Purebred dog adoptions in Manhattan
Taylor, an adorable little purebred shih tzu with a black and white Beatles mop-top hairdo, is as cuddly as she is cute. She had everything going for her, until she lost her home and ended up at Animal Care & Control of New York City. Even perfect pets lose their homes, but in Taylor’s case her luck turned around when Best Friends–New York took her in and gave her a fresh start to help her find a new home. Soon, the tiny dog with a big personality was on the road home to join a family who couldn’t believe they were lucky enough to find her.
Going the distance
Diane Diaz and her husband, Jim Burton, are shih tzu fans. Their last adopted dog, Delaney, a bichon frisé and shih tzu mix, inspired a long-distance journey to get him. He was a neglected puppy mill survivor who ended up with a rescue group. But the puppy mill’s loss was Diane and Jim’s gain. “I flew out to Indiana to get him,” says Diane. “He’s the sweetest little boy ever.”
The couple lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and the trip to Indiana was quite a trek to save a life, but these shih tzu enthusiasts believe in animal rescue wholeheartedly and will go the extra mile to adopt, rather than buy, their pets.
Serendipity steps in
Back in March, the couple was traveling for work and staying in a hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Their accommodations happened to be near one of the Best Friends–New York pet adoption pop-ups, monthly pet adoption events that take place in vacant retail spaces throughout New York City. Jim and Diane decided to check it out and couldn’t believe their luck at finding Taylor — a purebred shih tzu who needed a home. They adopted her on the spot.
Diane doesn’t understand why some dog lovers buy their family pets. She says, “Taylor is house-trained, listens well and is very friendly. No one should be buying a dog with all these great pets available.”
Adopting a purebred dog
Purebred dogs in all shapes and sizes end up with shelters and rescue groups. If adopters have their hearts set on a certain breed, Diane says, “You just need to look. There are many groups specializing in rescuing pure breeds. It only takes a few moments to search places like Petfinder.com to locate them.” And, of course, there are plenty of gems available at adoption events that showcase every breed and breed mix imaginable.
Taylor in the middle
Taylor loves her new life. From playing with new toys, to going on car rides, to visiting the dog park, she’s living every dog’s dream. “She is very cute when she wants up on the bed, and loves to put her paws on us to get picked up,” says Diane. Taylor is especially enamored with a loud squeaky toy and makes Diane and Jim laugh as she tosses it up and down the hallway, giving chase after each toss.
Taylor is also a big hit at the dog park. “She’s quite the socialite,” says Diane. “She gets along great with all the people and dogs, and she’s quite fearless.”
For all the Taylors
Before leaving the Best Friends adoption event with Taylor, the couple also wanted to help other homeless pets find homes, so Jim donated adoption fees for the next five pets at the event — an act of kindness aimed at helping more Taylors. “We love animals and would take them all home if we could,” says Diane.
Get involved
To help more animals like Taylor go from homeless to home, support Best Friends.
Learn more about Best Friends’ work in New York.
Photos by Brian Eden and Jim Burton