In animal rescue, we discover a lot about ourselves. But we also discover a lot about the world, much of which, we dislike and learn to resent.
We realize that the rights of animals are low on the list of priorities for those people who possess the ability to protect them, such as police, lawyers and prosecutors, politicians, owners. Many laws that are meant to protect animals, are shoved onto the back burner and other "more important" ones are pushed ahead. In some ways, I understand this, as we all make decisions and prioritize things in our lives. But animal care requirements are still in the dark ages. For instance, the laws of Texas, and I believe they are the first to make such a change, no longer consider dogs personal property with no intrinsic value. "Dogs have finally moved up in legal standing from just “personal property” with no additional value, to personal property with recognized intrinsic or sentimental value. It took 120 years, but the law finally figured out that people value their dogs more than your average inanimate household item. Dogs now are in the same category as irreplaceable family pictures, heirlooms, and other personal property with sentimental value." Dogs are still considered objects, with no credit given to their ability to have feelings or feel pain, but this legal precedent at least recognizes the fact that we have feelings for them, at least as much as that photograph of Grandma holding the new baby of the family... Our question, "why is it taking so long to progress?"
We realize that some people just don't care about animals, as impossible as that may sound to us. How they can look into the eyes of an animal and not see their soul, not see that they can love, and feel pain... It is unfathomable to me and many, but it is the truth. These people can go about their day, and not bother themselves with reading my blog or visiting my office. I like to think they are dedicated to correcting other injustices in the world, as there are many out there.
We also realize that there are millions of people who do care about animals, treat them as family, yet do nothing about the injustice that is served upon them. "I could never do what you do" is my LEAST favorite quotation from fellow animal lovers, yet I hear it so often. This is a big source of frustration, and I have addressed it many times in my blog. Here is one of them: "Help Your Local Animal Shelter While On a Budget"
But the biggest thing we face is burnout. We submit ourselves every day to seeing things that hurt us. Animals abandoned, animals hurt, animals being treated like trash. We hear owners say the most repulsive things about why they need to "get rid of" this pet. We get yelled at when we have no room to take in an unwanted pet, or stray. They yell even louder when we request financial help with the intake of that unwanted pet. We are always expected to do it all for free and with a smile on our face. We watch as those we try to protect, get no protection from those who have the ability to make the necessary changes. We cry happy tears at adoptions and sad tears at our losses. We get tired, hurt, exhausted.
Until one day we struggle. We struggle to the point of needing a break, yet rarely do we take one, because if we do, who will fill in where we are needed?
I struggled as the death of my cousin was treated as insignificant. In the same state where a young man is facing felony charges for beating a squirrel with a hockey stick, my cousin's death is left unpunished, with no answers, and no punishment for inadequate investigation. I wondered why I fight for animals when there are so many injustices for people as well.
I struggled when a friend felt comfortable enough with me to reveal her past abuse, the likes of which have made me again question why I am helping animals when people also suffer. I am so grateful for her honesty and trust, and would not want her to take those words back. The point is that it opened my eyes to yet another injustice I have heard about, but I have never been a witness to until now, and it rocked me at the core. I recognize now that while I cannot change the past, I can be there for her when she needs me. I hope I am a strong enough person to do so.
So, why am I helping animals when at times the injustice of people creates so much pain in me that I could run in circles for days trying to outrun the tears?
I think I now know why. It is where my confidence lies. It is where my background is concentrated. I cannot fix everything. I cannot change the world. But if I can inspire one person, then I have made a difference. Perhaps I have made that difference and inspired one person, but now I need to inspire person number two!
I have to leave the other missions to those who can prioritize them into their lives, and hope they step up to make the necessary changes. I cannot bring my cousin back. I cannot change the past of those I love. But I can and will be there for those I love when they need me, or at least I will try my best to do so. I am human, after all.
I realize I have to focus on the fact that my training makes animal care my specialty. If my life had led me down a different path, I do believe the intensity of my passion would be focused on whatever endeavor I took on. But in this lifetime, this is where I can make the biggest difference. Even when the difference I am making seems futile, and too small in the grand scheme of things.
