Almost a year ago, Oprah went after puppy mills. Her beloved cocker spaniel, Sophie, had died of kidney failure and she dedicated an entire show to the beloved pooch, using the opportunity to conduct an expose on the horrors of puppy mills. She also announced that she would never buy from a breeder again, vowing to get her next dog from a rescue or shelter. And she kept her word — Oprah just adopted a cocker spaniel puppy from the PAWS animal shelter in Chicago. Not a huge surprise, seeing as how Oprah had previously donated money for a room in Sophie’s name at PAWS, but it’s great news, nonetheless.
What made this an even greater win for the rescue shelter cause is that previously Oprah had always gotten purebred cocker spaniels and golden retrievers from breeders. Don’t get me wrong, both of those are fabulous breeds, but as Oprah learned there are already more amazing dogs than there are homes for them.
Oprah’s adoption is also great timing because, as you probably have heard, the First Family is looking to adopt from a rescue or shelter. Because of Malia’s allergies, however, they have to be particular about the breed (some breeds’ coats are more hypoallergenic than others). The Obamas have settled on a Portuguese water dog, a breed that’s familiar within the political realm — Sen. Ted Kennedy has two of his own.
Michelle Obama recently spoke to People magazine about the dog situation, saying, “One of the things I didn’t anticipate is the level of [public] excitement about the dog.” In addition to choosing the Portuguese water dog as the breed, a date of arrival has been selected — April 1. “Got to do it after spring break,” said Michelle. “You can’t get a new dog and then go away for a week.”
Additionally, the new White House dog will be “old enough,” which is great — often, the older an animal gets, the harder it is to find it a home. And it’s understandable; puppies are adorable. Still, I can’t even tell you how thrilling it is to see people with such power and influence championing this cause — kudos to Oprah and the Obama family!