Oh Boy...

I received this article in an email today... It would seem that this behavior is becoming more and more prevalent in the news recently. They point out someone who is "Doing Rescue Wrong" and smear them all over. Don't get me wrong, I think that animal hoarding and taking these dogs out of kill shelters to put them into poorer conditions is horrendous, but this article articulated questions at the end that I have been asking myself for a long time:

"Questions

• What are policymakers doing to address this crisis?

• What role do breeders and powerful lobbies like the American Kennel Club (AKC) play? Most of the dogs in the Via case were purebred boxers and Chihuahuas.

• Why aren’t puppy mill operators and irresponsible breeders regulated by more stringent laws or prohibited altogether? Year after year their factories churn out untold millions of animals and rake in substantial, often untaxed profits. Some of their “products” ended up unwanted and diseased—afflicted by genetically-predisposed chronic mange, blindness, and deafness—as the responsibility of Alice Via.

• Why doesn’t every American community offer free or nominally-priced, easily-accessible spay/neuter services and pet care education? Wouldn’t that be less expensive—at least in the long run—than the price we’re paying now?

• Why, in California and most other states, is there no law to guide public shelters in proper methods of releasing animals to private rescue groups? Such a law, like the new shelter access bill recently introduced in New York, might have helped save taxpayers the expense of prosecuting Alice Via and kenneling her 62 dogs at county shelters for several months. (Five of those animals remained in a county shelter as of last week, amounting to one year of custody in county kennels, according to a shelter spokesman.)

• Is the system fair to the tens of thousands of private rescuers around the nation who sacrifice time, money, and, as in the Via case, risk reputations and even prosecution trying to take up the slack left by overwhelmed public shelters?

• Why is there so little public guidance, support, or even acknowledgment of  those private rescue groups? Such assistance might also have helped prevent the expensive prosecution of Alice Via.

• Would less finger-pointing and more cooperation between all of these various players create viable solutions? "

It seems to me that instead of finding solutions for the amounts of animals literally pouring into shelters, rescues, and humane societies across the nation, we'd rather point out how bad they are doing at it. Instead of people at the individual level accepting their responsibility for their actions, they scorn those that can't pick up their slack. Really?!?!

We can't even pass laws in Ohio to make blatant animal cruelty more than a MISDEMEANOR. But we are expected to take in every abandoned, broken, scarred, scared, and rejected pup that get thrown away for whatever stupid reason. And yes, 90% of the time it is a STUPID reason. "he's just too energetic" Uh, it's a boxer, did you do ANY research? "My wife and I are expecting a baby" Um, so when the next kid comes along you are going to throw the first one away? "He chewed my favorite shoes" ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME!?!? It's a PUPPY! Perhaps you should PUT YOUR SHOES AWAY OUT OF REACH OF A TEETHING PUPPY!!!!!!!!! 

In my (not so) humble opinion, people that justify these excuses for dumping their problems on society shouldn't be allow to have dogs. Someone couldn't take the time to train (Yes, sorry folks, TRAIN, they don't come out of the womb sitting pretty and laying down on command) and properly care for their dog, they dump them at the nearest shelter because it's "best" for them. No, it's not. Best for them is that your irresponsible ass didn't get a puppy in the first place. Best for them would be better breeding practices and more affordable medical care and spay/neuters. Best for them would be a lock down of BYB and puppy mills. That's what would be "best for them."  

Sorry for the rant, but I go out of my way to make sure that the environment I provide for my dogs is nurturing, healthy, and stimulating for them. I don't distinguish care between my dog and my fosters, they all get the best I can provide. I limit what I can take in to what I know I can comfortably afford and give them individual attention they need. It pains me that I can't save them all, but I can do what I can, and hope that I can make at least a little difference. 

#3750 Roscoe is at the vet!!!

Well, I dropped Roscoe off this morning for his neuter! He was very excited, but I'm pretty sure it's because he didn't know exactly why he was there... LOL!
He did manage to chew through half the leash in the car... I thought he was being too quiet back there...

My mom is bringing him to me after work, so I'll have more then. :)

#3750 Days Seven and Eight and Nine

I'd apologize for the technology blackout this weekend, but it was nice and refreshing... and I won't apologize for the nice weekend I had. :)

So the mutts and I had a very exciting weekend! I think they know it's an awesomely special day (weekends) b/c I go out of my way not to leave the house as much as possible. Of course there's the regular errands, like getting groceries, but I try to do that in one sweep and then I'm home, and it's play time for me and my pups!