When someone asks, "Why do you help animals when children/environment/elderly/poor suffer?", I have to say because this is who I am. This is what I know. This is what I have chosen. Or perhaps this is what has chosen me. If I could do it all, I would... (perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket so I can do it all? :) But I can't do it all. And if you are asking that question of me, you better be doing your share in whatever mission inspires you.
I guess I am saying something to all of you that have followed my blog, and noticed my absence. I am saying...
I am back... so brace yourselves! :)
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Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Legal vs. Ethical Obligation?
I was at an animal welfare meeting which was attended by veterinarians, shelter employees, rescue volunteers, as well as law enforcement personnel. The meeting was very educational, and also allowed people to ask questions regarding laws about which they needed more clarification.
Of course the topic turned to puppy mills. One of the topics discussed was the fact that licensed commercial breeders are required to have a veterinarian to "sign on" as the veterinarian for that breeder.
One veterinarian asked a question. " If we sign on as the veterinarian for a facility, does that make us legally responsible for what happens in that facility." The answer from our speaker was a simple no.
It was not just the answer that disturbed me. It was the fact that the question was asked. If you sign on to a facility, you are not just signing a paper. You, as an animal care professional, are attesting to the fact that the care in that facility meets your own animal care standards, which hopefully are not limited to the legal requirements. Veterinarians deal on a daily basis with the progeny of the dogs bred within these facilities, and small animal veterinarians make the majority of their income caring for the dogs who are now part of a human family, but once were the offspring of those puppy mill dogs that reside in cages for their lifetime. If veterinarians agree to sign on the dotted line, should they not be obligated to attest to the care of the animals residing within these facilities? Are the legal standards ALL they should consider when (and if) they do tour these facilities and decide to sign on th dotted line?
My answer to the original question is a bit more complicated.
"No, sir, you are not legally responsible if their standards are not kept within legal requirements. However, you are ethically responsible to sign on ONLY IF you know for a fact that their facilities meet legal requirements and your own ethical and medical expectations of how the dogs (parents of the patients for which you care and from whom you make a living) should be kept for their lifetime."
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Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
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Of course the topic turned to puppy mills. One of the topics discussed was the fact that licensed commercial breeders are required to have a veterinarian to "sign on" as the veterinarian for that breeder.
One veterinarian asked a question. " If we sign on as the veterinarian for a facility, does that make us legally responsible for what happens in that facility." The answer from our speaker was a simple no.
It was not just the answer that disturbed me. It was the fact that the question was asked. If you sign on to a facility, you are not just signing a paper. You, as an animal care professional, are attesting to the fact that the care in that facility meets your own animal care standards, which hopefully are not limited to the legal requirements. Veterinarians deal on a daily basis with the progeny of the dogs bred within these facilities, and small animal veterinarians make the majority of their income caring for the dogs who are now part of a human family, but once were the offspring of those puppy mill dogs that reside in cages for their lifetime. If veterinarians agree to sign on the dotted line, should they not be obligated to attest to the care of the animals residing within these facilities? Are the legal standards ALL they should consider when (and if) they do tour these facilities and decide to sign on th dotted line?
My answer to the original question is a bit more complicated.
"No, sir, you are not legally responsible if their standards are not kept within legal requirements. However, you are ethically responsible to sign on ONLY IF you know for a fact that their facilities meet legal requirements and your own ethical and medical expectations of how the dogs (parents of the patients for which you care and from whom you make a living) should be kept for their lifetime."
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Last One is A Zinger!
Eating supper, Connor turns and asks, "What is this?" I respond, "Kielbasa". "Killbasa?" He hesitates. "Does it kill people?"
We stop at Casey's to pick up a quick sandwich. Connor chooses a ham and cheese sub. When he unwraps the sandwich, he sees swiss cheese complete with holes. "Mom! It has real mouse cheese!" When I buy him swiss cheese from the store to impress him, he sees it in the fridge, and remarks, "Mom, we have real mouse cheese?!" I respond, "Yes". He looks at it, and finishes with, "That's gross."
A young girl who assists in Connor's classroom sees me at the grocery store. She says, "Connor is so cute! Today we watched a Garfield movie, but Garfield wasn't feeling well. So the Vet comes to see Garfield and feels his tummy. When he does, Garfield groans in discomfort. Connor says, "My Mommy would NEVER do that to a cat!"
