The Fairmont Sentinel reports in Home to First Dog?:
Today, a dog named Wema will draw that attention to Fairmont.
From the beginning, the Obamas have wanted to adopt a dog from an animal shelter. With their daughter Malia's allergies, the Obamas needed a dog with a hypoallergenic coat.
On Sunday, Pres.-elect Barack Obama announced his family had narrowed its preferences to a labradoodle or Portuguese water dog.
"We have a Portuguese water dog," said Cindilee Connor of the Martin County Humane Society.
A search on www.petfinder.com - one of the most popular methods for adopting shelter dogs in the United States - reveals only four Portuguese water dogs are available for adoption from U.S. shelters.
Connor received a call this week from Carole Davis, an animal rights activist, actress, author and spokesperson for Companion Animal Protection Society, based in Los Angeles. The organization found Wema online and wanted more information. They asked Cindilee to have the dog professionally groomed and photographed. . . .
. . .Connor described Wema as a loveable, sweet, well-mannered creature that's good with kids and other animals.
"She's going to be a wonderful companion animal for anyone - whether the one to adopt her is the President or your neighbor," she said.
Wema was surrendered to the animal shelter when her family could no longer take care of all their pets. They dropped off two other dogs at the same time.
"People are going through hard times right now," Davis said. "I think this dog is a victim of that."
A campaign begins today to convince the Obamas that Wema - or another shelter dog, if not her - is the right choice. Davis is optimistic the cause will have the support of other major animal rights groups.
"I'm very fortunate in my life and I know a lot of influential people," she said. "Between all of us, we will get the word out there. I don't think this dog can be ignored. All of us in this movement are going to make sure this dog gets seen."
At the same time, the American Kennel Club has also offered its services to the family. The club has endorsed the Portuguese water dog as a better option for an allergy-friendly companion than a labradoodle, and it is pushing for the Obamas to buy a purebred rather than a mixed breed, which supposedly has less predictable coats.
Pushing back, animal advocacy groups are publicizing the large number of purebreds available in shelters. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters each year - 25 percent of those dogs are purebred. . . .
We hope the Obama adopt a shelter dog. Adopting a dog that lost its home because of the economic downturn would make the gesture by the Obama family even more powerful.
And if the Obamas don't choose this sweetie, do you know someone who might?
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