Are you thinking about getting a dog? Are you wondering whether you should buy a dog from a breeder, pet shop or possibly rescuing a dog who is currently living at a shelter? If so, please read on.

The fifth annual PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE campaign kicked off recently with the help of host Shawn Desman, Canada's Juno Award-winning and platinum selling singer/songwriter and producer. Together with PEDIGREE, Shawn's goal is to raise awareness about shelter dogs .

While at the campaign kickoff, I had the opportunity to talk about shelter dogs with Shawn Desman, as we both sat on the ground and played with Brutus, the sweet and energetic little Jack Russell Terrier you see in the photo above. By the way, Brutus is just one of many dogs who is waiting to be welcomed into a new family, and is currently staying at the Humane Society of Durham Region.

Me: Why have you chosen to be a spokesperson for the PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE campaign?

Shawn: I grew up with dogs. I have a 3 year old Shih-Poo named Tux, who loves to come to the studio with me. When I was approached to be the spokesperson, I learned that dogs who live in shelters are there for many reasons, and are usually great dogs. They are not typically untrained strays, but instead, they have been reluctantly surrendered due to their family's change in lifestyle, allergies, or because someone could no longer afford to keep them. 

Me: What would you like to say to someone who is considering getting a dog?

Shawn: I would like to say two things. One, is that with a dog comes a great deal of responsibility, so you should not buy or adopt a dog on a whim. You need to choose a dog who fits your lifestyle. Are you away at work all day? Can this dog be left alone? Do you live in a house or apartment? How often does this dog need to be walked and will you be able to do it? Do you go away a lot? Can you afford the costs that go along with owning a dog? There are many aspects of your life that you need to consider when choosing the right dog for you.

Secondly, shelter dogs are homeless, special and are simply looking for love. They are smart, and know that you are giving them a loving home. Dogs will show you just how much they appreciate becoming an important member of your family.

Me: What attributes do you have, that you feel you can use to help get this message out there ?

Shawn: I'm a genuine guy, and only participate in causes that I feel strongly about. I am involved with many charities, and I think that I am in a position that allows me to reach many people.

For me, I wanted to share this story with you because I really love dogs ( cats and all animals ) and I know that it's a WIN/WIN situation when someone rescues a shelter dog. If you are thinking about adding a dog to the mix, please consider adopting from a shelter. These dogs are lonely, scared, confused, and when you give them attention they wag their tails in happy anticipation. Are you going to be my new family they wonder? For more information on dog adoptions and the  PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE campaign visit www.mypedigree.ca/adoption.

In addition, for anyone who already has a dog,  the PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE campaign will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bag of specially-marked PEDIGREE dry dog food to 30 shelters in Canada. Over the past 5 years, through this campaign, the makers of PEDIGREE have donated over $800,000.00 and including this year's campaign, hope to top $1,000,000.00 to help in the care of these shelter dogs who are waiting for someone to bring them home.

Thanks for reading my mom's blog.

Yours truly,

Millie