August is Clear the Shelters Month and so we thought we'd let you hear why that's important straight from the source, aka a rescued pet. Natalie Pitman Hahn adopted pit mix Millie Biscuit through Paws 4 the Cause. She gamely volunteered to serve as Millie Biscuit's spokeshuman. You can follow Millie on IG and you should.

Tell us about your interests, Millie.

Hi! My name is Millie Biscuit, and I have a lot of very important hobbies. I love checking my pee mail (smelling every single new smell on our walks), pretending I need to go outside when I really just want to become a baked potato in the sunshine, showing off my teef, getting belly rubs, and taking lots of naps. I also love meeting people and reminding everyone that black dogs can be pretty amazing, too. And I will never turn down a pup cup.

Can you tell us why this month is important?

Clear the Shelters month is important to me because I know what it feels like to be a shelter dog. I was rescued from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, before making my way to Lexington, where I was adopted in 2021 through Paws 4 the Cause.

When I first arrived, I was exhausted and scared and had no idea what was happening. I was almost adopted and then brought back. Then my mom came along, and everything changed. Now I get to spend my days being spoiled, taking plenty of naps, and showing people how wonderful rescue dogs can be. There are so many amazing animals waiting for their families through Lexington Humane Society and Paws 4 the Cause, and they deserve a chance, too.

What might people not understand about some of the dogs waiting for homes?

People sometimes assume shelter dogs have a “bad” history or that there’s something wrong with them, but that’s simply not true! I mean, I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty great. I’m sweet, I love people, and I think I’m pretty cute.

Dogs of all ages and breeds are waiting for homes, some have been waiting for more than 100 days, and sometimes the ones people overlook can be the perfect match. Older dogs may already be potty trained, and pit bulls and black dogs are often overlooked despite being just as loving and deserving of a family. Sometimes we just need someone to give us a chance, have a little patience and give us a whole lot of love. And if you’re not ready to adopt, you can foster a dog to see if they’re a good fit for your lifestyle, or even “check a dog out” for the day at LHS. You never know, your new best friend might be waiting for you.

What did we forget to ask you about as silly humans?

You forgot to ask me why I have social media! My mom created my page to show people how wonderful rescue dogs can be and to shine a little extra light on dogs who can sometimes be overlooked, including black dogs like me. Now we use my platform to advocate for rescue dogs and help shelter pets find their fur-ever homes. If you can't adopt right now, fostering, sharing a shelter pet's post, donating or simply telling a friend about a dog who needs a home can make a huge difference. There are so many animals out there with so much love to give.