HSSV, donate much-needed items to help support our animals, or give a gift to support our work from beginning to end.
We say it all the time, but we truly could not do this work without an amazing village of support. Thank you for being part of that village!
7 Comments on “Saving puppies this holiday season”
Puppies and all dogs are a lifetime commitment. not a toy under the tree to
Be discarded when you are bored or when you realize they are work.
I got my dog from HSSV and while I would never give him up he did not come without issues . He is a nipper, does not get along with children and I found out after 2 months that he had bladder stones. Fortunately I had the time and means to address theses issues. Costly surgery ($4500) for the bladder stones and a trainer for his nipping and other innate issues ($1800). I can only imagine what would have happened to him if someone did not have the ability or insight to address the issues. he might be back at HSSV or even worse.
I wish shelters put a hold on all dogs adopted out during the holiday season.
Personally I was very upset by this blog on puppies and the holidays.
Hi there! It’s actually a myth that animals are returned in droves after the holidays – our return rates don’t increase after the holidays, and we also do not see returns as failures! Families return animals for all kinds of reasons and we just see it as an opportunity to learn more about the animal and find them a better fit the next time around. Holding on adoptions during the holidays wouldn’t actually solve a problem, then, it would create one – many animals would be stuck in overcrowded shelters with no options to find a safe way out. Adopting during the holidays (and all times of the year!) is crucial to ensuring shelter animals are able to safely make it out of the shelter and find homes. We appreciate your love for animals and hope you can help us spread the word about how to help all kinds of shelter animals get the happy endings they deserve!
Paige, I totally agree that there should be a hold on adoptions during the holidays. It’s lovely to find a pup under the tree but then reality sinks in. You may not realize what you’ve got yourself into. That said, I’m all for adopting.
Hello!
I have a pulmonary disease and am looking for a dog to have by my side. I have felt faint several times and my doctor suggested I get a dog. I don’t have money to spend but would love to have a dog. Do you offer low cost fees for someone like me?
See message above
Need a puppy in my life. And the puppy needs a home. I haven’t had dog over 20 years it’s time to share my love .
Time to add some new puppy love to my life. Looking for a German Shepard puppy.