Look Into Their Eyes...Adopt a Pet

November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month!

Shelters everywhere try to gain public awareness in bringing attention to the countless little souls hidden behind cage doors, possibly for the remainder of their lives.
High-kill shelters have no choice but to weed out the "undesirables" to make room for the "more adoptable hopefuls". No-kill shelters have no choice but to turn away newcomers if they don't have the room. The fate for those turned away is not always a happy ending. Those lucky enough to have a space in the shelter often languish behind a cage for months, putting them at risk for neurotic behavior due to being cooped up without stimulation.

Take a moment to read this very personal and touching statement from a young woman seeking to make a difference for those who cannot speak for themselves.

"Animals are humans in disguise."  I will forever hold those words to be true, and anyone who adores their pets would probably agree. I have dogs that think they are in charge like cats, and I have had cats who beg like dogs. No matter the pet, I have learned to love and appreciate each animal's unique personality. I smile when I think how blessed I have been to grow up with animals and know what it feels like for another creature to fully depend on you.

Now I am not yet a mother, so I am taking a stab in the dark that becoming a parent increases the awe when you become responsible for the health and well-being of another person. At 24 years old and not yet a parent, I can only talk about the joy, and believe me when I say it is pure joy, that having a pet adds to my life. See this big guy here?  

His name is Mozart, a 12 year old yellow domestic short hair cat whom I rescued from a couple at my church. This poor guy lived with one family for the first nine years of his life and then was taken to the humane league. He spent the next 30 days confined to a crate until a couple at my church adopted him. Three years later, for whatever reason, he was losing his home and family once again.

I saw the post on Facebook and my heart melted. You see, I grew up with animals; mom says there was a cat in my crib when I came home from the hospital as a baby. As a child, my time was often spent roughing around with the dogs or sleeping on the couch with the kitties. Stray animals seem to be drawn to my parents, and due to their loving hearts, their doors were always open for new critters to join our household. Although owning 12 cats, two dogs, a snake, fish, two chinchillas, a guinea pig, and chickens may resemble a small zoo, which it often felt like, having so many pets taught me a thing or two about responsibility and caring for someone other than me.

When I moved into my grandmother's house to live while in graduate school (MSW, May 2014!!!!), I no longer had a pet. As the schoolwork got harder and my internships became more demanding, I was becoming more and more depressed. I had difficulty sleeping, low to no energy, frequent headaches, and little appetite; something needed to change. When that post popped up on my news feed, I knew I needed that cat and he needed me. After about a month from seeing the initial status, in my mind Mozart had  became my cat. My boyfriend and I picked him up and took him home.

After hiding under the bed for two hours, which is common for pets when they enter new territory, he started to play with some of the toys I had waiting for him. I was catching glimpses of this precious cat's personality and it was incredible.

At 12 years old, cats are often considered old. If you walk into a humane society, older pets may receive a smile or pat on the head but too often are left behind for another day. Another day to wait and watch and hope. Nothing is wrong with them except for the fact that they are no longer little balls of cuteness. Most people are looking for kittens and puppies, thinking it best not to take home  "damaged goods". Sure, some pets come into the shelter because their owners complain of behavior problems. But too often, those problems weren't due to a quirk with the animal, but a misunderstanding of how animals think on the part of the pet owner. And also, too often, they lost their homes for the simple reason being they became an inconvenience, or getting older and perhaps high maintenance.

So what was the problem with my Mozart?  I mean, just look at that face, look at those ears!   

It has been seven months since Mozart came into my life, and we certainly share a bond. When I go to work or school in the morning, he will watch me leave through the blinds. When I return in the evening, he jumps from the chair and trots into my room. He knows the sound of the treat bag and will come running even when I accidentally tap it. He has taken chocolate chip cookies right out of my hand and actually stolen pepperoni off my pizza. DISCLAIMER: I know neither of those foods are good for cats, but it's too late to stop him after it already happened!

Mozart loves to bathe in the sunlight shining on the living room floor and enjoys every second he is outside when I brush him on the porch. 

However, the thing about him that gets me the most is where he sleeps every night: curled up next to my chest. 

I may not have a child, but I do have a pet that is dependent on me to love and care for him. Whether Mozart had been a kitten, five, 10, 12, or even 14 years old, I still would have taken him. 

He was the change that I needed at this point in my life, and I am grateful for it.

If you or someone you know is looking for a pet, please rescue those in need of a home. Animals deserve love and a chance for a forever home.  I can promise that their love will be unconditional. 

Don't forget about the older creatures too. My Mozart is so full of love to share, and being he is still in great health, hopefully for years to come.

Adopt a pet, save a life, and meet your new best friend.

ONE BY ONE

One by one, they pass my cage,
Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his time, he can't run and play.
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way. It seems I am not wanted anymore.

I once had a home, I once had a bed,
A place that was warm, and where I was fed. Now my muzzle is grey, 
and my eyes slowly fail.Who wants a dog so old and so frail?

My family decided I didn't belong,
I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head,
Can't justify how they left me for dead.

