Pitbulls, Paid Adoption Fees and Plastic Usage

Ella Bradshaw

Staff Writer

Welcome back to the Provoc’s recurring column highlighting adoptable shelter-pets, the organizations that support their welfare, and applied sustainability to the modern world through the college student’s perspective. Please consider supporting the local Worcester Animal Rescue League via donations and volunteerism.

This edition’s adoptable dog spotlight goes to Poppy, a five-year-old female Pit Bill mix. Poppy is spayed and weighs about seventy pounds. She is a sweet, affectionate girl with quite the personality, and would do best in a home with adults. Poppy loves the spotlight and would prefer being the only pet in a home to get full attention.

Poppy has tested positive for heartworm disease, which is a noncommunicable sickness transmitted by mosquito bites. Many dogs are able to maintain a healthy recovery from heartworm with access to medications, antibiotics, and other treatments. WARL is committed to covering the cost of her treatments – they are just looking for the right family to care for her! Ideally, Poppy would be involved in a foster-to-adopt home to bond with her new owners to receive treatments while bonding with her new family.

Email info@worcesterarl.org with any questions about Poppy or other adoptable pets.

WARL ran a “Creep it Real” campaign earlier this month, offering to waive adoption fees for many dogs during the week of October 13-19. Thanks to support from the MSPCA, all canines over a year old were completely free for adoption, helping initiatives to clear the kennels and find forever homes for loving animals. WARL offers walk-in adoption hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-4 PM.

The Ethical Pawprint: What’s something YOU can do to make an impact on environmental sustainability or animal welfare as a college student? One easy adjustment is switching your plastic usage habits. Try investing in reusable cooking supplies, utensils, straws, and other day-to-day items to reduce waste. And always make sure to clean and dispose of plastic products using recycling bins around campus! Plastic pollution has a life-threatening impact on our world and the creatures that inhabit it – try to be more conscious of your habits to make our campus, our creatures, and our own lives safer and cleaner!