Like a good majority of people, I decided to adopt a dog around the middle of the pandemic in 2021. I was near stir-crazy, getting absolutely no work done, and in need of a friend. In the years prior to COVID, I had always longed for a furry companion. My mother often recounted stories of her childhood dog, Tina, and all the mishap she would get into. My favorite story, however, was the one recounting the day she adopted her. My mother would describe Tina as “an oversized rat with fur, trying her hardest to climb out of her kennel and into my arms.” Her retelling was something akin to a fairy tale, complete with love at first sight. Obviously, as an impressionable child who adored her mother, I decided that if I were to ever get a dog, I would adopt it too.
It seemed everyone had the same idea of adopting a friend, as, at the time, very few animals were available. It was by pure luck that we found Bourbon, the puppy-love of my life. She was deemed a Pit Bull mix of sorts, with a grey coat and a shy disposition. Her picture was something akin to a mug shot, grainy in its quality but still somehow speaking to my heart. So it was easy to make the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Lancaster to meet her.
I was shooting off a text message to my brother when the handler first brought her into the play area. I barely had time to look up before a flash of grey struck me right in the stomach. She managed to topple me over in her excitement, determined to show me every ounce of affection she could muster. Between the many kisses and scratches on the head, I managed to tell my mother we would absolutely be taking her home that day. I’m not sure who was happier.
Whiskey would be adopted much later, nearing the end of the state-mandated quarantine. Pounds were still having to keep up with the high demand from adopters, so the humane society hadn’t even had the time to post a picture of her. Seeing as she was another Pit mix around the same size and age as Bourbon, we decided to go through with the initial meet-and-greet. We would bring Bourbon along for the ride in order to give the two dogs a chance to meet each other and get a general idea of how they would get along.
To be extremely honest, Whiskey was no beauty queen. While Bourbon was slender and tall, Whiskey was wide and short. It didn’t help that their coats were opposite colors, either. Meeting Whiskey was memorable in more than just that way, though. She was so excited to meet me that she ate a milk bone so fast, that she threw up. It was then that I knew she would be a perfect match for Bourbon’s boundless energy. We brought her home that night.
I have never been so thankful to an organization before adopting through the LA Humane Society. Not only did it bring my fur babies and me together, but it also made the process incredibly streamlined despite the high demand. The corresponding websites of each location were easy to manage and sort through, with accessible contact information. Responses were very timely, and either through email or phone calls. Meet-and-greets were scheduled quickly, often within a few days of initial inquiry. Overall, my experience with the Humane Society was fantastic.
Adoption is far more affordable than buying from breeders and offers a loving home to a dog in need. I am so incredibly grateful to have Bourbon and Whiskey in my life. Linked below are the states in which you can browse the animals up for adoption in both Los Angeles County and Santa Barbara County.