Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log

SUNDAY MAY 23 2004

NOON UPDATE

Erin's Adoption Day Report ...

First Baby Girl was adopted

      My husband, Dana, and I (Erin) met Tina and the van full of dogs at PetsMart at 10:30, and Dana and I took Baby Girl and Kerry to a scheduled home visit in Denison (Texas) to find out which of these two beautiful dogs would fit in better with the potential new family.        

      Baby Girl was just a little timid about entering her potential new home. She and Mack (the family's original dog) had sniffed each other in the large front lawn and were fine together (just as they had been at Petsmart last week). After going in the house Baby Girl was curious and went from room to room. The potential new mom showed Baby Girl a basket of toys, and Baby Girl sniffed and looked at each toy, pawing at the squeaky toy and watching the tennis balls bounce. (I wish I had remembered the camera for this!)

      While we were inside with Baby Girl, my husband brought Kerry (our Shepherd/Husky mix) out of the van, and Mack and Kerry got to meet each other again as they had last week at PetsMart. But Kerry was too playful, too rambunctious. The first three years of his life Mack had been a neglected dog, Randy told us. Most all of those first three years Mack had been in a crate, so he does not know how to play. (He is a Golden Retriever and doesn't know how to retrieve either.) Dogs who want to play with Mack annoy him, Randy said. It looked like Kerry wouldn't work out.

      So, Dana took Kerry for a walk, and Mack's guardian, Randy, brought Mack inside to be with Baby Girl. Again, all was very fine. Mack is not territorial or protective of his toys or food. Baby Girl ate treats from Randy's wife, and then kept sitting in front of me as if asking, "Is this for real?" Baby Girl kept licking my face too. I think she was really happy to be here.

      There was a little complication: The neighbor's Lab mix, Maggie, comes over often to visit Mack. Every time she somehow gets out of her yard, she comes over and whines at Randy and his wife's front door . They let Maggie come into their fenced yard and keep her safe until they can get ahold of their neighbors. Today Maggie was there already in Mack's yard, so we introduced Baby Girl and Maggie. At first there was only tail-wagging, but then the two female Labs started to get snippy with each other.

      I told Randy and his wife that they'd just have to watch these two. Keep Baby Girl inside if they want to let Maggie visit with Mack, and give Baby Girl and Maggie some time to get to know each other and hopefully become friends.

      The couple had had a black lab named Bucky, who'd died last June of bone cancer. Many photographs of Bucky were on the mantle. The very nice couple decided to give lots of love to Baby Girl, and Baby Girl seemed to be very, very happy with this!

Second adoption of the day: Puppy Thelma

      While we were on our way back from Denison, Tina called us and said we had another potential adoption in the works. The potential new guardian lives in McKinney and has been wanting a dog for quite some time, Tina said.

      Dana and I were only five minutes from McKinney, so we decided to meet Tina there for the home visit.

      We saw another large black dog being walked in the apartment complex, so we could assume from that that all would be fine with Thelma possibly living there. The fellow had already told Tina that the apartment complex allowed pets. "I could have a pony and it would be okay," he said.

      The potential new guardian said he is interested in the puppy training at Petsmart, he will get Thelma spayed within a month, and he will check out vets in the area.

      Thelma's new guardian has three children who visit him often, and he was excited about bringing his kids to his place to meet Thelma.

      The only thing that was bothering me was that Thelma's new guardian's front door didn't close properly. He will have to have everyone always deadbolt the lock, because if not, the door can blow open with just the wind, and it would be dangerous for Thelma to get outside on her own because there is a highway pretty close to the apartment complex.

      While we talked, Thelma lounged on the cool tile floor in the kitchen, tired out from all the excitement at PetsMart followed by this home visit.

      I have a feeling Thelma will be fine. The fellow also has a roommate who loves dogs and who works out of the home.

      Have fun, Baby Thelma, whom they are thinking of renaming Dutchess.

      We'll check back on Thelma (or Dutchess) soon to see how things are going.

Puppy Holly was adopted by one of our volunteers

      Erica, the college student who was considering adopting Rover several weeks ago but then decided that she wasn't quite ready for Rover, now thinks she's ready for a dog, and she's chosen Puppy Holly. We'd already made the home visit for Rover, so Holly simply went home with Erica after our Adoption Day session. We're hoping everything works out okay and that Erica is indeed ready for this rambunctious young puppy dog.

Two of Angie's Lab pups were also adopted

      These two pups are going to very good homes. We'll see if we can further help Angie with adoptions in the future!

Tiger, Angie's rescue from within her neighborhood, is now kenneling at Straydog

      You'll remember that Tiger's "guardian" is scheduled to get out of prison soon, and Angie talked the convict's father into surrendering the dog to Angie before the convict would get home. Angie and the father were sure that the son had intentions of entering Tiger into dog fights (for which the son could, of course, go back to prison). At PetsMart yesterday while waiting for us to take her to Straydog, Tiger behaved very well, and one family is very interested in adopting her and said they'll be back next Saturday to make a final decision and proceed with the home visit, etc. Meanwhile Tiger, a very sweet and docile Pit Bull, came home to Straydog Saturday evening and is residing now in Baby Girl and Jordan's original kennel, where Tiger seems very happy to be.

Email from a woman whose son will build some dog houses for Angie

Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 19:03:05 -0500

From: Greta F.

To: Bill/Erin <straydog@straydog.org>

Subject: Angie's dog houses

Hello Bill:

Just talked with my son, who can build wooden dog houses for Angie and would be happy to do so. Is it possible for you to either give me a contact for Angie or in the alternative give Angie my phone number and email address so I may make direct contact as to the size and style of dog houses she needs.

I have sent a check to Sherrill Vet for Patch's first operation and will send a further check for his subsequent operation. God bless Patch. When my Dane had her amputation, the greatest gift I gave her was a folded up large down quilt. She put her rear on it and sighed. Might consider something like this for Patch. He will be sore.

If you will arrange contact between Angie and me, Steve (my son) will do whatever he can to accommodate the dog houses Angie needs.

Thank you, Bill.

Greta F.

Thank you, Greta!

      Angie will thank you very much for the dog houses and many thanks to you and the others who have made contributions toward the surgeries Patch will undergo starting Monday. Any extra donated funds will be used to help Angie with other veterinary medical expenses she may (or surely will) have in the future.

Email from Renate containing the "Rescuer's Creed" by Susan M. Pearson

Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 14:41:04 -0700 (PDT)

From: Renate B.

Subject: "Rescuer's Creed"

To: Straydog <straydog@straydog.org>

Rescuer's Creed

I shall be a believer of all that is good in man
and of all that is deserving in animals.
I shall plead for their lives, campaign for their safety
and uphold their right to a natural death.
I shall seek out the injured and the maimed, the unloved,
and the abandoned and tend to them in their last days.
I shall not forget their place in the hierarchy of life,
nor that we walk in each other's paths.
I shall bear witness to the wonder they bring into our lives and to the
beauty they bestow upon our souls.
I shall renew their spirits when they are waning,
bind their wounds when they bleed, cradle them when they whimper, and
comfort them when they mourn.
I shall be near them in their hour of greatest need -
a companion and friend when the time has come.
I shall watch over them and console them and
ask that the angels gather them in their arms.
From the creatures of the earth I shall learn
the fruits of compassion and undying love,
and I shall be called the beloved of God.
In their company I shall indeed be blessed.

by Susan M. Pearson