We went to a chinese buffet. Connor insists on loading his own plate. I give him the plate and just follow him around. He sees what looks like long slender chicken legs and starts piling them on the plate. I look up because I had never noticed this item at this restaurant before, and start laughing when I see a sign that says, "Frog legs". Connor asks why I am laughing as he continues to pile them onto his plate. Laughing, I state, "Those are frog legs". He screams loudly, "EEEEEWWWW", tilts his plate back, as about a dozen legs slide quickly off the plate into the container from which they came.
Same chinese buffet, but years earlier. A tiny 3 or 4 year old Miranda and I are headed to the rest room to wash our hands. At the table in the back are two women speaking in what I can only assume is Chinese. Miranda stops dead in her tracks, flails her arms dramatically and pronounces, "Mommy, What ARE they talking about?"
Last night, 7 year old Miranda asked Daddy, "Is Santa Real?" Before Daddy can respond, Connor belts out, "Of course he's real! He's not a toy!"
I hope I made you smile!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!!!
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You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
We stop at Casey's to pick up a quick sandwich. Connor chooses a ham and cheese sub. When he unwraps the sandwich, he sees swiss cheese complete with holes. "Mom! It has real mouse cheese!" When I buy him swiss cheese from the store to impress him, he sees it in the fridge, and remarks, "Mom, we have real mouse cheese?!" I respond, "Yes". He looks at it, and finishes with, "That's gross."
A young girl who assists in Connor's classroom sees me at the grocery store. She says, "Connor is so cute! Today we watched a Garfield movie, but Garfield wasn't feeling well. So the Vet comes to see Garfield and feels his tummy. When he does, Garfield groans in discomfort. Connor says, "My Mommy would NEVER do that to a cat!"
We went to a chinese buffet. Connor insists on loading his own plate. I give him the plate and just follow him around. He sees what looks like long slender chicken legs and starts piling them on the plate. I look up because I had never noticed this item at this restaurant before, and start laughing when I see a sign that says, "Frog legs". Connor asks why I am laughing as he continues to pile them onto his plate. Laughing, I state, "Those are frog legs". He screams loudly, "EEEEEWWWW", tilts his plate back, as about a dozen legs slide quickly off the plate into the container from which they came.
Same chinese buffet, but years earlier. A tiny 3 or 4 year old Miranda and I are headed to the rest room to wash our hands. At the table in the back are two women speaking in what I can only assume is Chinese. Miranda stops dead in her tracks, flails her arms dramatically and pronounces, "Mommy, What ARE they talking about?"
Last night, 7 year old Miranda asked Daddy, "Is Santa Real?" Before Daddy can respond, Connor belts out, "Of course he's real! He's not a toy!"
I hope I made you smile!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!!!
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
No Room At The Inn?
Meet Mario!
Mario is an extremely personable kitten. He was found by one of our foster volunteers. She scooped him up and asked if we would take him into our adoption program. We immediately said yes, but found we needed to tend to an injured foot.
After examining him, we discovered that this was not a minor injury on his foot. It was a fracture. His rear foot was somehow broken and in need of stabilization. Fortunately for him, kittens grow quickly and as a result, the bones usually heal pretty well as long as they are relatively stable. Also fortunate is the fact that the weather quickly got cold after we took him in, and with his young age and his injury, I am certain he would not have survived the following weeks outside, unless there was a very attentive mother cat caring for him. No such mother was in the immediate vicinity when he was discovered.
He is healing very well. His leg is so tiny, I crafted a splint out of a tongue depressor, padded it with gauze, and wrapped it in tape.
For a local Christmas event, we brought Mario to meet and greet the public. He loved every minute of the attention he received! We decorated his splint to resemble a tiny candy cane. Had we done this sooner, we could have named him "Striper".
This leads me to one of the biggest struggles we have amongst the employees and myself at my clinic in regards to strays and owner surrenders.
Animal Shelters usually charge intake fees when they agree to take an animal into their group. The fees are often minimal. We set our relinquishing fee at $35 which we believe is reasonable considering we are helping to ensure the safety of the pet that the people are leaving behind and providing it with necessary housing and veterinary care for the duration of its stay.
