By Erin Riley-Carrasco

I have always been empathetic toward dogs—toward all animals really. When I was 6 years old, after years of pleading, my Father finally acquiesced and told me that I could have a dog. We got into his big truck, and he explained to me on the way there that we were going to “adopt” our new dog. I could hardly contain myself, I was so excited. Once there, he said, “OK, honey, you can pick ANY dog you want!” After walking up and down the aisles of the shelter and seeing all the hopeful faces on the dogs, I felt my heart break a little, knowing I couldn’t take them all, but finally selected MY dog. I’ll never forget the look on my dad’s face and the feeling of holding my new little dog in my arms. My dad looked down at me with a crooked smile on his face, slightly bewildered, and said, “Honey, of ALL those dogs, why did you pick THAT little guy?” I responded, “He looked so sad, and he’s not that cute. I was afraid if we didn’t adopt him, no one would.” We had our beloved Peanuts for 16 years! Throughout my childhood, I got down on my knees to pray at night that God would make him live forever. In dog years, he almost did …

Fast forward to 1987. I had just graduated from San Diego State University and was getting ready to move out on my own for the first time in my life. I received a frantic call from a dear friend, who told me that her friend’s boyfriend had a dog he often tied to a tree for two to three days at a time without any food or water while he went on a “bender.” This went on for months, even though the girlfriend threatened to leave him and take the dog. Eventually, she’d had enough, but unfortunately her new apartment didn’t allow dogs. Although she had saved this dog’s life, she had to find him a home—and quickly. Enter MOI! Peanuts had just died, and my heart was yearning for another dog, so I told my friend that I would take the dog, sight unseen. We met halfway between San Diego and Oceanside, and she gave me Norton the basset hound. It was love at first sight, and he would be the first of three rescued basset hounds I would have in my life.

His ribs were protruding and his neck was raw from the rope that his former owner had used to tie him up for days at a time. I immediately began feeding him properly and also got him neutered, and I LOVED him for the eight years I was lucky enough to have him. He knew that I had saved his life, and he had helped heal my broken heart. One of his favorite things to do with me was to attend protests against vivisection. And it was helping to save Norton and seeing his transformation that prompted me to become a life-long advocate of “adopt, don’t shop” and a passionate activist and dog rescuer.

It’s now 2018, and as I write this, I have my rescued dogs Rocky and Rico at my feet. In the last two years, we lost Sadie Jane, our beloved basset hound whom we had adopted in 2007. She had been used by a backyard breeder, which traumatized her and necessitated a good bit of rehabilitation therapy. We also lost our rescued basset hound Jack. He was a senior when we adopted him, and he died from complications of old age. Over the years, he had had a string of owners who had always failed him; the last one had beaten him. It took him a while to warm up to us, but for the last two years of his life, he was loved and adored, and when I looked into his deep brown eyes, I knew that HE knew we had saved him, and he was at peace.

Rescuing animals and providing them with a safe and loving home is one of the best, most rewarding things that you can do. In my opinion, adopting is so incredibly special because not only are you saving a life, you’re also not contributing to the pet overpopulation problem in our country or supporting the puppy mill industry, which supplies most commercial pet stores. When our country still euthanizes MILLIONS of animals every year, why would anyone still want to purchase a dog from a breeder or a pet store, which just perpetuates the problem?

If you are considering adding a dog or cat to your family, check out your local humane society, an open-admission animal shelter, or the many breed-specific rescues that exist. Not only will you be saving a life, you’ll also be making room for another animal in need by freeing up a spot in the shelter, so in essence, you have helped save two. It’s a win-win situation!

I often reflect on all my adopted dogs and think, “Who saved who?” My dogs have helped get me through some of the toughest times in my life. Please, if you have the resources and room enough in your heart and your home, adopt an animal. Your only regret will be not doing it sooner.

Erin Riley-Carrasco is a longtime animal advocate, a 30-year business owner, a vegan, an adrenal cortical cancer survivor, a proud wife, and a devoted mother to two beautiful children. She won PETA’s “Sexiest Vegan Over 50” contest last year and hosts a weekly vegan cooking segment on Facebook.com/JaneVelezMitchell (Jane Unchained) called “Saturday Snackdown.” She’s passionate about advocating for animals, helping to get animal-welfare bills passed, and informing people of the importance of following a sustainable vegan lifestyle.