Our commenters have the BEST ideas, like the recent suggestion that we put together a gallery of the xoJane staff's rescued pets. Because we feel so passionately about it, we're collaborating with our amazing sister site Dogster, who wrote this terrific post about why a puppy is not a Christmas present. Want to give a gift? Go to a shelter instead.
"A dog should never be an impulse buy," Janine Kahn, the editor-in-chief of Dogster, says, "especially during this season of last-minute shopping; I can't stress that enough. All we at Dogster want is for every dog to be wanted and for potential pet owners to do their homework about that breed or mix-up pup -- this is at the very least a 10-year commitment. Also, don't buy anything (not even a poop baggie!) from stores that sell puppies -- let's put those motherfuckers out of business."
She adds: "As for shelters/rescues, at Dogster HQ we are obsessed with Muttville Senior Dog Rescue! They make sure all the unwanted and seniors find a home."
But on to our own rescue pets!
1. Lesley -- Penny (who we adopted with dear departed Rufus) was a rescue from a no-kill shelter. (Sorry for the butt picture, it was the best I could do.)
2. Jane and Charlotte -- Balloon actually comes from a shelter where he was brought after being a present the recipient did not want.
3. Phoebe -- Mitford came from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London (which we call "Cattersea." ha ha haaa).
4. Gala -- Hank (left) is a 12 year old Pitbull; we took him in when he been so badly beaten and was so malnourished he had no fur at all. Dolly (right) was in a crate outside an animal rescue shelter, was on a euthanasia list and had been bounced around several shelters.
5. Corynne -- Ryer is our rescue Pittie from the Bronx, now 2 years old and healed from her hip surgery.
6. Rebecca -- Here's me and my aged rescue Persian Rumi. He actually likes me a lot, not that you can tell.
7. s.e. -- Leila (as well as Loki, not pictured, as the two infamously do not get along) are both from the Mendocino Coast Humane Society.
8. Madeline -- Alice (the dog, 10) and Josephine ("Jojo," the cat, 15) are my family pets. Alice had been through two different homes and abuse when we got her at 2. Jojo jumped out of a tree onto my neighbor's head as a homeless kitten.
9. Olivia -- This is my MOM (not me, I'm too young and stupid to care for another life) with Obie, a dog that my shithead friends were given outside of a bar and when they realized they couldn't take care of him, my mommy found a nice home for him in upstate New York.
10. Alison -- These 3 dogs all wandered onto my porch at various intervals over the past 13 years. There's a beacon, I swear! At least 5 of my friends have dogs I picked up off the streets and foisted upon them.
11. Somer -- This is Khaleesi, the Mother of Dragons. We rescued her after she had a litter of kittens in our friends' backyard. My friends contacted a local animal rescue, who rounded up the cats and had them all fixed. Khaleesi came to live with us.
12. Mandy -- Samsung was recently adopted while on death row at a shelter. His health is improved and he's doing great.
The rest of the pups in the gallery were rescued by various wonderful folks who work with us here at SAY Media, our parent company. Their names, in order, are Caruso, Daisy & Buster, Blue, Bridgette, Binx, Tasha, Jim, Conrad and Dexter.