The biggest VIOLATOR of this rule is ME. I guess it is a good thing I am the boss, but I may have to fire myself!
We do have those people who give above and beyond our "relinquishing fee" and I thank goodness we have them. But this blog is not about them.
Owners of the pets needing to come into our rehoming service sometimes claim to have no money, despite the fresh pack of cigarettes in their pocket and the car they left running in the parking lot that is burning gas as they spend time arguing with my staff. I want to believe these people are telling the truth. Times are hard for many right now, but I also know that in many situations, the animal is not considered a mandatory expense, especially in an emergency, despite the fact that our fee helps to ensure their pet's health and safety.
When it is a concerned citizen who found a stray or dumped animal, I am blissfully thankful to them for stopping to assist an animal in need. More often than you would think, the concerned citizen refuses to help us finance the care of the animal since they found it and it was not their animal. Sometimes these concerned citizens promise to come back later that day with the fee, but rarely do they actually make the trip back. I understand that if you found an animal, you may feel that the fee for the animal's care is not your "responsibility". But I have some news for you. When you pick up an animal in need, the responsibility for that animal immediately becomes yours. The next decision you make should ensure that animal's safety. Whether you keep the animal, rehome it, or bring it to a shelter or rescue group, you are now the responsible party. If you put the animal back into harms way, it is you who are responsible for what happens to that animal. But many people will argue that point. I fear that these sometimes heated discussions with our concerned citizens may deter them from helping the next animal in need.
A black and white rule is great for a staff to follow, but I have been in this world too long to believe that anything is black and white. The bottom line for most businesses is the bottom dollar. When I try to make finances a priority, not necessarily just for profit but to ensure that I can keep the clinic running and pay the staff to continue their efforts, I find myself being the one staring into the eyes of a dog or cat and telling the owner we cannot take the animal into our adoption program. As they walk out the door, I find myself wondering what is going to happen to the animal after they leave my clinic. I find myself wondering if that animal will be found abandoned in a field after wandering for three days. I find myself wondering if just one more animal in our care really would have hurt.
It is never easy to say no when someone asks for help with an animal. Saying no invokes a feeling of guilt and sorrow because animal rescuers really do want to help them all. If it is simply due to lack of room for the animal, I can only take those animals for whom I have room. When it comes to potentially having room, but having a person who is unwilling to assist us in our efforts, and follow our guidelines, it is extremely difficult emotionally to say no to that animal. The only one that will suffer as a result of a "rule" is the animal. Oddly, I am certain that if you were able to ask a dog for its last toy or kibble to assist its owner in need, the dog would give it without question.
I sometimes forget that I have expenses. These expenses need to be paid in order for us to continue our work. I have an eight year education, a building, and medical equipment to pay for, and a staff that deserves to make more money than they do currently. I will always find it difficult in both the rescue business and in the veterinary business to say no when an animal needs my assistance but the humans cannot or will not pay my fees. I guess that is why I do what I do with the low cost spay and neuter programs, and our rescue work. But I am sometimes haunted by the eyes of those I could not help.
When I look at Mario, I see a pair of eyes we could help. And I am thankful for those.
But "no", is never easy.
Mario is an extremely personable kitten. He was found by one of our foster volunteers. She scooped him up and asked if we would take him into our adoption program. We immediately said yes, but found we needed to tend to an injured foot.
After examining him, we discovered that this was not a minor injury on his foot. It was a fracture. His rear foot was somehow broken and in need of stabilization. Fortunately for him, kittens grow quickly and as a result, the bones usually heal pretty well as long as they are relatively stable. Also fortunate is the fact that the weather quickly got cold after we took him in, and with his young age and his injury, I am certain he would not have survived the following weeks outside, unless there was a very attentive mother cat caring for him. No such mother was in the immediate vicinity when he was discovered.
He is healing very well. His leg is so tiny, I crafted a splint out of a tongue depressor, padded it with gauze, and wrapped it in tape.
For a local Christmas event, we brought Mario to meet and greet the public. He loved every minute of the attention he received! We decorated his splint to resemble a tiny candy cane. Had we done this sooner, we could have named him "Striper".
