Dog breeding and dog fighting are big around here and you can find people selling pit bull puppies almost every Saturday in the WalMart parking lot. It makes me sick to my stomach. I want to take these innocent pups home with me but it wouldn't do much good to end the problem.
Any time an opportunity arises, I will try to teach people that animals have feelings too. Dogs especially need to live in the house with their families, not left in a pen or tied to a tree. There is a little dog that has lived chained to a tree her entire eight years of life that I would see daily on my commute to work. I buy a bale of wheat straw to put in her donated dog house every fall and have given her people dog food. I've met the woman and son who are both very nice, but they are ignorant. I've talked to the boy, who is about 10 years old now, and have told him that Boss is lonesome and needs to be played with. I've often thought of asking if I could have Boss, but they would just replace her with another dog.
I have fostered over 40 dogs in the eight years I've lived here - it's the reason I moved to the country. It has been hard but rewarding. Here are some pictures of a few that have passed through my house - many with very sad stories but most have happy endings.
Tucker - one of the saddest:
Wednesday with her new mom:
Jade meeting his new family (Jade is on the right)
Part of a litter of five found on the road; my daughter, Laura, kept one of them:
I am happy I've been able to help a few animals, but don't think I'm an angel. I lose my patience and yell and cuss b/c of the animals and all the work and damage they cause. I've taken a few breaks from fostering and have just entered another one today, but I know I will always help in some way. They need people to defend them because they can't defend themselves from us.
And here is a picture of the love of my life - Princess. I fell in love with her the very instant I saw her at the adoptathon - so scared of life and the world. She was 5 1/2 months old and is now almost 11. She is the pefect example of what love and training can do and is the perfect dog to take out in public. I get compliments from strangers on how well behaved she is. She is always by my side (here accompanied by Topaz and Zoe).
I adore her.
11 comments:
What an EXCEPTIONAL post! I too, have done my share of fostering, and rescuing, sand speaking at adoption events with the rescue I volunteer with.
Thanks you so much for doing your part!
Thank you for the great post, and bless you for being a foster. One of my good friends fosters and helps transport, so I know what a commitment it is. The world needs more animal lovers!
She's a cutie!!
You are an angel for all the animals. Your post warmed my heart. I, too, have many rescued/adopted animals...they just seem to find their way to me. :) I also donate 10% of my monthly sales from my Etsy shop to various animal welfare/rescue groups. There are many ways to help: donate, adopt, volunteer. I hope your post will reach many people and encourage them to help however they can.
I'm positive you are an angel in the eyes of those beautiful furbabies! My daughter has to rescue Pit bulls and a rescue chihuahua. My other daughter has a rescue chihuahua, and my son has a rescue mini-pincher. We tried to find a rescue dog but with my allergies and asthma there are only a few breeds that I can be around without getting really sick. And even some dogs in those breeds effect my asthma. We tried for about 6 months and finally gave up and got our dogs through a breeder. If I didn't have the asthma my hubby knows he'd be living in a zoo! I admire and appreciate what you do for those beautiful dogs. I will admit that as a kid we weren't the best pet owners...and even when my kids were small I look back at how we took care of our dogs and feel so bad. Back then having them chained or in a run was the norm and now I just feel guilty and sad for the dogs we had. I hopefully am making up some of the difference now by spoiling and loving the crap outta our dear pooches!
This is a wonderful post & thank you for sharing it. I've only fostered one dog & we finally adopted Chief because no one was interested in him. Roxy was out of time at the shelter when I saw her picture online. I hurried down to meet her & adopted her. Bailey was adopted from Furry Friends Rescue at 8 weeks. Murphy is 13 & was adopted from a family before I knew about rescue groups. Sammie was adopted from family of a co-worker. I'm so glad we got her. She wouldn't have had a very good life if left in her first home. ♥
What a great post!
I didn't know this month was Prevention to Animal Cruelty Month. Thanks so much for letting us know!
Our pets bring so much to our lives and are part of our family. The unconditional love and comfort they give is priceless.
Thank you for all that you do.
Hugs,
~Lynn
You may not consider yourself an angel; but, I know the animals who were fostered by you believe it! Wonderful post. Our four current rescues are proof that they don't have to be purebreds to be fantastic pets!!
Phyllis, I just sent a link to your blog to my younger daughter, as she is also into animal rights. I knew she would love to see the pictures of your brown-eyed, furry friends!
Hugs for what you do!
Diane
It's wonderful work you do but it's such a shame that with the dog called Boss that you didn't just report the owners, maybe that way they wouldn't be able to have or treat another dog in that way.
I would not of been able to watch that happening right under my nose. To be that calm and restrained way is amazing.
Like you say someone needs to speak up for these poor dogs because they can't.
Keep up the wonderful work.
Anonymous,
Unfortunately the law states that as long as an animal has food, shelter and water they are living in "humane" conditions, so nothing can be done. I'll admit I've thought of helping her "disappear" but as I said, they would just replace her.
Thanks for stopping by.
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