Retractable Leashes: The Good and The Bad

Just a few years into my veterinary career, I was driving home from work.  It was already dark out.  As I drove down the road, I could see the silhouette of a person standing on a sidewalk appearing to gaze into the road.  In the road, next to the curb, was a silhouette of a large lump.  I could not make out much more than this, but was concerned enough about the scenario to pull over and stop my car. 

I walked back to the unusual scene to discover the human form was a woman, probably in her late 40's, early 50's.  Unfortunately, I also discovered that the lump in the road was a not-quite-full-grown Golden Retriever.  In my proximity, I could now see that the dog was still attached to its leash, and the leash was still held in hand by the dog's owner.  In most situations, maintaining control of the dog by leash is safe.  But this leash was a retractable leash.

The woman was just standing there.  I have no idea how long she had been standing there.  She was definitely in shock.  She was unsure of what she should do.  Cell phones were hardly common at this time (dating myself, I know).  She knew she could not lift this now deceased large dog and carry him all the way home.  Yet she refused to leave him laying in the road.  She just stood there, puzzled, shocked, still holding the leash as if her dog would get up and continue on their walk.

I explained who I was, and offered to help her lift the dog into my car so we could take the body back to the veterinary office, and place him in cold storage, giving her time to decide what she would like to do with it.  Some people prefer to bury their pets on their property (not always an easy option with a large dog on the east coast).  Others have their veterinarians take care of the remains.  Still others opt to get the pet cremated and receive the ashes back.

As we moved the body of this ten month old dog,  I was able to get the rest of the story.  The two were walking down the street on the sidewalk, against traffic, as they did every night.  The dog saw a car coming and for some reason decided that this car's headlights were worth chasing.  He had never done this before, or at least was never ABLE to do this before, but tonight he charged after the lights.  The woman thought the lock on the leash was engaged.  It was either not engaged, or it broke under the force of the dog's charge.  The dog ran straight into the road after its target, still on leash, and was hit by the car and killed instantly.  The driver never stopped.

Retractable leashes are very convenient when used properly.  They should be used away from roads, traffic, or hazards of any kind.  Walk your dog to the park using a regular non-retractable leash.  When you arrive at the park or other place that will safely allow more running space, then you can change over to the retractable leash.  When changing leashes, never remove one leash until the other leash is safely in place.  A choke collar should never be used with a retractable leash as it would maintain tension on the choke collar and defeat the purpose and function of the choke collar, and potentially constrict the dog's neck.

The woman came to me several months later with a new puppy.  She became a client after my assistance was offered that night.  She never used the retractable leash while walking on the road again.  It was a tragic accident, but a lesson was learned by both of us that night.  A lesson worth sharing. 

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A Life Anthem... Won't You Stand Up?

Passion.  You have to follow it, pursue it, and use it, in order to keep it.  If you ignore your passion, you end up stagnant, uninspired, and quite possibly, lonely.  We are born with passion, and I believe we are meant to follow it, regardless of what it is you are passionate about.  If ignored, you will likely never become the person you were meant to be.

Some people are passionate about the arts, or human rights, or global warming.  Some people are fortunate enough to dedicate a lot of time to their passion.  Others squeeze it in between their jobs and their family time.  The truth is, if you give yourself to your passion, even in small amounts, you will feel better about yourself, and become a better person as a result.  It is not the amount of time you give, it is the fact that you want to give and you allow yourself to do so.

My favorite quote has been "Be the change you wish to see in the world." by Mahatma Gandhi.  I wear a ring bearing this quote, and I have given a necklace bearing these words to a woman I respect in the animal welfare community.  It applies not only to my rescue work, but to other aspects of my life as well.

I now have a new "life anthem".  I could listen to it repeatedly, day in and day out. I could read, and reread the lyrics.  The words, written by another, come straight from my heart, and they are my advice to every person, in order to find happiness, peace, bliss.

The song is "Stand Up" by Sugarland.

Here is a link to a video of the song:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwdOUW2abqI .

The lyrics from the video:

"The heart that beats

An incredible machine

made of blood and love

and hope and lust and steam.

Calling.  Calling. Calling.

All the lonely people cryin’
It could change if we just get started
Lift the darkness, light a fire
For the silent and the broken hearted

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up you girls and boys?

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up and use your voice?

There’s a comfort
There’s a healing
High above the pain and sorrow
Change is coming
Can you feel it?
Calling us in to a new tomorrow

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up you girls and boys?

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up and use your voice?

When the walls fall all around you
When your hope has turned to dust
Let the sound of love surround you
Beat like a heart in each of us

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up you girls and boys?

Won’t you stand up
Stand Up
Stand Up
Won’t you stand up and use your voice?"

Our voices are strong, but only if we use them.  Our voices are heard, but only if we sound them.  Our voices inspire, but only if we project them.

Regardless of the root of your passion, whether it is keeping the arts in schools, aiding the elderly, keeping history alive, assisting the poor, or animal welfare, to keep silent is the equivalent of watching the very things of which you are passionate die.

Find your passion, and engage your heart.  Feel what it is like to make a difference, a difference only you can make.  Feel what it is like to truly be alive.

