Couple Find Dream Dog Through Last Hope K9 Rescue
By Natasha Ishak
12/14/2016
Samwise perched on the family’s living room couch. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
As I prep my notes for the interview, Samwise curiously sniffs at me on the living room’s dark blue couch. We hear chatter through the glass window behind us, which makes Sam divert his attention toward the glass – people watching is one of his favorite hobbies. His father, Graham Wright, laughs and takes a sip of coffee.
“We call this ‘turning on his Netflix’ where we open up the curtains so he can see outside,” Wright said. “He just loves to watch people walk by.”
After months – possibly years – on the streets, Sam now lives in a nice first-floor apartment with his new parents, Graham and Rose, in Somerville. They do not know his age (”They think he might be around 3, but they’re not really sure,” Rose said) and have no idea what breed he is (possibly a mix between black Labrador and Beagle). Despite all this, the soon-to-be married couple love their new baby all the same.
The black pup sits obediently as his photo is taken. Black dogs like Sam tend to have a harder time getting adopted, sources say. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
The pair adopted Sam through the Last Hope K9 rescue organization a little over a month ago. Someone never would guess he was a rescue dog by his shiny appearance and friendly manner.
But Sam is only one happy tale among the millions of other dogs that are still looking to find a home. Roughly 3.9 million dogs in the US enter shelters every year, according to data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). What is more shocking: less than one percent of them are adopted. Now non-profit organizations, such as Last Hope K9, are working to lower those statistics.
Bringing Hope
Since its inception four years ago, Last Hope has dedicated its work toward saving as many dogs as possible from being euthanized by high-volume kill shelters. So far, at least 4,000 dogs have found new homes through the organization’s efforts.
The rescue is 100 percent run by volunteers – all proceeds go directly into operating expenses – and adheres to a no-discrimination policy, meaning it does not refuse dogs based on age, breed or pre-existing medical conditions. This also means there always are more canines to take care of on what little resources the non-profit has.
Rosie the pittbull stares curiously into the camera lens during a Lost Hope K9 event in Jamaica Plain. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
Visitors play with puppies at the Last Hope K9 adoption event. Puppies are kept together in a separate space than the older dogs. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
A Last Hope K9 volunteer shows off Roscoe to potential adopters. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
“It’s expensive,” assistant director Manda Carco admitted. “Taking on dogs that are medical cases and dogs that are training cases costs money. It costs resources and time as well. But the point is that these dogs are worth it.”
According to Carco, the rescue earns most of its proceeds from the adoption fee, which covers about 70 percent to 80 percent of the rescue’s expenses. The rest is made up through donations and fundraisers.
Since it does not have a permanent headquarters, Last Hope relies on pop-up events to showcase its adoption pool. The events are frequently hosted around Massachusetts, where the dogs are shown off with the help of volunteer handlers. Potential adopters – dubbed FURever homes by the organization – can come see the dogs available for adoption and get to know them face-to-furry face.
“It’s great. We had a lot of older dogs go home, a lot of Pitbulls go home,” event coordinator Kate Doran said during a recent adoption affair in Jamaica Plain. “ It’s just been a really good day.”
Out of the 42 dogs put up that day, 30 left with new families – a typical turnaround, Doran said.
Randi, a 23-year-old dog handler for Last Hope, said she decided to volunteer because fostering was not an option for her. She comes to a few events every month to help handle the dogs while potential adopters play with the pups and ask questions.
“I think since they [Last Hope] don’t have a shelter, they do rely on fosters, so they bring together a lot of passionate people who want to take care of the dogs on their own time and spend time at these events,” said Randi as she adjusted the collar on a friendly old boy named Dusty.
She added: “Having a dog is a big responsibility but they bring you so much love and make your life tremendously happy.”
Finding the Perfect Pup
Adopting is a good alternative for animal lovers who want to do more than just own a new pet. An animal’s life often is saved from being put down – whether due to illness, behavioral problems, or simply a matter of inefficient facilities to shelter them. Data from the ASPCA suggests 1.2 million dogs are put down yearly in the United States.
However, the process for adoption can be quite thorough. At Last Hope, potential owners must go through a seven-step process, including providing references and a home visit by the rescue. During this process – usually lasting two weeks – Last Hope looks for red flags that might warrant denial to adopt. Carco shared that the organization has turned down applicants for things such as having a bad history with pets or people living in hoarding situations.
“These dogs have already gone through a lot,” Carco said. “They’ve been given up a few times, so we need to make sure that the homes that they’re going into are going to be their forever homes. That people are serious about wanting to adopt a dog, that they have the means to adopt a dog and that the homes they are going into are safe and loving.”
Graham and Rose, both artistic types working in music, held off on plans to adopt until they could manage a consistent daily schedule, where either one could be with the pup. They also figured a small, quiet dog with just enough energy would best fit their urban lifestyle.
“Since we live in a small space, we didn’t want to keep the dog cooped up all day, or have a dog nanny come all the time,” said Rose, whose mother regularly fosters dogs in her family’s house in Arizona.
After the couple were approved for adoption, they went to a few Last Hope events to find their perfect dog. These events can be intense because of the sheer volume of dogs and people in one space. They also can be quite competitive, the couple said, as it is a sort of free-for-all affair. Whoever books a dog first gets it.
A better alternative is to schedule a private meet-and-greet through the rescue. Last Hope’s Facebook page is constantly updated with photos and descriptions of dogs ready for adoption. Not only does the meet-and-greet enable potential owners to interact with the dog in an intimate setting, it allows them to meet the foster family - a valuable resource to get insight into the dog’s personality.
“We probably went to three of their [Last Hope] events, and met two dogs before we found him [Samwise],” Rose said. “The fosters at the meet and greets were very helpful in letting us know if a certain dog didn’t fit the traits that we were looking for.”
Graham and Rose with Samwise at their apartment in Somerville. After trying to adopt through several other rescue organizations, the couple found success with Last Hope K9. Photo by Natasha Ishak.
Worth the Wait
As I continue to talk with his parents about the adoption process, Sam curls up cozily beside me and starts to drift into sleep. He seems completely at ease. It is hard to imagine the black mix was found wandering the streets of Arkansas in poor condition: covered in fleas with his fur coat falling out here and there.
He still has some dry patches from his street days but is now a well-adjusted, people-loving pooch, thanks to the care from his foster family. It took nearly two months to rehabilitate the lost pup.
Graham and Rose spent a few months – including talking to other rescue organizations and scouring events and scheduling meet-and-greets – before they found Sam, who was described in his online profile as a “perfect gentleman.”
“The advice that I’ve been telling people is if you have an idea of what you want, this [adopting] is so great,” Graham said. “You can talk to the fosters and the volunteers and take your time. And taking your time might mean several weeks or a few months, but it’s not like a year.”
As I pack up my belongings and say good bye to Graham, Rose and Sam, who’s sitting perfectly content on his mother’s lap, it seems a few months might be worth it.
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