Lana, an adorable cross mix Labrador, has received an awful lot of attention. The heart-breaking photo of this little lady was shared on social media after she had been returned to Rescue Dogs Match, the organisation responsible for rehoming her, after she had been adopted.
The heart-rending image certainly had an impact as the organisation was subsequently inundated with offers to adopt Lana and over $15, 000 of donations were made. Lana would later be adopted and then returned to the shelter again.
It is one thing to be returned to the shelter once but twice! It is understood Lana could be possessive with her food, having been the smallest as a puppy, and therefore snapped at her new owner forcing them to have to return her.
Lana was so sad at having been returned to the shelter that she essentially 'shut down' and refused to go out for a day or engage with the staff.
She turned 3 on 14 May and has had a few homes in her short life already. She was advertised as not being friendly or sociable with other dogs, cats or children which understandably leaves a smaller demographic of people who may be willing to adopt her.
She was a small puppy when she arrived at the kennels and eventually was adopted by a family, after spending short times in foster homes, when she was five months old. She was there for a short time as, mentioned above, she was returned.
It is understood she had been adopted again for a short time at the beginning of 2016 however was returned again by the summer. The issues with Lana may stem from her being the smallest in the litter. She does like to keep active and busy and, as reported by the founder of Rescue Dogs Match, was not the kind of cuddly puppy most people do look for.
This kind of view tends to discourage people from fostering or adopting puppies or dogs from shelters or kennels. It is important however to always take note of any discerning qualities the dogs have when deciding whether to adopt or foster.
When fostering, take the time to decide whether you have the time and patience to look after a dog for the time they need it, regardless of their problems and then be happy to give the dog back when a new home is found.
Good reasons to support shelters and adopt a dog include the fact that you will be saving a dog's life. Not all shelters or kennels have the resources to do this to the best of the ability and therefore usually have to turn rescue animals away or sadly euthanize them.
Lana had been moved to another boarding house in November 2016 as space was limited and Rescue Dogs Match are very much committed to finding her a permanent home.
They have confirmed that Lana would be happiest with an older couple who will have the time to commit to Lana. She does like to be outside and a farm or similar area with large outdoor facilities / grasslands would suit her boundless energy.
Another good reason to adopt is that you can also usually make a donation to the shelter for adopting the dog which obviously supports the continued work of such an organisation.
Most other advantages stem from factors such as cost. Of course, you can just usually make a donation to take a dog away. Buying a puppy outright comes with the initial purchase outlay and any initial injections, training equipment or classes.
With a rescue dog, like Lana, they will usually have had any injections and training and as Lana is no longer a puppy her habits and behaviours are known to the shelter and communicated to potential owners.
This is a good thing as you then (usually!) know what to expect. More funds are saved as they are unlikely to still be chewing up carpets or furniture; a behaviour which may be rife in younger dogs.
As Lana's reaction to her being returned shows, you don't have to worry about her bonding with you. She is much more likely to want to stay where she is rather than be uprooted, as she has been, and therefore will be on her best behaviour; at least until you fall in love with her.
As for the reasons for her returns, people are just not used to her temperament and nature. She is a happy dog but her guarding tendencies can sometimes come out.
She exhibits 'working' tendencies which means she prefers to be 'busy' and prefers the outdoors; something which Rescue Dogs Match would have confirmed to any potential owner.
Being a responsible dog owner is a lot more than looking after the animal and feeding it. It is also essentially remembering that we shouldn't contribute to the overpopulation of dogs by breeding them unnecessarily.
Most people who overbreed and then cannot sell the pups or decide they can't handle them are not responsible people. This is due to the puppies then ending up in kennels or shelters which have limited over stretched resources. Sadly, some of them are also dumped or left in rubbish bins.
If you feel you can give Lana a new home or want more information visit the Rescue Dogs Match website for details. She will need to be rehomed in the Canada area.