A Small Part of the Big Picture

Not a care in the world

This is my foster dog, Brady, about 9 o'clock this morning lying in a warm spot on the back of my couch dreaming of barking his fool head off, running up and down the fence line while I bring the sheep in at night. He could be dreaming of his 1st home from which he was ejected for being a...well, for being a dog, or maybe of a bright future where the phrase, *foster dog* becomes unnecessary. Apparently we have that one in common.

6 months ago I had it on my heart to foster a dog for the same rescue that brought me Dexter, my little man. Since that 6 pound mutt transformed my life with nothing more than his being, I figured I owed 'em one. As you can imagine, they had one that needed to be moved right now. 

After an owner surrendered him at a couple years old on some lame excuse, he changed hands a few times in foster care, then came to me. I assessed the situation and decided he was stressed beyond the pale, and a little frantic over who knows what beyond the shifting sands under his itchy feet, red from food allergies. He had some odd behaviors. 

He had trouble sitting still, relaxing was out of the question. He paced, he barked at everything and nothing, and he pee'd on my $1,500 curtains...twice. Welcome to the world of fostering dogs. Dexter tolerated him, but did the Mexican hat dance, or at least a hat-less rendition, whenever I so much as said Brady's name. Brady tried to ignore him, but banished himself none the less to the back of the cushy armchair, or the arms of the couch. Out of my reach, but more importantly, out of Dexter's. 

After a couple of false starts, (the curtains,) the 3 of us found a rhythm. I secured  a Border Collie kennel with an ex-pen making it little-dog proof, and that's where Brady went while I was at work with his treats, blankets and toys. The 3 of us had breakfast together, then Brady went into the dog yard with the Border Collies while I did chores. Into the kennel for the day, then into the house for dinner and the night. No way would Dexter allow him on the bed, so Brady managed very well in his crate, and there was peace in the kingdom. But there was no permanent home on the horizon, and I began to feel a foster-failure coming on.

After 6 months together, that all changed with an email from Barbara. Her beloved MinPin, Solo, had passed away from old age, and Bruce insisted she needed another. Barbara wasn't sure she was ready, but thought Bruce might know better. I think Bruce needed another. I think they both did.

I'm just back from making the change. The image I have burned into my psyche today is of Brady's face staring after his truck as I drove away. He looked confused...and worried. He looked like the *after* pictures I see posted on rescue Facebook sites of dogs that have just been dumped at shelters by sorry excuses for human beings who thought it was OK to dispose of their dog. I didn't dispose of Brady. I loved him. Sitting here hours later, that sad, little face makes me cry. 

Eventually, I hope to replace that image with this one. 

The 3 Bs, Bruce, Brady and Barbara

Will I foster again? I think so. I'm going to take some *us time* for me and Dexter and see how I feel after Meeker. Playing a small part in Brady's quality of life is rewarding. Knowing Bruce and Barbara is tremendous. I instantly liked them. Watching Bruce attentive and tender with Brady restored something in me that was waning. Remembering Brady will be heartbreaking for a while, but we'll be in touch.

  

Mercedes Barkz

This is Mercedes. For 1,427 days, since January of  2009, she has been languishing in an animal shelter in Versailles, Kentucky. Long enough, don't you think? Mercedes is 5 years old, and has been institutionalized for most of her life.

Mercedes has 2 strikes against her. She's brindle, and she looks like a pit bull mix. Neither are easily adopted out. I don't know what she is, but I'm quite sure that you can't judge a book by it's cover. For what it's worth, the shelter says she's a pit bull/whippet mix and needs to be an only dog, which isn't likely helping her case. They state she is resource protective, which means she growls when other dogs threaten her toys. I say she needs to socialized and properly trained.

Oddly enough, Mercedes looks remarkably like a dog my daughter adopted that she named Levi. Brindle and a pit mix, the rescue was relieved to see Megan come along, I'm sure. Levi was a project, but love, commitment and perseverance overcame them all. Mostly it was love that brought him right. We need someone to love Mercedes too.

Woodford Humane Society says they have a 95% adoption rate. About this gorgeous girl they say there is nothing in her personality to warrant killing Mercedes. In fact, they state she is sufficiently well-adjusted to have avoided the stresses associated with long term habitation in their shelter environment.

Why have I posted about this dog? Because my friend, Stephanie asked me to, and because maybe I can help in some small way. I can't help them all, but maybe I maybe we can help Mercedes.

If you have room  for her in your heart, please contact the Humane Society. If not, blog about her yourself, post her on your Facebook, tell a friend. Let's save this one...just this one. Come on, just this one.

Don't Shop Until They Stop!

WebVet and the ASPCA have a "no pet store puppies" campaign aimed at educating people about the link between pet stores that sell puppies, and puppy mills. You are encouraged to take the pledge not to shop at pet stores, or on websites if they sell puppies. Please help stop the madness, the cruelty, the suffering and the killing. It is estimated that most people don't know that pet store puppies come from cruel puppy mills, and would not buy one if they did. Spread the word...

Please Press One

Press 1 if you have a 10-year-old dog and your 15-year-old son has suddenly become allergic and you need to find the dog a new home right away.

Press 2 if you are moving today and need to immediately place your 150 pound, 8-year-old dog.

Press 3 if you have three dogs, had a baby and want to get rid of your dogs because you are the only person in the world to have a baby and dogs at the same time.

Press 4 if you just got a brand new puppy and your old dog is having problems adjusting so you want to get rid of the old one right away.

