Today's Topic:  In the pandemic's early days, we've all heard how adoptions soared as people sought companionship during lockdown, famously leaving many dog rescues without any dogs to adopt out. 

But what happened after the pandemic?  Did this surge in adoptions lead to a surge in dog surrenders?  If not, what is the current state of dog rescues today?

That's why we invited the Director and Marketing Coordinator of Ho-Bo Care Boxer Rescue, Michelle Beston and Jihan Boughman, to the podcast, to discuss what the experience was like on the ground during that initial rush of eager adopters of "Pandemic Dogs/Puppies"; how the lockdown increased behavioral issues for dogs that were adopted during the pandemic; whether the surge in adoptions during the pandemic resulted in a surge of returns post pandemic; how dog rescues are experiencing a new "state of emergency" post pandemic; how compassion fatigue is affecting those working in rescue and those in the dog community; and so much more!

Guest Bio: Michelle and Jihan are volunteers with Ho-Bo Care Boxer Rescue, one of Colorado’s oldest dog rescues. Started in 1972 with the rescue of one white boxer, Ho-Bo Care has grown into a successful foster based organization, saving the lives of over 300 boxers, boxer mixes, and other breeds annually. Ho-Bo Care is dedicated to force-free, fear-free training practices and with the help of local trainers, guides its fosters and adopters to find effective and science-based ways to communicate with their dogs.

Michelle, the director of Ho-Bo Care has been volunteering since 2008. She got her first boxer, Foxy, in 2003 and quickly fell for the breed. Foxy not only started Michelle on her journey to dog rescue, but also inspired her interest in dog training. Foxy struggled with leash reactivity and after months of feeling frustrated as though they were working against each other, Michelle and Foxy started to find their groove. Michelle researched humane and science-based training methods and learned that communication was the key to their success. Michelle has fostered and adopted nearly one hundred boxers and other bully breeds over the years. 

Jihan, the marketing coordinator of Ho-Bo Care started volunteering in 2014. She jumped feet first into fostering, being paired with her first foster, Duncan. Duncan, a senior boxer that suffered from degenerative myelopathy, was behaviorally complex and took Jihan on a crash course through the dog training world. Since then, Jihan has become an advocate for adoption and force-free training, often using the rescues social media platforms to spread information about humane training methods.

Ho-Bo Care is an all-volunteer rescue and has saved over 6,600 dogs to date!

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