Official Kids Mag

By Dave Woods • Official Kids Mag The Bryan sisters love their adopted dogs. "They are very funny and loving," said Chloe Bryan, an 11-year-old McNair Middle School student. "They love attention and they are just awesome. One is a Maltipoo, two are terrier mixes and one is a Labradoodle mix." Millie, her 7-year-old sister, who attends Butterfield Elementary, wholeheartedly agreed. "I love them because they are really sweet," she said. "They love a lot of people." All of the Bryan family's dogs are adopted from local shelters. It's become a family tradition, and Chloe is firm in her belief that rescuing a pet in need is a great thing. "We go to the shelter and we look for a dog that we think needs some loving care," she explained. "We adopt them and they feel good inside because we saved their lives and made them feel better. We feel very good because we saved a life, brought it into our home and they will have a family that will love them." Asked which of their furry friends was their favorite, Chloe made it clear: "They are like family, we can't choose." Family tradition Chloe and Millie's mom, Circuit Judge Beth Storey Bryan, has shared her lifelong love of pets with her two daughters and King, her 14-year-old son. "Growing up we always had a large group of pets," Judge Bryan said. "We always had a large dog, a couple of cats and even rabbits and Guinea pigs. We lived out towards Goshen (AR) and had lots of acres and lots of animals to love. I think it was my parents who instilled their love of animals in me." Having an extended family of fur babies around the house is good for her kids, she said. "Not only are the animals loving the kids, and the kids are loving the animals. It teaches them about responsibility and the importance of rescuing dogs who don't have homes." After rescuing so many dogs from local shelters, the Bryan family now has a tested system for determining what dog to adopt. "We always bring our other dogs to meet it," she said. "If it's a good fit, we bring them home that day. They are all different and not all well behaved or well mannered, but they are a lot of fun." Fun, but a mammoth responsibility comes with pet ownership. "If you have a pet, it's a lifelong responsibility," she added. "We recently lost a dog that was 18-years old. They really are a huge part of our family. There is a huge unwanted pet population and our shelters are always full. You won't find a more loyal dog – or cat – than one that you rescue." Fayetteville family shares their love of rescue dogs 'A LIFELONG RESPONSIBILITY' • Fayetteville Animal Shelter • Washington Co. Animal Shelter • Springdale Animal Services for Springdale • Rogers City Animal Shelter for Rogers residents • Rogers Humane Society of Benton County • Bella Vista Animal Shelter The Bryan family - Beth Storey Bryan, with Lucy, age 2; Millie Bryan, age 7 with Buddy, age 3; King Bryan, age 15, with Sadie, age 10 months; husband Davey Bryan, with Rigsby, age 11, and Chloe Bryan, age 11, with Rocky age 3, from the left. Maltipoo's a funny name! Not actually a dog breed per se, the Maltipoo is a popular cross of the Maltese and Poodle, known for its fun-loving and affectionate nature. Source: DogTime.com What's a Labradoodle? Developed to be hypoallergenic guide dogs, the first planned crosses of Poodles and Labrador Retrievers were arranged by the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia. Source: DogTime.com Search online for the shelter nearest you. Off icialKidsMag.com • AUG & SEPT 2018 • 37

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