Miss Molly's Adoption from the Ross County Humane Society

There have been few times in my life when I didn't have a dog (or three) at my feet, and adopting a puppy was the first thing on my list after I bought my home in Ohio. I have a few favorites, but I wasn't committed to adopting a specific breed when I headed out to the Ross County Humane Society in Chillicothe, mainly because I didn't know what would be available. I thought I wanted a younger dog or puppy, but knew that no matter what I planned on in advance, it wouldn't matter a lick once a certain four-legged friend captured my heart.

Ross County Humane Society has separate rooms for puppies, larger dogs, and cats, as well as a space set aside for those animals recently acquired that are in holding for quarantine purposes. I started in the puppy room and two lively mixed-breed pups caught my eye right away so I took them both out to see how they acted when out of the cage.

Both dogs were adorable, but one was a little more skittish and not as sociable. The other was a pretty red-head who crawled in my lap and washed my face, so it didn't take long to decide who was going home with me. It was all over except for signing her emancipation papers.

Adopting a pet from your local shelter is almost always a better deal than even free puppies you might find in the newspaper or online. For a $63 fee, you can adopt a puppy from the Ross County Humane Society that has had all shots required to date and has been wormed. The price also includes the $10 fee for the county dog license, and a spay/neuter certificate that can be honored by one of several local veterinarians who do it for low cost. Even a 'free' dog will cost you more than that for first shots and physical exam.

I chose Molly's name before we even left the shelter, but I did have to tear myself away for a few minutes before taking her home. I hadn't bought all necessary supplies yet since I didn't know what size collar I'd need, so after the paperwork was complete, I made a quick trip to the store. After loading my car (and emptying my checking account) with collar, leash, feeding dishes, puppy food and toys, I returned to get Molly from the puppy orphanage. She's been a joy every day of my life since.

The facility is almost always full to capacity, so many of the larger kennels hold two or three dogs awaiting forever homes. Like most animal lovers, I wish I could have adopted as many as would fit in my car, but I had to be practical and limit myself to one (for this trip, anyway). If Molly ever tells me she'd like another little brother or sister, I'll be making another trip to the Ross County Humane Society.