Went to a shelter Saturday

[eric]

I went to a shelter on Saturday. I forgot how hard it is to go.

My wife and I read an ad on Friday in the area paper from a nearby shelter about an old German Shepherd in need of a home to spend his remaining days. He was described as very friendly, but in pain because of his arthritis, and in need of a quiet spot in front of a nice fire.

My wife and I already have a soft spot for shepherds, given how good of a dog Travis is, so we decided to go have a look and see if we could give the old fellow a loving home so he doesn't pass away in a shelter.

So we loaded Sam and Travis into the car and drove 1/2 hour to this shelter. We brought our dogs along to make sure they got along ok with this old-timer. We find the place ok (never been there before) and pull into the parking lot. Just so you understand, this is a small country animal shelter that survives solely on donations. They do not get any government help.

The building itself looks like a very large, one story shack. Around the perimeter of the property are a mix of concrete dog runs, with chain-link doors and sides, and dog houses. Apparently all the dogs are kept outside during the day and brought in during the night. Sam immediately started crying, because he wanted to go play with the other dogs.

We went in and inquired about the Shepherd, and thankfully he had already been adopted by a loving family, but the lady asked us to please have a look around, so we went back outside and had a look at the other dogs.

It was heartbreaking. I went up to the first cage and it was this old fellow, some sort of hound mix, with only one eye. He didn't bark or anything but he came right up to the chainlink and licked my hand.

Next to him, chained to one of the doghouses, was another old-timer, hound mix of some sort. I knelt down and he came over and pressed in against my thigh. He kept making these groaning noises as I pet him, as if he had been longing for a friendly touch. He looked into my eyes and I could see the questions in his mind. Why? Why am I here? All I could say was "I know, I know". I started to cry

Further down was puppy, some sort of rottweiler mix, maybe about 5 or 6 months old. She was so deperately hungry for contact, so eager to be loved, it was painful to watch. As we walked up she thrust her paw out through one of the openings and started barking, crying and shaking. I knelt down she immediately pushed her head and a paw through the narrow opening between the door and the concrete wall. I put my hand up and she put her paw on my hand and flexed her claws, trying to pull me closer. I knelt down and started talking to her.

I swear she almost pushed herself through that gap, she was so sick for love. I think puppies have this need to release all this love that builds up inside them if they are alone. Its like it builds and builds until they feel they are going to pop if they can't shower that love on someone.

Next to her was a beautiful shepherd/husky mix named Amigo. After looking at the other dogs, we went inside and talked to the staff. I found out that Amigo was brought to the shelter after 7 years of being a loyal dog because his owners "wanted more time to travel".

I almost asked the lady if they had left a phone number so I could call them up and ask the "WHAT THE F$%K IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?. How do you sleep at night?".

The worst part is you know its the truth because its such a shallow, BS reason. Anybody with any type of conscience would of at least made up a better reason so they wouldn't be so ashamed. But obviously, to these people, dumping their dog off because it didn't suit their lifestyle anymore is akin to replacing the fridge because you don't like the color anymore. Its a thing. Its a pet. Its just a dog.

I don' t know. After leaving that place the world seems a little bleaker, a little darker, a little less friendly.

[Guest Anonymous]

OK Eric, YOU ARE NOT NICE TO MAKE ME SIT HERE AND CRY!!!!!! :cry: (Kiddin about the not nice part, but I am crying...)

Anyway, thank you for sharing that story. I, personally, can not visit a shelter anymore due to my reactions. I bawl and bawl because I can NOT take them home due to my other dogs' nature.

Once my babies leave me, we WILL get a shelter dog (or two...or three...)

So...I take it you didn't come home with one?

[sixjollydogs]

:evil: I often wonder where in the name of God is the "humane" in humanity. I can not understand how some can just dump there dog....I think you have their number...if you get my meaning.

