#dog-adoption

#dog-adoption

When we bought Otto, a golden retriever, a year after the death of our previous dog Bertie, we were sceptical that he could live up to our high expectations. What quickly became apparent, during the routine humiliation of our puppy training classes, was that Otto was a law unto himself. He's not normal quickly became a stock family phrase, as Otto demonstrated a series of wild, mischievous and outlandish behaviours.

There were plenty of reasons not to do it and I had always talked myself out of it, convinced there would be a better time for it. Yet on March 3, 2011, I found myself at a pet rescue, walking in the door still not entirely convinced getting a dog was a good idea. I'm just going to look, I told myself. See what they have. Maybe they wouldn't even have any.

An old English Sheepdog, Douglas became a major, beloved part of the Horan family - when he passed away, they were heartbroken...

A look-alike contest for dogs, inspired by the character Krypto from Superman, was held in Manhattan, attracting a variety of participants from local pet owners.

"It's a trendy breed," said Olga Setina, an administrator at the centre. "Everyone rushes to get them... But they're bulldogs, they've got teeth, they've got health issues, they've got everything. And then people abandon them," she added.

"Bringing a dog home is like starting a new relationship; you can't just decide a dog isn't your type anymore. It's like marriage."