I did add a hair appointment, and one other (huge) errand. I finally bit the bullet and got a washer and dryer! Big save on the leaving the house errands! Not that you care, but I am the happiest girl on earth! I know three dog beds, five dog blankets, and a whole bunch of other things that are getting washed this weekend! :)

Roscoe is doing great. I have pictures that I will upload later. He's just the cutest little cuddle bug! I say little, but he's huge, I'll get a new official weight Thursday, as I'm sure he's gained a couple pounds... At least he seems heavier every time he tries to crush me on the couch, lol! Thursday is creeping up a lot faster than I thought it would. Poor boy. I'm gonna make him a hamburger patty to console the loss of his little soldiers.

Pictures soon!

#3750 Day Six

Well, folks, it happened... Dahnke shocked my pants off. Not only did she get cuddly with our new arrival last night, but this morning... This morning she PLAYED with him. Amazing, I know.

Roscoe is doing VERY well. He's a very quick study, he has stopped jumping up, and hasn't put his paws up on the table since the first time. He definitely craves a lot of attention though. He likes to get up and lay down on you and squirm around a lot until he's comfortable. Hopefully, the weather has some breaks in it this weekend, I'd like to get him out and start working with him on leashed walks. He's stopped pulling so much in the yard, but potty trips are different than a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood.

I still need to get my letters printed out and start sending donation requests out for the GOBR Boxer Bash Fundraiser. This will be my first year going, and I'm pretty excited to be helping out. There's a database to send the letters to, and I'm encouraged to send them to new businesses, but I don't have to first clue where to start. I'll sit down and brainstorm after I have done my bills this weekend... to do, to do, to do!

Requesting Pawsitive Thoughts and Prayers

This is Hadley, she was my foster for the last few months before she went home. After eating (and passing)  some of her bandages, she went home and was able to have someone watch her and keep her from chewing her foot (she had a tumor removed from her foot). Today she went back to the vet because she still isn't eating. I just got off the phone with M, Hadley's Mommy, and I hear she's already doing better. :) Pawsitive thoughts and prayers to Hadley and M for a full recovery :)

#3750 Day Four and Five

Where to start?...

I'm back to Roscoe, Tony just doesn't fit him like Roscoe does. Also, it's a big plus that he responds to Roscoe, and in a positive manor. I scheduled his neuter for next week, and thanks to my Mom, I won't have to try to finagle time off work. I can drop him off before hand, and she's going to pick him up for me and bring him to me when I get off work... It's a huge help to me. His neuter is the last thing standing between him and adoption through GOBR. It's really going to be hard to see him go, it's only been five days and he's already left a paw print on my heart. I still have to do his write up for PetFinder...

Outside of a scuffle that I'm sure Dahnke started with Roscoe last night while I was in the bathroom (see what happens when I lock the door!?) Last night was rather uneventful. I did get a couple more pictures which have been updated accordingly in my blog and with the group. In case you are wondering, the scuffle was resolved with my trusted squirt bottle followed by a ten minute cooling off period in their crates. I had them all out for the remainder of the evening without any problems. I'm just going to have to keep an eye on Dahnke. She's absolutely fine with Medwin. Never harmed a hair on his furry little butt. (And he pesters her CONSTANTLY). But this is why I'm recommending her to a single pet household. She would be happiest in a house with just her and her person...

Dahnke's back story is a post all it's own. I'll share that one later.

#3750 Day Three (and Morning Four)

Well, I guess we're back to Tony... That's what his official file says... Once his furever parents  find him, they are probably going to change it anyways... To Spot, or Fluffy, or Bingo... 'Sigh'

Spot/Fluffy/Bingo/Tony/Roscoe/Sidney Shelter Dog/#3750 did very well yesterday. He and Medwin played almost all evening. (Until Medwin tuckered him out) Medwin is like the Energizer Bunny... He wore out Dahnke (per usual) and Tony (I have to get used to calling him that). I find it very amusing.

You see, Tony was picked up by a passerby who found him playing by the side of the interstate in southern Ohio. This person decided that they liked his friendly, larger than life personality and took him home. Turns out, Tony was a bit much for this person to handle. I didn't get any details, but this is common with boxers, as they can be *ahem* a bit energetic.

So it makes me laugh that my little Medwin tuckers out these dogs that other people just "can't handle their energy." Because then the tired pups crawl up on the couch and cuddle up with me and try to bury their heads to hide from Medwin who is still going strong tossing toys and running after them by himself... He will come up and cuddle too, once he's bored of playing by himself.

Anyways, Tony really is a good boy, a little horny (scheduling his neuter today, poor boy) but all around an absolute joy in the house. He's already better on a leash, is now waiting for me to go through doors first, and is working on his table/counter surfing. (a squirt bottle is this lady's best friend!) He got his last dose of Panacur today, so no more struggle with that until round two in four weeks...