Press 5 if your little puppy has grown up and is no longer small and cute and you want to trade it in for a new model.

Press 6 if you want an unpaid volunteer to come to your home TODAY and pick up the dog you no longer want.

Press 7 if you have been feeding and caring for a "stray" for the last three years, are moving and suddenly determine it's not your dog.

Press 8 if your dog is sick and needs a vet but you need the money for your vacation.

Press 9 if you are elderly and want to adopt a cute puppy who is not active and is going to outlive you.

Press 10 if your relative has died and you don't want to care for their elderly dog because it doesn't fit your lifestyle.

Press 14 if you are calling at 6 a.m. to make sure you wake me up before I have to go to work so you can drop a dog off on your way to work.

Press 15 to leave us an anonymous garbled message, letting us know you have left a dog in our yard in the middle of January, which is in fact, better than just leaving the dog with no message.

Press 16 if you are going to get angry because we are not going to take your dog that you have had for fifteen years, because it is not our responsibility.

Press 17 if you are going to threaten to take your ten year old dog to be euthanized because I won't take it.

Press 18 if you're going to get angry because the volunteers had the audacity to go on vacation and leave the dogs in care of a trusted volunteer who is not authorized to take your personal pet.

Press 19 if you want one of our PERFECTLY trained, housebroken, kid and cat friendly purebred dogs that we have an abundance of.

Press 20 if you want us to take your dog that has a slight aggression problem, i.e. has only bitten a few people and killed your neighbor's cats.

Press 21 if you have already called once and been told we don't take personal surrenders but thought you would get a different person this time with a different answer.

Press 22 if you want us to use space that would go to a stray to board your personal dog while you are on vacation, free of charge, of course.

Press 23 if it is Christmas Eve or Easter morning and you want me to deliver an eight week old puppy to your house by 6:30 am before your kids wake up.

Press 24 if you have bought your children a duckling, chick or baby bunny for Easter and it is now Christmas and no longer cute.

Press 25 if you want us to take your female dog who has already had ten litters, but we can't spay her because she is pregnant again and it is against your religion.

Press 26 if you're lying to make one of our younger volunteers feel bad and take your personal pet off your hands.

Press 27 if your cat is biting and not using the litter box because it is declawed, but you are not willing to accept the responsibility that the cat's behavior is altered because of your nice furniture.

Press 28 if your two year old male dog is marking all over your house but you just haven't gotten around to having him neutered.

Press 29 if you previously had an outdoor only dog and are calling because she is suddenly pregnant.

Press 30 if you have done "everything" to housebreak your dog and have had no success but you don't want to crate the dog because it is cruel.

Press 31 if you didn't listen to the message asking for an evening phone number and you left your work number when all volunteers are also working and you are angry because no one called you back.

Press 32 if you need a puppy immediately and cannot wait because today is your daughter's birthday and you forgot when she was born.

Press 33 if your dog's coat doesn't match your new furniture and you need a different color or breed.

Press 34 if your new love doesn't like your dog and you are too stupid to get rid of the new friend (who will dump you in the next month anyway) instead of the dog.

Press 35 if it is Christmas Eve, and the Shih Tzu that you got 7 months ago because your 8 yr old and your 11 yr old PROMISED to take care of it isn't working out and you are going to teach them a lesson by making them walk the dog up to the rescuer's door to give it up. Merry Christmas, kids!

Press 36 if you went through all these 'options' and didn't hear enough. This press will connect you to the sounds of tears being shed by an animal rescue volunteer who is holding a discarded old dog while the vet mercifully frees him from the grief of missing his family.

Somebody's Always to Blame

Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die. In this country alone, we kill upwards of 3 millions dogs each and every year...and that's just the dogs.

Together we can stop the madness!

So, how was your day?

Please don't breed or buy while shelter pets die

Pardon Me

My Foster Dog, Lucy

Dexter has shown me the light as far as my love for Miniature Pinschers goes. But, I would never dream of buying a pure-bred when there are literally thousands of them in shelters and rescues all over the country. 20%-30% of those are pure-bred anyway according to the ASPCA.

I don't know what possesses me to do these things, but for reasons I'll never understand, off I went yesterday to the San Diego Animal Shelter to adopt and foster Lucy. And here she is, all energy, love and light filling up my livingroom, and my heart with her irrepressible spirit, her love of anything ball, and her joy. Lucy needs a pardon from the unfortunate life she's led thus far.

Institutionalized for months, Lucy is darker and slightly bigger than 6lb Dexter. Her tail was left behind (sorry) unlike his, which is missing. It's the characteristics they share that endear me to this type of dog. I have had her for little more than 24 hours, and already she loves absolutely nothing more than to be held in my lap, arms wound tightly around her undernourished body. Just like Dexter, she is a complete snuggle-dog.

I don't know her history, and it's better that way. I prefer to remember her how she is today, and the dog she will become. I'm feeding her dog food topped with soaked flax seed 3 times per day to get some weight on those bones. She loves treats too, and has already begun to understand the meaning of "cookies?"

Just spayed 2 days ago, Lucy is also micro-chipped and current on all her shots. A few benefits of adopting from a county animal shelter. They were having a sale on dogs with any black on them. Lucy has a few black hairs, and one small black dot on her tail. At $25 for the package, she was a bargain. She's all set to go to her forever home. Are you lucky and smart enough to have her? Will you grant her pardon? Do you know anyone who will? Any prospective adopter will have to be vetted just like Lucy was, but if you're interested, please let me know. Since I couldn't, I don't see how you can resist.