Now I sit in this cage, where day after day, 
The younger dogs get adopted away.
When I had almost come to the end of my rope, 
You saw my face, and I 
finally had hope. You saw thru the grey, and the legs bent with age, 
And felt I still had life beyond the cage.

You took me home, gave me food and a bed. 
And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head. 
We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low, You love me so dearly, you want me to know. 
I may have lived most of my life with another, 
But you outshine them with a love so much stronger..

And I promise to return all the love I can give, 
To You, my dear person, as long as I live. 
I may be with you for a week or for years, 
We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears..

And when the time comes that God deems I must leave, 
I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve. 
And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new, 
My thoughts and my heart will still be with you. 
And I will brag to all who will hear,
Of the person who made my last days so dear..

- Author Unknown

Wanted: A Forever Home...Research Before You Rescue

Introducing little Gavin, a perfect example of why it is so important to do your homework about dog breeds and a good look at your lifestyle before bringing a pet into your home.

Gavin was rescued by a foster home rescue group called 4 Paws 4 Rescue. Apparently he was taken off the streets of South Carolina and put up for adoption at a high-kill shelter. Wonderful organizations such as 4 Paws 4 Rescue make arrangements to get these dogs out of such places and place them with foster families. These wonderful volunteer groups travel long distances and car chain to get these animals to where they are to be placed.

My son and his girlfriend used Petfinder.com in their search for a Corgi rescue. They scrolled through several wonderful options, but something about little Gavin kept bringing them back to his listing. Gavin didn't even look like your typical Corgi, obviously mixed with something.

The day they met

The application was completed, approval was granted, and Gavin had his big day to meet his fate. Look at that little face; he didn't know what was going on. Though exhausted after the long drive north to PA from SC, Gavin tore at the heart- strings from the first moment they met.

It was hard to leave him behind, but Gavin needed to be cleared with a veterinarian before the paperwork could be completed. Not having any information on his background, he was given a full physical evaluation, heartworm check, and a flea bath. 

18 months later

Gavin was one of the lucky ones and became part of a loving, forever home.
It didn't take long before his endearing character became evident and the bond was sealed. Gavin was not a nuisance barker, but should he be separated from his beloved new caregivers he made it known he was not happy about it.



Gavin was a perfect match with his new owners. They were as full of energy and adventure as he, which was a blessing. This little dog needed to run. Had he been adopted into a household without the time to allow for long walks or park days it may not have worked out and back to the shelter he would go. A so sad scenario seen over and over by shelter staff. Many dog behavior problems could be nipped in the bud if owners would look at the whole picture of how their pet has adjusted to the household. Dogs speak with their actions and a frustrated dog often acts out through destructive behavior.







Click here for a good article on what to expect before adopting a pet.

 

This little book  by September B. Morn is a gem for understanding dog behavior.

Gavin 2015

A chinchilla's silent plea for help

 The idea of having a pet who doesn't make much noise can be a very good thing for some pet owners. But, the downfall for these little guys is that their silence puts them at a high risk of being forgotten about.

Cats, dogs and even guinea pigs can be very vocal when in need of something. Pets such as chinchillas, rabbits, hamsters and such are quietly tucked into a cage in perhaps a child's bedroom or the basement and with the hustle of life, it is very easy to let attention to them slip.

It is very important that before investing in a chinchilla, that you do your research and realize that these exotics require proper attention, and should something go wrong there will be expenses. Do not have the attitude of some people that they are not going to spend big bucks on a "rodent", if it dies it dies. Chinchillas are an exotic pet which will require a veterinarian who specializes in exotics. Don't assume your typical small animal veterinary clinic to understand the needs of your chin. Expect to drive a distance to find such a vet and expect to pay a bit more for the office visit. We have learned that even with proper care, things can go wrong and unless the owner is paying attention, these little guys can go downhill right before your eyes.

Our little Bugsy is now six years old and lucky for him we know his likes and dislikes enough to notice when his behavior changes. The teeth of rodents continue to grow throughout their lifetimes and they require chewing blocks and timothy hay at all times to maintain a healthy mouth. Even so, our Bugsy was trying to tell us something was wrong.

The first sign I noticed was matting of the fur under his chin. I detected perhaps this was from salivation but at first just kept an eye on it. I let it go about two weeks before another symptom displayed itself.

Bugsy loves raw almonds. Every day he looks forward to this special treat, at which he will grab it and park himself contentedly in a corner to munch away.  He continued to accept the nut but would then drop it and paw at his jaw with both front feet.

Something was not right.  He definitely had an appetite, his stools were fine, he was still active. But I did notice that even after using the dust bath, he still looked a bit "unkept". It can be hard to detect if a chin is losing weight because they look like a little ball of fur anyway. The proper weight for a chinchilla is between 500 - 700 grams. Turns out our little guy had dropped to 450 grams.

I did a little experimenting with softer foods to confirm my suspicion that I needed his teeth checked. He did manage to eat softer foods like shredded wheat, cheerios, rice krispees, and he could still nibble his raisin or bit of dried apricot.

At the veterinarian, it was discovered that he had developed spurs on his back molars which were painfully digging into his cheeks. Apparently this can happen even with the best of care for two reasons: in their natural habitat they have a more varied food supply with stiffer chewing materials, and its the consequence of humans over breeding them which results in a congenital defect in how their teeth meet up to grind their food.

