Broken Hearted

I put my foster dog Kiki (formerly "Lucky Dog") down on Saturday and it was one of the hardest euthanasia's I've had to do. I was really starting to bond with her and she was a vibrant loving dog. It seems that her confidence was growing faster than her fears were dissapating and that left little options for her rehabilitation and placement. Until this past weekend I had decided I was just going to keep her and give her the best home that I could for as long as I could. She was a loving little dog and had finally started to adjust to the indoors and loved being inside as long as the room did not contain a TV. She was never able to get over her fear of the moving shadows.

I hate her breeder, the person who robbed her of a normal life. The one who simply "forgot" about her and left her where she would get no socialization of any kind and no stimulation outside of her small chain link pen. No stimulation from other animals and no stimulation or interaction with people. She did not know anything that we take for granted as normal for a dog to know. Lack of stimulation during that most impressionable time in puppy hood. It's no wonder she broke down.

I feel like I failed that little dog. I think of her looking up at me with those sparkly dark eyes and a thump of her tail thanking me for bringing her home and it hurts to have done what I did. I wish there had been another way and I can't help feeling like a complete and utter failure for her. She wanted to live, she didn't want to die, the little sparkle in her eye told me so in those moments when she felt safe and could relax. I don't think she was born this way, I think she was made this way by the harsh conditions she had to live in devoid of any stimulation - suffering through the freezing winter, sweltering in a hot summer. She is a product of what was done to her. Rest in Peace Kiki, please forgive me. I won't forget you. I wish the person who intentionally brought you into this world could be held accountable. You weren't an accident, you were intentionally brought into this world and intentionally forgotten about, intentionally unwanted and intentionally discarded. Hopefully one day.

Interesting

Interesting article on how much we do to destroy our environment

http://www.slate.com/id/2193693/?y=1

 

I for one won't be buying this now that I know the beads are plastic.  There is far too much plastic in our environment from litter and waste.  We don't need to intentionally put it there by washing it down the drain.

June 2008

Summer has finally arrived, hot and ambitious!  I love the warm weather and am super glad I don't have to wear shoes except for work.  This month has started off with a flurry of rescue activity.  After Hemi's adoption, we took back a female named Star that was placed as a puppy.  Sadly we didn't choose well enough for her home and her adoptive parents chose not to keep her in their family when they moved to an apartment.  Luckily she went into Hemi's recently vacated foster home and they thankfully weren't able to rehome her on craigslist as they tried.  We'll find her a suitable home.  She is just as lovely now as she was then.

 

Brody was pulled and evaluated but sadly had severe crate anxiety and couldn't be housed safely in a crate. He returned to the SPCA for crate training and hopes that he could be acclimated in a familiar setting and brought back into rescue.  Our foray to visit Brody did land us a fabulous little female named Kayla who is not only tiny but just about perfect. She is darling and sweet and luckily got a great foster home though a little begging.

 

Our little Spice girls were the victim of a greedy greedy backyard breeder who was not only ignorant but irresponsible.  She bought a pair of pits for "breedin" and let them run loose.  Whem mama dog was stuck by a car and denied vet care....she died and her puppies were fed real pasturized cows milk instead of puppy formula and three died.  The remaining two were saved but are so tiny.  They only weigh 3 lbs.  They will survive now and thrive.

 

Lastly, Lucky Dog - Lucky dog, lucky dog, lucky dog.  What to say about you.  You are so frustrating but it is not your fault. It is your drunk worthless owner who kept you in a "pen" for your whole life.  You haven't seen anything except chainlink and the back of a barn. It's no wonder you dont' know what is up and what is down. Hopefully we can get you straightened out but at this point I am not so sure.  Every day is a struggle to get you to adjust to your surroundings and you are far more comfortable outside than you are inside and you just don't get the concept of crate training.  Lets give it a little more time.

Good ol eastern nc

I am glad I no longer live in NC. I still miss the place but don't miss the ignorant and cruel.

http://www.witntv.com/news/headlines/19888284.html

 

More more more

June 4th was a historical day for Virginia animals as the governor signed the new animal fighting omnibus into law.  I was really excited to be there and even more excited that I actually had a hand in helping draft that law.  It felt really good to be at the table with all of the other "animal" people in VA who were dedicated to the cause.  It means there ARE people who care about doing the right thing and have a moral compass when it comes to treatment of animals.  I hear way too many people say "it's just a dog"

 

Now, cockfighting is a felony, attending a dog fight is a felony and involving a minor is a felony.

Here is the HSUS article on the bill

http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/virginia_senate_passes_animal_fighting_bill_030308.html

 

It was signed into law on June 4 and will go into effect on July 1.  Go commonwealth!  It was great to be a part of this effort.  A feel good moment when the pen crossed the paper.

ramblings

Sure haven't been blogging much lately....wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I know I have been busy trying to get my volunteer activities in line, working and just enjoying myself this spring. Our rescue is still plugging along and we finally adopted out Hemi after almost 18 months in foster care. He was such a special boy. We are very glad he finally got the right home.

Seems like sometimes I define myself by my volunteer activities and how active I am in rescue. I may need to revisit this and look at myself and what I like to do. Why is it that I always have to be doing something productive or something that I think makes a difference? Some days I feel like I am far too hard on myself and I need to just relax and spend a few days doing nothing. Just nothing productive so I can recharge my batteries.

Please stop American Horse Slaughter