While volunteering in an all window cattery a few years back, I was able to see who was entering the facility with their surrendered pets. It was a sad sight to see. One family caught my eye. As a volunteer, I was the extension of the facility. Meaning, I couldn't say anything to anyone. It was difficult, however, I learned to observe and learn. The family brought in a curly furred terrier. The dogs fur was a knotted mess and you couldn't see his eyes. The dog wasn't well cared for. I left my post for a few minutes and stood around the corner listening in to the conversation. They didn't want the senior dog anymore and was looking for a younger model. I could feel my face getting red and all I wanted to do was to grab the leash from them and take the dog home. I went home and told my husband what I witnessed. His suggestion was to write blogs and offer suggestions on how to help these animals. This is what launched my pet advocacy mission. Being an advocate isn't for the faint of heart. One needs to believe in the mission and finds ways to make it better. It pays zero and is a thankless role. My focus is helping these shelter pets.
One of the things I learned early on is that senior, black furred and special needs pets take the longest to adopt. It doesn't need to be this way.
Senior Dogs
- Would you want to live in a loud shelter or a loving home? Fosters are so important to shelter animals. They take them out of a harsh environment and provide them with a warm and caring home. Foster fails are foster families that adopt the pet. By fostering or adopting, you are making room for another shelter pet. You are saving lives. We adopted Paulie when he was eight years old. Age didn't matter to us. He was the perfect size for our little family and we fell in love with him immediately. The situation back in 2014 was different as there weren't many dogs at the facility. Now, it's what I call a "petdemic" because of people going back to work after the pandemic. Senior dogs are wonderful. They are set in their ways and make wonderful companions for anyone looking for a mellow pet.
Black Furred Pets
- People are superstitious. Black furred pets are a taboo. Our current dog, Brutus, is black, brown and white. He could be purple and we could care less. He's a wonderful dog even though we are working on some issues from his dark past. The color of the pets fur shouldn't make a difference. They were given their fur color by their parents. Just like us with our hair color and unique features. We adopted Brutus because of his sweet personality. Enough said here.
Special Needs Pets
- Special need pets need to be handled a little differently. The pet owner may need to take some training on feeding tubes, securing the pet to a wheelchair or other medical techniques. Pets that have lost mobility in their hind legs or spine injuries may need to wear belly bands. It takes special families to take care for special needs pets. Our one cat developed kidney disease when he was 18 years old. The vet tech showed me our to administer IVs and injections to make him comfortable. The disease progressed so fast that in a month he was unable to walk. I vowed moving forward that quality of life was more important than quantity. Paulie was 15 when he had a massive stroke. I knew from first aid training that his prognosis wasn't going to be good. It's heartbreaking to see our pets enter this phase of their lives. Pet owners need to become educated to learn how to deal with the unknown. If you can make the time and want to learn how to care for special needs pets, than go for it. Shelters and rescues need people like you. I become certified every two years in pet CPR/First Aid. I can't recommend this enough.
Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions. If I don't know the answer, I will find it for you. Pet owners need to be educated to be on the top of the game caring for their pets. There are many different classes out there and many are free. We owe that to our pets. All pets deserve a loving home. The right pet is out there for you. Please don't give up.
Add comment
Comments