Here is a link to the blog Carol ( the founder of S.A.I.N.T.S ) writes daily. This post really breaks my heart. It's wickedly true and very sad.
There a lot of incontinent senior dogs and cats here. I wonder if the previous guardians ever contemplated, when they purchased Fluffy and Fido, what they would do when their *family members* would age. Did they not realize their bodies would start breaking down, exactly like their human bodies would? Or did they...and then decided that THAT was as far as they would go? Did they not want to rip out carpeting and replace with lino? or fit the animal for belly bands? or or or or....etc?
I just don't get it. Why oh why do humans dump animals??? Especially when they've had them their whole lives! When the cat/dog needs them the MOST, they become like trash??? I simply can't wrap my mind around the silly/stupid/insane reasons.
Here's the link...
SAINTS
I will also never understand how people can give up their senior dogs (with the exception of those who have to go into extended care facilities). Colleen, we have a senior German Shepherd, 9 years 8 months, neutered male, named Chance at the Duncan SPCA - just brought in by owners who were moving and decided to only take their younger dog. If you know anyone wanting a lovely (and I mean LOVELY) senior shepherd, please send them our way.
ReplyDeleteMiles,my giant orange tabby is 15 years old. He's losing control of his rear end muscles and sometimes
ReplyDeletepees outside of the litter box or leaves behind a trail of stuff,lol
BUT he seems happy and is otherwise healthy so there is no chance in hell,that'd I'd dump him-I wouldn't do that anyways!-or put him to sleep. He's given us 15 awesome years,I mean really,its the least I can do!
I do have a fear of cats pissing everywhere though. I will not adopt or take in a cat with bathroom issues. We rent,and I'd
like to be able to keep doing that with animals. So I just make sure the animals I do bring into our family,are litter box appropriate.
That's the good thing about fostering or taking in strays,you get to try them out first,see if they'll fit in.People don't think clearly when they bring in animals..and then they find themselves in shitty situations,having not thought it through or researched the realities. My view is that you can't save them all but you can and do make a difference with the ones you have,you just need to be realistic about your boundries and expectations. Do you know about Spider? She's our newest,a sweet little siamese kitten:) She's hilarious! Plays with balls like a
dog! Speaking of dogs..
When I'm properly set up,I'm going to adopt older dogs. This way,they get a good home for their twilight years AND I get the benefit of loving many many dogs in my lifetime. I'm in love with that Golden at S.A.I.N.T.S.
Lael...I had a pisser cat years ago and that was horrible. I still kept him and had to live with the odor. I got him at age 2 and he lived to be 17. BUT...I also owned the house, so I could rip out carpets. I definitely could not have done that if I rented. Gotta' be realistic!
ReplyDeleteGreat points about fostering that you get a good trial period to see if everything meshes.
Spider? You named her spider?? There HAS to be a story behind that!! I LOVE that name!
The Golden at Saints is Lucky. Ridiculous fucking name...she ain't lucky in any respect except that she ended up at Saints. Her family *outgrew* her. Kids moved away and she was a burden to the parents. WTF??? She's just blind!!! That's all...just blind. Piss me off.
Jean...I went to the Duncan SPCA and forwarded the page about Chance on to a couple who are breed savvy and would love a chance to be a guardian to another GSD. Hopefully Chance will stand a chance. ( *groan* ) They would preferably like a GSD who is 4-6...but I am trying to get their minds changed about a dog a teensy bit older.
Odd thing is, the male of the couple comes and seeks me out at Saints inquiring if I know about a gsd every few weeks, and when I email them about a certain dog I never hear back. Then he comes back and is wondering why he hasn't heard anything from me. Me thinks the female does NOT want a gsd...because in 2 instances he says they never received the emails and photos I have forwarded. ( email addy is in her name )I need a face to face with her I 'spose. I HATE wasting time...it's tooo freaking precious! It takes away from my personal dogs time with me as I do the searching for them while I'm off work.
Colleen,that is INSANE about Lucky..insane. MY GOD!
ReplyDeleteHeehee Spider was supposed to be Mr.Fu-from an old kun fu movie- but he turned out to be a she.
I liked the name Spider-an old boyfriend had a gorgeous siamese named that-so when Durell declared we had to name her that-after a woman in a kung fu movie,lol-I
said OK! The first time,we;ve ever agreed on a name. She's all arms and legs,very spidery so it suits!
See,that sounds like something I'd do,rip out the carpets to accomadate a cat,lol. That's one of the shitty things about renting.
It causes me much stress!