"No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." Edmund Burke

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Seniors Do It Best!

In shelters everywhere, the animals with the least chance for adoption, and often the least chance for survival, never even making it to the adoption floor, are the animals with the most years under their collar.  The senior dogs and cats that end up in shelters, usually do not make it out.

There are those people who purposely seek out and adopt senior animals.  These people have the most to invest, both financially and emotionally, and the most to lose.  They invest a lot financially in these animals as senior pets are likely to develop health problems that require veterinary care. They invest a lot emotionally, because when you adopt a senior pet, you are not going to have that pet for ten years.  If you were to ask a senior adopter what it is they lose by adopting a senior pet, you will not hear about the money or the time invested.  You will likely hear that what they lose is their heart.  They lose it by  falling in love with that senior pet, and mourning their loss within just a few months or years of having been together.

Charlie/Buddy:

Buddy was a senior Australian Shepherd mix.  He was in a high kill shelter in Missouri.  I saw a photo of his handsome face and agreed to take him into our rescue despite his age.  In rescue, people know what type of dogs/breeds/cats that people have weaknesses for, and that is how Buddy's photo ended up in my email box.  When he arrived, his face was the same handsome face in the photo, but what was not seen in the photo or expressed in the email was the condition of the rest of him.  The back half of his body had no hair.  His tail also was devoid of hair, resembling the tail of a rat.  There were warts all along his hairless back and rump.  His teeth were chewed down and stained with metal (often seen when dogs are caged outside and chew on the the chain link out of frustration and boredom).

Buddy was going to be with us for a while and we knew it.  He was gorgeous from the neck up, but his baboon butt was not going to help find him a loving home, and neither was his age.  So we introduced him to my dogs and he was allowed to stay in the office area with us during the day, rather than in a cage.  He was wonderful and we loved him.  We discovered that his hair loss was due to undiagnosed thyroid disease, easily and inexpensively treated.  We removed his warts when we neutered him.  His new life was beginning, and he was enjoying it.  His hair grew in thick and gorgeous for an old man.

For months he lived as an office dog.  He was part of our family.  Then along came a woman.  She wanted our Buddy, and we were both skeptical and excited at the same time.  We went through her application and it was wonderful.  She came up to meet him.  I went into the room to talk to her and I recall asking her, "Why our Buddy?"  I had to hear the right answer, even though I didn't know what the right answer to that question could be.  She looked me in the eyes, her eyes welled up with tears, and she said.  "His eyes.  I fell in love with his eyes."

As the adoption proceeded, we all cried and said our goodbyes.  You can read a thank you note with a photo from Buddy's Mom (who named him Charlie) here.  Our Buddy recently passed away due to kidney failure after three years knowing a loving family.

Remy

Remy is a Shih Tzu whose elderly human companion was placed in a nursing home.  Her niece tried to care for him, but she simply did not have the time to give poor Remy, and she knew he was suffering as a result.  Remy entered our rescue as a 10 year old dog with a heart murmur, and little chance of adoption, but we did not give up on him.

We tried to get Remy into breed specific rescue groups who could offer him a foster home, but they saw his age, and he was rejected.  We gave him all of his medical care updates, including a dental which was greatly needed.

In another town, a woman was making the difficult decision to euthanize a senior dog she dearly loved.  The very next day, the same woman saw Remy on our website, and she knew he was to spend the rest of his time with her. 

Remy had the time of his life living with this woman, her other dogs and cats, and making friends at a retirement home which he visited weekly.  He allowed the residents to hold him upside down and coo at him as though he was their baby.  His heart touched each of theirs.  Something that could not have happened had he not been adopted.

Remy's failing heart recently gave out after thirteen months with his new mom, but that heart was full of love to the very end.


Herkie:

Herkie was a stray in a neighboring town.  He was obviously a senior dog with greying muzzle and obvious hind limb arthritis problems.  He has a long wonderful story which you can read here: Herkie's Story .  He was a friendly and sometimes youthful dog who carried a toy outside with him every time he had to go potty!  Another rescue group offered us a foster home for him.  While we would miss him, we knew that Herkie being in a true "home" setting would be best for him.  He moved from Iowa to www.AdoptaLab.org in Illinois.  His foster Mom did an amazing job with him as you can see if you read the above linked story, and we assumed that his foster home would be his life long home.

Then we got the message that a woman was going to adopt our Herkie.  Herkie was again on the move, this time to New Jersey.  She built Herkie a set of stairs so he could sleep in her king size bed with her.  He went on vacations with her.  He played in the yard with her as though he was a puppy. 

After just five and a half months with his loving mother, Herkie's body succumbed to seizures and inability to walk on those arthritic hind legs.  His mother stayed with him when he was put down, gazing into his eyes, and whispering "I love you" into his yellow lab ears.  He knew the love of a forever family, even if only for a brief amount of time.

To the parents of Buddy/Charlie, Remy, and Herkie,  and to ALL adopters and foster parents of senior and special needs dogs, this blog is your tribute.  Your dedication and patience to the animals that have only a brief time left in this life is admired by all of us in rescue.  Thank you for being there for our senior friends, and in that way, for being there for us. 



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