Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 16 2003
Doodles, who was adopted two weeks ago (February 1st), was returned today
This was a shocker of a phone call from the couple who adopted Doodles two weeks ago. Instead of a glowing report of how wonderfully everything was working out with Doodles in her new home, they said they needed to return Doodles because she was too much of a playful, jumpy puppy for their two-year-old grandchild, and they wanted to return Doodles today, if possible.
We always take the pups and dogs back into our Happy Home for Strays if things don't work out for the pet at her (or his) new home. [Bill: Once you've been picked up by this lifeboat (Straydog), you're going to make it to shore somehow, no matter how many times we have to row you in.]
The unexpected return of a previously adopted dog can be a bit of a problem, however, especially when our kennels are all occupied, and there is no room for the returning dog. But when this does happen, we've always been able to "mix and match" enough pairs of dogs to find a spot for the unwanted pet who is coming back.
Doodles is returned and is happy to be back at her Happy Home for Strays
Doodles arrived right at noon, and we wanted to get her settled with a new companion right away. Her previous kennel companion, Krissy, now had another kennel mate, so our plans were to introduce Doodles to the two "single men," Billy the Border Collie and if that didn't work out, we'd introduce her to big Catahoola fellow, mellow, gentle Boomer.
Billy and Doodles met in the park, and Billy let us know he'd prefer not to have Doodles join him as a companion, so we took Billy back to his kennel. (We're beginning to think Billy likes the "single" life). And then we brought big Boomer to the park to meet Doodles.
Doodles and Boomer got along fine, so she joined him in his kennel, and they happily began chasing each other around and around.
What luck! Someone calls looking for a dog just like Doodles!
This was an amazing stroke of luck. Soon after we heard that Doodles was being returned this morning, a woman called our shelter saying she and her husband (and family) were interested in adopting a young dog, preferably a Lab mix, and the type of dog they wanted matched Doodles' description and personality perfectly!
I told the woman (Karen) all about Doodles, and that Doodles was being returned today, and while we were talking, they looked Doodles up on our website. They thought she was adorable and that Doodles was just the age and type of pup they were looking for, and they wanted to see Doodles today, if possible, so an appointment was made for them to come and see Doodles this afternoon around 3:00. The couple has three children, and the mom said that the whole family knows about happy-go-lucky puppies being jumpy and playful. This is what puppies do, the mom explained, and with patient, loving understanding (and training) the pups will soon learn good puppy-dog behavior. The family has an older male Lab, so Doodles will have a dog companion at her new home.
Doodles is adopted-again!
What a lucky puppy Doodles is now. She and her new companion fellow have their own dog room inside the house, complete with a doggie-door for easy access to the big fenced yard, and if the dogs choose, they also have the freedom to roam the entire house, and sleep in the bedrooms with the children or mom and dad.
We are hoping that Doodles has finally found her wonderful, forever family. The mom and dad said they'd call in a few days with the update on how all is going.
New adoptive dad, Tom, fills out the paperwork in the kennel office, and soon Doodles is in the back of Tom's car ready for the trip home to Flower Mound, Texas.
All day we have been swamped with calls to take in other rescued dogs and puppies, and there's a big rescue brewing right now, which we'll report on in the Monday update or as the story unfolds. ...
Yesterday
...
Straydog UPDATE posted SATURDAY 2/15/03 at ~9:07 p.m. CT
Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15 2003
No adoptions today
We had no adoptions this Saturday. All five puppy-dogs who went to Canine Commissary in Plano to hopefully find their forever families came back home again. They had a fun time being petted by the visitors who stopped by to see them, and they always love all the attention they get from our wonderful dog-sitting volunteers. Maybe next Saturday will be their lucky day.
Person donates $4,200.00 to pay our vet bill
One unbelievable bit of good news is that we received a check today from a donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) to pay off our outstanding vet bill of $3,657.52. The extra amount the contributor gave is to cover the huge expense of this month's heartworm preventive pills that all 65 dogs and puppies are given each and every month, and to cover any other vet expenses for Betsy, who has had to stay at the clinic for almost two weeks while her broken leg begins to heal.
We will never be able to thank this contributor enough for her tremendously generous donation to pay off our entire vet bill. I'm sure she knows how much this means to us. She knows the good care all the dogs and puppies receive here because she knows all about Straydog and has been to see our Happy Home for Strays on more than one occasion.
We are forever grateful. (And I'm sure our vet is very thankful too!)
*Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
LAST WEEK:
*Photo Pages and Videos
LAST WEEK:
(1) Julie visits the veterinary eye specialist
(2) Julie at the eye specialist, continued.
(3) Chubs and Cassie, a long shot of Billy, and Rhonda scratches Johnny's back
(4) Blind Puppy Chubs attacks the cameraman
(5) New Brigitte and Gidget before and after photos
(6) Pixie's home visit, after which she was officially adopted
(7) Pixie's home visit and adoption, continued
(8) Pixie's home visit and adoption, continued and concluded
(9) Boomer meets Puppy Brigitte in the park
(10) Rainy Valentines Day at Straydog.
WEEK BEFORE LAST:
(1) Blind Puppy Chubs and Sister Cassie learn to walk on leash
(2) Rottweiler Betsy breaks a leg and goes to vet clinic ER
(3) Betsy waits for the doctor to come into the Emergency Room
MPEG Video: Pat explains to the vet techs what might have caused Betsy's injury.
(4) Dr. Morton examines Betsy after she's sedated
(5) Dr. Morton shows us the kind of "splint" he plans to use
(6) Davey's next to go into the clinic and then Brigitte and her siblings
(7) Trixie has eye problems, and Tina brings Trixie to the clinic
(8) Trixie gets some antibiotic eye drops
(10) Heather, Davey and Snowflake
(MORE TO COME FROM LAST WEEK)
*Adoption Day Saturday, February 22 - Canine Commissary (LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED).
*Our Dogs for Adoption - Volunteer Shannon's page
*Our Dogs for Adoption listed on Petfinder.org
*Our Mission & How We Got Started
*"Goodbye, Danny Boy." - An example of the only acceptable use of euthanasia
Special-needs
dogs (including puppies) continue to increase our vet bill!
If you would like to help directly with the vet expenses, you may send your tax deductible donations directly to:
Morton Small Animal Clinic
1404 E. Tyler Street
Athens, Tx. 75751
and please make a note on your check that the donation is for Straydog Inc. so they'll be sure to apply your donation to our Straydog account. (Or you may send a donation directly to Straydog Inc., P.O. Box 1465, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147.)
As always we thank you, very, very much, for your help.
List of some
of the items we're in need of:
One of our supporters emailed us recently suggesting that we post a "wish list" on our website, and here it is:
We Always Need:
Postage Stamps, paper towels, bleach, dish soap, X-large Rubber Gloves, a few Pointed Shovels and Garden Rakes, Dog Leashes, various sizes of Snap-On Dog Collars (not the buckle collars) and various sizes of Dog Harnesses ... plus a lot of other stuff that (unfortunately) costs lots and lots of money.