So now I get to decide whether this "rodent" lives or dies. If I do nothing he will slowly starve. If I push it off to avoid making the decision, he will lose too much weight and may not survive the anesthesia or trauma of surgery. Or I can sign the consent form and expect to spend about $350 on him and just hope it is a once in his life time expense (of which there is no guarantee it won't reoccur).

The procedure involves filing down those spurs so his teeth meet properly when he chews. Supposedly the risks with modern anesthesia are minimal, and he should wake up with no problem, go home the same day with an oral medication for pain, and be fine.

So, the decision is made and the appointment is on the schedule. There are some who continue to snicker and call us fools with our animals. But I figure it was my decision to bring him into our home, and Bugsy didn't have a say with his adoption and subsequent care. As with every living thing, he deserves the chance to live a quality life without undue suffering.

Lucky for him, his silence was heard.

UPDATE ON BUGSY

It is now March of 2014 and we said our final good-byes to our Bugsy. After the above post was written back in April of 2013 we had Bugsy back to the vet again in June of 2013 for the same concern with his teeth.

It turns out that the veterinarian thought he was older than the Humane Society originally informed us. We thought he was about one year when we adopted him, but the vet thinks that based on the condition of his back teeth, at the time of the vet visit he wasn't six years, he was probably ten or order. We had had the spurs filed down, but the problem wasn't in an overgrowth. The problem was that his teeth were just wearing out.

In the wild, as these animals age they eventually fall prey to a predator when they cannot eat properly and lose their strength. In captivity, all you can do provide them with softer foods and when the time comes, if it is apparent that the animal is suffering, to humanely have them put to sleep.

A year ago, we were given a supply of antibiotics and pain medication to give as needed whenever we noticed the drooling begin again. He was supplied with his usual food and hay, but in case he couldn't eat those we had cheerios, shredded wheat, graham crackers, sliced almonds and dried fruits available. At this point, we weren't too concerned with weight gain from too many treats. We were happy if he ate, period. 

Bugsy passed away peacefully during the night of March 17, 2014, curled up in a nest of hay inside his igloo. He had weight loss but we were surprised how quickly he passed away on his own. 

With sadness, we put the cage and supplies into storage. Our son had these chins (Bugsy on the left, Chili on the right. Chili lived to be about 10 as well) during his growing years and being he is in college, I suppose that chapter is now written.

One More Cat in the Kitty Choir

Every rescue carries an endearing story of how it came into the lives of its adoptive family. Once when I was telling my veterinarian how the particular cat on her exam table came to be here, her uninterested voice simply said, "There will always be cats." I remember thinking to myself that her heart definitely hardened since the period in her life when she entered the field of animal care.

 Yes there will always be cats, and if we join the ranks who look the other way, "out of sight, out of mind", then that particular cat will most likely soon no longer be anyone's concern.  Statistically it will become a victim of the ways of the wild and perish without anyone to mourn it's loss.

We've always had one too many cats, yet once you're set up for cats, it's like eating potato chips and you make room for one more. We don't go looking for more ways of tying ourselves down with responsibility or debt, but if a little lost soul seeks our doorstep over that of another, he must have sensed something to override his fear.

That is exactly what happened with the little girl in the pictures. My husband had a business luncheon at a restaurant in a busy area whirling with traffic. It was raining and miserable outside and as the group exited the building a skinny little cat was seen wandering around the parking lot. With the work day not yet over, everyone had things to do and places to be, therefore a stray cat was seen but not really seen (if you know what I mean). 

Except for my husband.

This little cat must have picked up on the empathetic energies from this man, therefore followed him to his car, and just sat there. What was he to do? He had to get back to work but his heart couldn't just leave her there in the rain with the odds very great that she wouldn't survive the day without getting hit by a car. Looking around, wondering where she could have come from, he did what every good husband does. He called his wife and asked what to do.

By the time he came home, he picked up on three things that made this cat special.

 1. She came to him and let him pick her up without fear.

2. She sat on his lap the entire hour car ride home.

3. It became obvious that this cat couldn't hear a thing. 

How a deaf cat crossed those busy roads just shows how sharp are the survival skills and senses of our animal friends.

The restaurant was called Bones Grill, so we named her Bonesy. As can be seen by these pictures she didn't remain skin and bones for very long.

The fact that Bonesy had something wrong with her was picked up on immediately by the other cats. The animal world doesn't take kindly to a weakness, therefore Bonesy had to toughen up quick to gain acceptance amidst her new household. There was plenty of scowling and head bopping but since she acted indifferent to it all without fear or backing down, peace ensued pretty quickly.

Bonesy is a very loving little girl and being she doesn't get spooked by sudden noises as do most cats, she is at total peace with the world. 

A special needs pet has plenty to teach us about making the best with the cards dealt out by the life we were given. This cat has shown us how to enjoy the warmth of the sun, the smell of the wind, the joy it brings a person to greet him cheerfully at the door.  

Very important and most difficult for we busy humans, is allowing ourselves the time to relax in someone's arms with no where to be but in the moment at hand.