Dog Adoption Marks Mainstream Culture

Published November 27, 2009 @ 07:00PM PT

Dogs stories have always been popular, but lately there have been more that are focused around animal shelters and adoption. Characters in books and movies get their dogs from shelters or off the streets, and TV is filled with animals being adopted, rescued, and rehabilitated, both fictionally and documentary-style. Pop culture is an indicator of what's in the public consciousness, and there are signs that the issue of homeless animals has finally made its mark.

Most people who work in rescue and animal sheltering cringe whenever the latest dog movie is released. It doesn't take long after a movie like 101 Dalmatians or Snow Dogs hits the theaters for that breed to start flooding shelters. The trained stars are irresistibly cute, showing none of the more challenging breed traits. Families run out and buy the picture-perfect dog, but when reality hits, the dogs suffer.

Then there are movies like Hotel for Dogs, where kids take on the homeless pet problem. Having the right kind of message didn't result in a lack of family-friendly cuteness. And I'm seeing hints of that message more and more in books and TV shows. It's not quite as surprising when the dog in a story is adopted from a shelter or rescued off the street (though it still makes me smile every time). When you find a dog story -- or any animal story -- that promotes animal welfare, spread the word. The more popular these books and movies are, the more of them there will be.

Photo credit: themacinator

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Author

Stephanie Feldstein works for a non-profit environmental organization and runs an in-home training and behavior consultation business, specializing in behavior issues common to rescued dogs. She also volunteers for Pit Bull Rescue Central and several other animal welfare groups. In her spare time, Stephanie writes novels that explore the human-animal bond.