Hello, my name is Tess. I am 20 years old and I am a Junior in College studying Creative Writing. I am an SPCA Volunteer, animal advocate, and most of all, an animal lover. Ever since we lost the family dog to a seizure when I was 7 years old, I have longed for another companion dog to be in our family. When I was in Elementary school, I would check out dog books from the school library and read about dogs during recess. I sticky-noted the breeds I liked best. I took notes about their attributes and read about basic dog care. I continuously begged my parents to let us adopt a dog from the shelter down the road; the SPCA. I frequented the shelter with my older sister to look at the dogs for fun, and we played with the cats. I wrote a handful of "letters" to my parents asking for them to understand my child-like emotional need for a dog to be back in our home, despite us owning cats whom I have always loved. While cats have always been a part of my family, I long for the unrivaled companionship of a dog. I want the challenge, I want the love, I want the work and the success. I want to train and raise our dog, and reach achievements like obtaining a Canine Good Citizen certificate or enrolling it in Agility at the proper age. Or maybe just teach them to "stick 'em up!" and show off the trick to my friends. I won't deny that my ambition is highly emotional as well, for I am often in tears because I don't have a puppy in my arms. I feel that having a dog would be emotionally fulfilling and beneficial to me when considering the stress of school and my tendency to be anxious in different situations. In essence, I want the companionship only a dog can offer, and this is where you all come in.

I have gotten serious about pursuing adoption of a companion dog in the last couple of years. My personal research about dogs, their health, diet, exercise, enrichment, and training has increased, and I even sought out apprenticeship in a dog training company, which I worked with for about four months and learned the basics of obedience training and worked hands-on with the trainer and the clients' dogs. I worked at a grooming salon, bathing and drying the dogs. I signed up with the SPCA down the road from my house, and have been volunteering there for almost a year, working with both the dogs and cats at the shelter. I even opted to drive rescue dogs for a 501(c)3 dog rescue for a couple weeks. I feel that I am a responsible individual with enough basic or even intermediate knowledge about dog ownership, whereas some people walk into pet adoption completely ignorant.

So, as a fairly knowledgeable, mostly college-educated, legal adult, you must wonder why I am making a petition to adopt a dog when at 18 I would have been able to do so on my own? Honestly, it's out of respect for my parents because I am still living under their roof while I go to school. Despite constantly asking, and having the question constantly dodged or the answer being 'not now', I am determined to convince them to get another pet that would be solely my responsibility. Furthermore, as much as I am honestly itching and practically dying to go out, adopt, and surprise them by bringing a new pup home, I wouldn't do that because it's just not who I am (Even if that is potentially the only way to get a dog through my door (; haha).

In conclusion, I thought I would make a petition to detail the reasons why I want a companion dog and let them know that I am capable and ready for such a responsibility as this. To explain to them and those that I know that having a dog has been a wish, an ambition, a hope of mine for the past thirteen years or so. It is not something I take lightly and despite any difficulty I might face, whether allergies or otherwise, I want a dog to raise and care for and I want the success of training a good-mannered animal and the companionship of a living creature that would accompany me wherever I go. Unlike others, I will not give up my pets no matter the challenges, and they will be loved unconditionally and cared for for the duration of their natural lives.

Please help me reach my petition goal and help me make an effort to convince my family that having a dog IS something we can do (: Thank you for your support.