Animals sharing my home (long)

Being quite certain that everyone is, by now, tired of "listening" to me whine and moan about my problems with building my home and sanctuary, today's blog will be about the animals currently in my care. Maybe someday in the future, I'll post about some of those who passed while in my care, too. But for today, it's about those who are here now and why they're likely to be stuck with me for the balance of their lives. Please forgive me if I start venting my frustrations. I'll try not to. Seniors deserve love too and it's so frustrating to know that in most cases, the primary reason they're stuck here is their age.

Rusty: Was turned over with his friend Annie by the widow of a gentleman who loved them very much. While Annie eventually found a home (despite her age), Rusty was the older of the two and he remains with me. So, if one of the owners was (is?) still alive, how did they end up in rescue? Family. Yes, you read that right... Family. The gentleman's last request was that his widow care for his beloved pets until their time came to join him. Her family, unfortunately, had other ideas. She was forced out of her own home by her own family. She was allowed to keep her bed and her clothes, but everything else had to be sold and she was to move in with them in another state. They had no desire to have the "old" dogs and told her that if she didn't give them away, they would take them to the shelter to be euthanized. A friend put her in touch with me and I promised a place for them until I could either find them a home, or their time came to go to The Bridge. I keep my promises, so poor Rusty is stuck here until either a home can be found that will care for a senior dog, or his time comes to leave.

Max: Max came from a woman who had taken a job as a flight attendant for a (now defunct) airline. He came with a chronic medical problem, pancreatitis, which (to her credit) she did provide some medication for. Since arriving, Max has also developed a neurological disorder and between the two conditions, he's on daily medications that he will require for the rest of his life. While the medications aren't horribly expensive if you look at it in terms of a daily expense (about the cost of a Starbucks a day), you can't purchase medications each day. You have to buy the supply for a month or two all at once and that's what causes people to balk. Max is a great little dog and has bonded to me so tightly that I doubt he would be willing to return to his previous owner, even if she wanted him back. Somehow, I don't think she does. I tried to contact her when her carrier went belly-up, but no response. Max is now 14 years old and between his age and the cost of his medicines, he's going to be stuck here for the rest of his life.

Snuggles and Cracker: These two are Mother and Son, surrendered (if that's the right word) one night while the owners were passing through town. Snuggles was reported to be about 12 years old at the time, with her son Cracker being right around 9 years of age. The owners called late one afternoon and said they would be passing through town right around midnight and they were going to be dropping them off on their way to whatever state it was they were relocating to. Despite the rather unceremonious way the two were to be left, I did promise that I would do all I could to keep them together, for their sake. Unfortunately, convincing anyone to care for one senior is hard enough - two is nearly impossible. But, a promise is a promise.

Trixie: Trixie is actually a dachshund mix. A sweet, sweet little girl who came from the City shelter. I actually had her in a new home, but two years after she was placed, I got a phone call to come and pick her up. Reportedly, she had killed one of the other animals in her home. As a reported killer, I cannot place Trixie in a new home and still call myself a responsible rescuer. As such, poor Trixie will be stuck with me for the balance of her life. I've not seen anything that would indicate that Trixie actually would kill another animal, but the report was made and I have to proceed on the basis of it being accurate. Fortunately, her original adoption agreement called for her to be returned to me if she couldn't stay in the home. If she had been returned to the City shelter, that report would have resulted in her being immediately euthanized.

Lucky: "Little" Lucky was another one from the City shelter. He had been picked up as a stray, probably abandoned by an owner who didn't wish to treat his heartworms. The City guessed him to be about 10 years old at that time, meaning that unless rescue (any rescue) took him in, he would likely be put down as "unadoptable". Our City shelter is pretty enlightened and they contacted several rescues, all of whom offered to accept him as a "last resort". Of course, when the time came, they all had reasons why they couldn't accept him. All except me, of course. Really, the only thing working against Little Lucky is his age. But, that's enough and he'll be safe until his time arrives.

