Rescued Puppies

December 20, 2010

It’s 12:45am and I can’t sleep so I may as well get something done that isn’t too disruptive. I’ve had one crazy couple of weeks. I really thought that when I no longer had to commute to work that I would have a significant amount of free time. I’m sure that I do, I just don’t know where I seem to have misplaced it. I promised myself that I would work on time management but I first have to find where I put the dang time at!

On the 10th I rescued a mother dog and three puppies. A friend in my community posted on Facebook how her daughter rescued a puppy and I was touched by the post. I had a think on it over night and in the morning decided it was possible for me to do something about the others.

The owners had a substance abuse problem and locked the dogs inside a small dumpy place they had been living in and moved down the street. They left the dogs locked inside this house to slowly die. Two of the puppies did die. It really makes me sick that there are people like this in the world.

As you can imagine the puppy’s bellies were very swollen with worms and all of their bones were a little too obvious. The mother dog was in no better condition. I was too afraid to worm them the first few days and my vet agreed that it could be too much of a shock to their systems. I wormed them last Monday and let me tell you what a treat that was. At the risk of being too gross, I have never seen worms that long; snakes yes, worms no.

During this second week their swollen bellies have really receded and only two of them look super thin. But the good news is that they are getting their energy back and sparkle in their eyes.  I think the thing that shocked me the most when I first brought them home was that I expected them to be hungry but it is what happened when I put down a bowl of water that finally moved me to tears. They were fighting over it. Even the mother dog was fighting off the puppies so that she could drink.

All I can think about is how unnecessary this all was. The local newspaper has a program that you can apply for a neuter/spay voucher and when you take your dog in to the local vet it will only cost you $10.00. I am applying today for these vouchers for the rescued dogs in hopes it will better their chances of finding a good home.

When I bring them up to people asking if anyone would like a sweet, loving dog to take home to a safe home every single person has asked me, “What kind of dog is it?” Does it matter? They are mixed breed. One person I met locally said it best, “People here are back yard breeders”. They do not care for the animal and if it even slightly resembles a particular breed they will breed the female to the point of death so people who don’t know better will pay for $300.00. They tell anyone who will listen, their dog has “papers”. What the dogs really need are papers for the people!

Or… they think their dog is so special they refuse to neuter/spay because they are going to breed it. I know someone who bought a dog and paid $300.00 for it and they are convinced that the dog is something special and they want to breed it. They do not get shots for it, they do not buy dog food for it, they let it roam in the streets and couldn’t be bothered to train it to do anything but they want an opportunity to make money off of it. I nearly laughed out loud! This dog is anything but a good example of the breed in question and at the very least should be removed from the living conditions.  (stepping down off my soap box now)

I feel compelled to do something other than rescue and foster the dogs that I currently have under my protection. However, as my friends know… I am a bit of a bull (bully!) in a china shop. When I feel passionate about something I have a very hard time opening my mind to how others feel. It is my way or the highway.

BIG TOPIC CHANGE AHEAD!!! WARNING!

I met someone in the past couple of years who left a very strong impression on me. I’ve been influenced both bad and good by many people who have been in my life. Most of them good and I hope that I picked up a few more of the good traits from those that I admire than the not so perfect ones. However, this one lady embodies many qualities that I find myself wishing I had more of. She is kind, gentle, patient and soft spoken. She really is the sweetest person I have ever met. From Ingerlise I hope to have more gentleness in my dealings with others.

The past few days were filled with so much self pity that I nearly didn’t have room for anything else in my day. When I am alone for days on end with the company of these fantastic animals that I live with I have started to think back on the people who have come into my life and if I can practice a bit of the traits that I lov about them.

If I did that would I totally loose “me”? If I lost a bit of me and gained a bit more of qualities that I admire would that be so bad?

Remind me not to skip my Wednesday lunch date with LaVerne & Jonathan, it is virtually my only contact with humans these days and they really help keep me grounded and keep me from being so introspective.



Poor Fergus with frostbite



Lastly, Fergus got a bit of frostbite this week on his comb. I feel that I have let him down. His comb was, I am convinced, the most perfect comb on a rooster in the entire world. I am told that the black bits will fall off and that I need to watch for infection. I have been keeping him inside at night and only letting him out in the “warmer” day time.

I really get a kick out of the comments I get when I listen to the Chicken Whisperer radio show and I put my “cam” on with Fergus perched on my shoulder. He will occasionally gently groom my hair. He seems fascinated in watching the computer screen and he could sit on my shoulder for hours. Fergus is NOT food, but is a beloved pet, and gives far more to me than I am sure he gets in return.

I took a few photos of some of my gang and posted on Facebook. From Our Coop To Yours. Anyway… please wish me luck in finding homes for the dogs. Merry Christmas… may God bless you all.