Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Vote for Tyson!

Please follow the link below & VOTE for Tyson (middle row with the e-collar on). If he wins the "pet of the week" contest a brand new Kuranda dog bed will be donated to BOCAR! You can vote once a day & it only takes a second!

12/15/2009 – 12/21/2009

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

BOCAR is having a Rummage Sale December 5th!


Boxer OC Animal Rescue is having a rummage sale on Saturday December 5th to raise funds for our rescue! We are currently accepting donations of new or gently used items (like clothing, appliances and furniture). If you would like to donate please email Nancy at nancy@ndomino.com for drop off information.

Or if you’d rather shop please stop by 5132 Bayonne Cr., Irvine, CA 92604 on December 5th, 2009 from 7:30am until 2:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

A dog for the kids?

We recently had an adopter contact us to “return” their dog after a year of ownership. The reason? Their kids were bored of the dog & didn’t play with it anymore. Yes, that’s a real excuse.

The family felt that the dog would be better off in another home where it would get more attention from the children. As if the dog is some sort of “hand me down” just waiting for the next kid to grow into it.

So in light of this unfortunate situation we’d like to mention that getting a dog “for the kids” is a very poor reason for getting a dog. While most kids are very keen to have a pet and might even beg, plead & promise endlessly for one; children are also very fickle, and very selfish. This is not to downgrade kids - being selfish is in their very nature, and that's the main reason why they need parents - to look after all their wants and needs - including looking after their pets!

Now this is not meant to discourage anyone from adopting a dog as a family pet. Many choose to get a dog for their child’s benefit. Living with a dog can be a beneficial and wonderful experience for children. Dogs can enhance children’s self-esteem, teach them responsibility and help them to learn empathy. But that should never be the singular reason why you are adding a dog to the family. You should also want the dog for yourself. And you need to accept that your children will probably never take any real responsibility for the family pets. The simple truth is that children's priorities and interests change much too often to reasonably expect them to fulfill the life long commitment necessary for owning a dog.

Dog ownership is a dog is a long term undertaking. Dogs can live 10 to 15 years. Never acquire a dog on a whim, only to dump them when they become inconvenient. Do research before adding ANY pet to the family. Dogs, in particular, need to be researched for compatibility with your lifestyle. Pets should never be given as gifts, and children can not be 100% responsible for the care of any pet.

Owning a dog is not just a privilege-it's a responsibility. These animals depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. If you are considering taking a dog into your family, you need to think seriously about all that dog ownership entails. If you already have a dog, you need to consider if YOU (the adult) are fulfilling all your obligations as its owner.