Straydog UPDATE posted THURSDAY 6/19/03 at ~9:02 p.m. CT
Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
THURSDAY JUNE 19 2003
We get several calls per day from people wanting us to take their dogs
Pat used to field all of these calls, and she had a memorized set of questions to ask to make sure (before a dog was even a candidate to join our Happy Home for Strays) that the people weren't able to continue caring for the dog themselves. Because we're about 10 dogs over our limit of 65 (six of whom are puppies, which Pat said didn't count in the totals until they got so big that they had to be separated from their mother), we have to say no, and we will have to continue to say no until we've adopted out at least 11 dogs (and/or pups), but Pat always listened very closely to the story being told to her about the dog needing a home, and if the situation was truly desperate, she might bend the rules a little and take the dog, but ONLY if she could figure out a way to mix and match the dogs we already have in order to free up a kennel spot. This is one way we got ourselves into the position of caring for 10 more dogs than we can really handle.
The second way that Pat would allow our self-imposed limit to be broken was if she herself found the dog or if she happened to be somewhere (as Shannon was yesterday) where she might have heard about a truly desperate dog needing immediate rescue as were the two dogs (see photos below) Shannon rescued yesterday, who were in imminent danger of being shot to death.
The problem (or challenge) we face now is finding these two new dogs kennel space. We're all hoping we'll have some successful adoptions this Saturday at PetsMart on Central Expressway at Parker in Plano (Texas). Otherwise the two new ones (still to be named) will have to stay boarded at Morton's Small Animal Clinic until we can figure a way to squeeze them in.
Bobby will need surgery
Dr. Morton has already sent the x-rays he took yesterday to Dr. McDonald at Dallas Veterinary Surgery Center, and we will make an appointment tomorrow to take Bobby in as soon as possible, as he is experiencing quite a bit of pain when he moves his leg. We are also planning another "hospital kennel" in the living room/office of our trailer, which will have to be built and in place before Bobby comes home after his surgery. Emily still has at least five more weeks of confinement in her kitchen kennel--with many daily outings to the big play yard on leash. (Emily's surgery bill, by the way, was $700, which included a $300 discount, for which we thank Dr. McDonald very much.)