Mario is still looking for a loving home. Click here to learn more.
This leads me to one of the biggest struggles we have amongst the employees and myself at my clinic in regards to strays and owner surrenders.
Animal Shelters usually charge intake fees when they agree to take an animal into their group. The fees are often minimal. We set our relinquishing fee at $35 which we believe is reasonable considering we are helping to ensure the safety of the pet that the people are leaving behind and providing it with necessary housing and veterinary care for the duration of its stay.
The biggest VIOLATOR of this rule is ME. I guess it is a good thing I am the boss, but I may have to fire myself!
We do have those people who give above and beyond our "relinquishing fee" and I thank goodness we have them. But this blog is not about them.
Owners of the pets needing to come into our rehoming service sometimes claim to have no money, despite the fresh pack of cigarettes in their pocket and the car they left running in the parking lot that is burning gas as they spend time arguing with my staff. I want to believe these people are telling the truth. Times are hard for many right now, but I also know that in many situations, the animal is not considered a mandatory expense, especially in an emergency, despite the fact that our fee helps to ensure their pet's health and safety.
When it is a concerned citizen who found a stray or dumped animal, I am blissfully thankful to them for stopping to assist an animal in need. More often than you would think, the concerned citizen refuses to help us finance the care of the animal since they found it and it was not their animal. Sometimes these concerned citizens promise to come back later that day with the fee, but rarely do they actually make the trip back. I understand that if you found an animal, you may feel that the fee for the animal's care is not your "responsibility". But I have some news for you. When you pick up an animal in need, the responsibility for that animal immediately becomes yours. The next decision you make should ensure that animal's safety. Whether you keep the animal, rehome it, or bring it to a shelter or rescue group, you are now the responsible party. If you put the animal back into harms way, it is you who are responsible for what happens to that animal. But many people will argue that point. I fear that these sometimes heated discussions with our concerned citizens may deter them from helping the next animal in need.
A black and white rule is great for a staff to follow, but I have been in this world too long to believe that anything is black and white. The bottom line for most businesses is the bottom dollar. When I try to make finances a priority, not necessarily just for profit but to ensure that I can keep the clinic running and pay the staff to continue their efforts, I find myself being the one staring into the eyes of a dog or cat and telling the owner we cannot take the animal into our adoption program. As they walk out the door, I find myself wondering what is going to happen to the animal after they leave my clinic. I find myself wondering if that animal will be found abandoned in a field after wandering for three days. I find myself wondering if just one more animal in our care really would have hurt.
It is never easy to say no when someone asks for help with an animal. Saying no invokes a feeling of guilt and sorrow because animal rescuers really do want to help them all. If it is simply due to lack of room for the animal, I can only take those animals for whom I have room. When it comes to potentially having room, but having a person who is unwilling to assist us in our efforts, and follow our guidelines, it is extremely difficult emotionally to say no to that animal. The only one that will suffer as a result of a "rule" is the animal. Oddly, I am certain that if you were able to ask a dog for its last toy or kibble to assist its owner in need, the dog would give it without question.
I sometimes forget that I have expenses. These expenses need to be paid in order for us to continue our work. I have an eight year education, a building, and medical equipment to pay for, and a staff that deserves to make more money than they do currently. I will always find it difficult in both the rescue business and in the veterinary business to say no when an animal needs my assistance but the humans cannot or will not pay my fees. I guess that is why I do what I do with the low cost spay and neuter programs, and our rescue work. But I am sometimes haunted by the eyes of those I could not help.
When I look at Mario, I see a pair of eyes we could help. And I am thankful for those.
But "no", is never easy.
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
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.
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.
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
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 .
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
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?
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?
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
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?
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?
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
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?
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?"
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
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
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.
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
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.
Become a fan of our Veterinary Rescuer Blog page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Veterinary-Rescuer-Blog/133173784037 .
You are invited to share a link of the blog http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
If you would like to receive this blog into your email inbox each time it is published, go to http://www.vetrescue.blogspot.com/ , and enter your name into the subscribe box on the upper right side of the page. The blog will send you a confirmation email. Reply as instructed in the email to confirm your subscription. This is a required step. You will then receive the blog as it is published. You will not get junk mail as a result of subscribing!
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