[eric]

No, we didn't take any home. We were thinking about Amigo but Amigo doesn't get along with other dogs. He was fine with us but got quite aggressive when we brought Sam and Travis up to see how they would all get along. He's going to make a great dog for someone who doesn't have other dogs.

That Rottie-mix puppy was really tugging on my heartstrings, but she's not up for adoption yet as they hold the dogs for 1 week to give their owners a chance to locate them. Plus, she's a female and I have two boys so I'm a little nervous as to how things would work out. She had such a beautiful personality though.

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure I'm strong enough to do the rescue dog thing but I just couldn't leave that Shepherd to die at that place.

Emotionally, I want to take them all home. Intellectually however, I want to take my time and carefully pick a dog who will integrate well into our family. I might still do the occasional old-age rescue, but I think the only way I will have the emotional reserve to do this is to have a "bank" of healthy, younger dogs.

gigishiba napisał(a):

OK Eric, YOU ARE NOT NICE TO MAKE ME SIT HERE AND CRY!!!!!! :cry: (Kiddin about the not nice part, but I am crying...)

Anyway, thank you for sharing that story. I, personally, can not visit a shelter anymore due to my reactions. I bawl and bawl because I can NOT take them home due to my other dogs' nature.

Once my babies leave me, we WILL get a shelter dog (or two...or three...)

So...I take it you didn't come home with one?

[Guest Anonymous]

Yes, and I think the seniors have it much harder, as most have been a part of a family for quite a while, but then they become a nusiance to their owners. I have a friend who adopted a 10 yr. old female boxer from a rescue (she also had 3 other dogs). This dog was sent to rescue because the owner no longer had time for her (I make time for my dogs, how about the rest of you?). She was very active for a 10 yr. old, and my friend had her for 18 mos. when she died suddenly and quietly in her sleep. When I asked my friend if she'd adopt another senior again. She immediately said "you bet I will, that girl had another year of life with fun and love, and she gave to us so much more".

[Hobbit]

Eric that was a very touching story.

Pat --- Yep, we make time for ours too. They MAKE us pay attention! :lol: :lol:

I agree, old dogs, old people, old horses ---- some folks think they aren't worth their time. I think they all have lots to offer.

[bk_blue]

Oh Eric I have tears in my eyes... :cry: it's so heartbreaking to hear all the dogs crying out for attention. I wish some people would wake up to the fact that a dog is not like a car that you trade in for a newer model when it no longer performs as well as it should, or gets too annoying to look after... I feel desperately sorry for all those old dogs, puppies get adopted quickly but the poor old codgers are left to die in those cages and why? because people want to travel or move house or get a newer dog... maybe they should have thought of the 12 year lifespan of your average dog and what that involves before buying one in the first place. :mad:

[Guest Anonymous]

It's terrible--shelters are forced to put down so many cats and dogs, and rescues get so full they have to turn animals away. They're everywhere, even the streets! I used to be sad about it, but it makes me furious anymore. I stumbled upon a website proud of their "limited breedings". Guess what? They have between 6-12 litters a year! Insane! I don't care if it's top quality show dogs or the dogs down the block--that's too many litters! :cry:

Connie

[Guest Anonymous]

Mei-Mei napisał(a):

It's very sad that good dogs that need homes are being destroyed by the thousands because of one thing....irresponsible owners! If everyone got their pet spayed or neutered can you imagine how far the population of the shelters would go down???

Two weeks ago I dropped off some donations at the shelter. I was there about 15 minutes. In the time I was there two dogs and a litter of kittens were brought in. One dog was a stray, one dog was brought in by a lady who said that he "got on her nerves" and the kittens were brought in by a woman who didn't want to have her cat spayed because it was "unnatural." :o Like it's natural to continue bringing kittens into the shelter to be destroyed! Very sad.

Sounds like my mother in law and her cats. When we were up there for her mom's funeral (hubby's gramma), two of her three cats had babies...and she was gonna take them to the shelter. No ad in the paper, just take them to the shelter. :(