Welcoming the year 2012

The year 2011 was not the best year for most people. Depressing news one after another I many times asked myself "how are we supposed to keep going?" "How long can we last?" "What happens if we can't manage to stay afloat?"

I look at my kids and get scared. I look at my dogs and cats and feel pressured.

I know our time is limited so make the most of it.
Enjoy life while you can.

I think about it and feel like I am getting pulled in so many different directions I don't know how to put priorities in order.
I have a feeling I will live with this dilemma until the very last moment.

Will I feel relieved then?

I have all the positive expectations for the new year...with a bit of uncertainty attached to them.
The idea of new year gives everybody a equal chance to start afresh....I really hope it's going to be a good one.

 

Christmas at animal shelter

Very often when I have time, I check websites of animal shelters and look at the lists of their adoptable pets. The same depressing lists.


SEAACA is a shelter I got my dog Ginger from.
When I went to look for a dog to adopt, their cages were all full and each one seemed to have at least 5 dogs in it.
There were so many dogs and I remember thinking,

It's impossible to choose one dog out of all these dogs....

Because they all looked equally beautiful,....and sad.

Ginger caught my eyes because she had a look of a beautiful red fox, and looked so reserved. She cuddled up in the back of the cage and whenever there were motions outside her cage, she huddled with the others behind the bars and looked out worriedly.
So skinny. I don't know what but something told me to meet her in person. I asked one of the workers at the shelter to get her out of the cage. I probably spent 10 mins with her, and that was it.




Ginger has gained 15 lbs after I adopted her

 What divides the fate of the animals there?
The rest of the dogs I didn't chose that day. How many of them had gotten out of there with new owners? Or had been found by their owners? What happened to the rest?

I look at these pictures on the adoptable pets list, and get amazed how there are always so many of them listed there.
Why isn't the list getting shorter?
Haven't people been better educated about taking care of their pets for some time now?
What for are the rescue groups working so hard to get animals out of the shelters and try to adopt them out??
Why do breeders still exist?
Why are the animals still sold in pet stores?

I get overwhelmed by the same questions over and over when I see those faces on the websites.
Hasn't  "make the world a better place" been a slogan for all of us?

Today I noticed pictures of a bunch of German Shepherd puppies on SEAACA's website.

This one looks just like Anko.
There are 6 of them.
Will they all make it out of there?
Or will they spend their first Christmas in a shelter cage?

Anko was a "backyard dog" a little over a year ago

 

Greg got adopted!

This actually happened back in September. I haven't updated the blog since earlier so here I am, posting a happy entry for the record.

Greg was adopted by a family that already owns to other poodles. Greg will not be lonely for sure!



Here he is (far right). Looking so cute and clean with his new hair-cut.

I have heard now his name is Benny. To us he will always be Greg and we will never forget him.
I miss him so much. Don't get me wrong I am very happy for him now that he is living in a permanent home with two friends of his kind. What I mean is that this was my first real encounter with a poodle. And I was so amazed by Greg's entertaining nature. Now I notice poodles in the streets and in somebody's yard all the time.... Funny I used even avoid small dogs, (I guess mainly because I had seen them pee on my feet and try to mate with my arm) now I notice Chihuahuas and Poodles and they makes me smile.

I haven't fostered after Greg. I think I was a little exhausted after Greg. Physically because he was peeing everywhere in the house when he first arrived, he wasn't potty-trained. Most rescue dogs aren't, I think. They were never given proper care or love. We can't blame them but when you open your home to these guys, that means you would need lots of spray cleaners and paper towels.
Greg got to go outside most of the time at the end, however a few months of accidents finally took its toll and my house was stinky!
I was tired and wanted to breathe fresh air in my home. I decided to take a break from fostering and clean the house.

Now I think my house smells much better and I feel better too.
I started thinking again  - Having another cute face like this around wouldn't hurt. Even if it means putting your furniture and carpets at risk of another urine coating....  

Congratulations, Greg! Be happy!!