Skeeter: Skeeter is unique among the animals here. He's not a senior. But, he is the product of a backyard breeder. Skeeter is a piebald and for the first 5 years of his life, he was used as a means of producing more piebalds. Unfortunately, Skeeter also has a genetic defect (common in piebalds and double-dapples) that resulted in his eyes not fully developing. He's not blind, but he should never have been bred and I have to wonder how many of his offspring are blind due to his genes. Many, I would guess, since the backyard breeder gave him up at such a young age. They probably made the connection that he was producing too many vision impaired puppies and since you can't sell dogs like that easily, they needed to get rid of him. Skeeter was an absolute basket case when he arrived and while he's much improved since then, he's still a basket case when it comes to strangers. Since no one really wants a dog that they can't approach, he's still here. And, for the sake of his own future happiness, here is where he'll remain.

Frisky: Frisky arrived with Skeeter from the same puppy mill. He's the youngest one here, being about 3 or 4 years old as of this writing. And while he was also a basket case when he arrived, he's the one animal here that I have some hope for his future. Perhaps it was because he was younger when he was sprung from the puppy mill and hadn't yet been as psychologically damaged as his companion, that gives me hope. He's become very clingy towards me, but he's also willing to let others approach him now, something that wasn't even an option when he first arrived. Still, the progress has been slow and while he might be able to succeed in a new home at this point, it would have to be a very special one. Perhaps one of my former/current foster homes. When I think he's ready, I'll offer him for adoption to the general public. In the meantime, he's safe here and I can keep working with him on his social skills.

Halle: Halle was placed into a new home many, many years ago, along with her sister, when they were about 2 years old. After about 7 years, I was called to take back the sister and despite her being almost 10 by that time, I was able to find a new home for her. A year later, I received a call to come for Halle; after 8+ years in her home, she just wasn't working out, it seems. Being in her double digits meant minimal chances for a new "forever" home, but I did have a foster home who was willing to care for her for however long was necessary. Sadly, his employer transferred him to another state and Halle returned to me. Fortunately, another foster home stepped forward and has been caring for her ever since. They understand that due to her age, Halle is likely to remain with them for a long time to come and have no problem with that. People like this are why I call the foster homes the true backbone of any rescue. Halle is the only one of the "senior wieners" that is not currently residing in my personal residence.

Peanut: Peanut, like so many of the other animals over the years, also came from our City shelter. And, he's actually been placed into new homes twice now. The first time with someone who worked with one of my foster homes. He was abandoned by them shortly thereafter and while I'm still thoroughly pissed over the sneaky way they did so, at least he made his way safely back into my care. A few months later, I placed him into a new home. The details aren't important, but a few months after that adoption, he was returned with a report that he had bitten a neighbors child. As a "reported biter", Peanut is now unadoptable. At least he was returned to me - if he had been turned in at our City shelter with the same report, they would have been required to euthanize him and it's likely that even if he had been offered to rescue again, none of the other rescues would have accepted him. No reputable rescue will ever place an animal that has been reported as having bitten someone, much less a child. So, poor Peanut is, like the others, stranded here for the balance of his life.

Bridget: Bridget is the newest arrival. She also came from the City shelter. Interestingly enough, they were trying desperately to contact me about taking her, even while the owner was standing at the desk, pleading with them to take her. I must admit, I was thoroughly upset with the reason why this little 12 year old was being turned in ("we're moving and she can't come with us"), until I heard the rest of the story that the City shelter was provided. It seems that her owner was moving to another state for cancer treatment and the facility providing the treatments has no provision for inpatients to have pets. The owner had tried desperately to find a family member or friend to take their beloved little one in, but to no avail. They were leaving the next day and had run out of options. From the description, the family actually all had valid reasons for being unable to help, but no one considered themselves a good enough friend to care for her dog while she went to fight for her life. Bridget's only negative is her age, but I've learned that this is one negative that is almost impossible to overcome. As with all my beloved senior wieners, Bridget will have a place here until she no longer needs it.

Sidney: Sidney is my dog! Enough said!