50 Shelters / 50 States - Illinois

Well, it's about time we got back to the 50/50 posts - and as always, choosing the one dog and cat to spotlight was incredibly difficult, in more ways than one.  For starters, in case anyone was wondering, there are 1,660 dogs available for adoption on Petfinder within a 100 mile radius of Chicago, and 2,081 cats.  Which is daunting in and of itself, though I eliminated some by selecting for only adult and senior animals, as they are the ones who have the hardest time getting adopted.  Even then, this is still a staggering number of lovely dogs and cats who for various reasons are without loving homes - and that's just within a hundred mile radius!!!!!  

Many are in city or county run shelters, facing a highly uncertain future, while others are luckier and have found their way into private rescue, where odds are that they will be kept and lovingly cared for until the right adoptive family can be found for them.  Of course, the down side to that is that until that right home is found, they are taking up space in a foster home ... and if that right home is a long time coming, (or perhaps is never found?) who knows how many other dogs or cats might have been saved in his or her place?  So if you're a rescue, you have to be cognizant of this when deciding which animals to take into your program.  Something which Dog Foster Mom, a fellow blogger whom I much admire, recently addressed in her post Why I Won't Rescue Your Dog.  

Now, the up side of this - if there IS, in fact, an up side, is that if you are a person who is looking to bring a dog or cat (or ferret or rabbit or parrot or whatever it is that your animal-loving heart may desire) into your home, chances are you can find one (or many) that fit your criteria by checking out your local shelter, and if you can't find what you're looking for there, broaden your search with the help of Petfinder and you're probably almost guaranteed to find that perfect dog or cat. 

Here are my picks from the state of Illinois:

Meet Lady!

Lady is a young adult Jack Russell Terrier mix currently in the care of Homeward Bound Pet Shelter in Decatur, Illinois.  There is not much information in her profile, but it does say that she is an energetic young girl looking for a family who will spend a lot of time with her.  Certainly her mix alone just about guarantees a great deal of energy and a fair amount of brains to go along with it!  And just look at that sweet, scruffilicious face and those adorable ears!  Honestly, this is what kills me about these posts - because without even trying I can find several dogs that I'd just LOVE to give a home to if I was in the market for another dog.  (Which I'm really not, although it's a constant temptation.) Anyway,  I'd be willing to bet Lady would be a great Agility or Rally-O partner, or even just an eager companion ready to accompany her new family on walks or hikes.  

If you or someone you know would be interested in offering Lady the loving home she certainly deserves, please contact Homeward Bound at 217-876-1266 or email them at HomewardBoundPetShelter02@yahoo.com

And now, meet Cameron!

Cameron is a two year old male domestic shorthair currently in the care of the Dewitt County Animal Shelter in Clinton, Illinois, where is is obviously a favorite of the staff there, one of whom wrote:  "He's a love bug and one of my special buddies. He's also quite the entertainer. These pictures are in response to me telling him what a handsome boy he is. :) Cameron is very dog-like in obeying commands and comes when called. He likes to hop onto my lap and help me take photos, also. Cameron plays well with others ..."

Know someone who can offer Cameron a wonderful home that will surely be enriched by his sweet face, loving personality, and clownish antics?  Have them call 217-935-3488 or email secondchanceforpets@yahoo.com