From commentor Tony S:
My wife, Celine, hates to read most dog books because they usually end in tragedy — or worse. All too often, the pups wind up passing, and we’ve had all too much of that. Our house came with a super-senior beagle when we bought it 16 years ago, and we’ve had at least 10 dogs pass since then.
We like our pack to max out at 4, but a couple of weeks ago we saw a listing for two elder beagles at the Vorhees Animal Shelter, which is about 140 miles south of us in New Jersey. Donald (now Woody — no Donalds in this house) and Buzz had been together all their lives in comfy home situation. But they had been turned over to the shelter because of some family issues.
Though the profile pictures were small, they struck us hard, and perfectly matched the profile of dogs we like to rescue. At 11 years old, they were seniors but still functional. Even in the profile pics, it was easy to tell they were anxious and depressed, but we knew that time and love would deal with that.
Anyway, after a two-and-a-half hour drive and a fair amount of projectile vomiting,we arrived at the Vorhees Animal Orphanage in Southern New Jersey. They had a number of runs, and I saw two lonely beagles waiting in one. I put our pups on our “Cerebrus” rig, and the new pups passed the (literal) sniff test with ease. Our oldest dogs, Jessica and Monty, have seen a lot of companions come and go. Monty only got upset when I had to step out of the run to take care of some business. He treats me with disdain at home, but gets pretty vocally mournful if I dare get more than five feet away on the road.
Woody proved to be a peak adorable beagle. He is tiny, and has a personality that is at once aggressive and adorable. Dental issues mean he has a tough time eating the home-made treats I make, so he scurries off to a corner and gums mightily, threatening all who might intrude with an immediate and terrible death.
Buzz doesn’t quiet have the 1,000 bark stare a number of our other rescues have had, but he is still shocky and depressed. He is also a stealth cuddler. I’ve gone to sleep empty-armed numerous times and woken up with a beagle sleeping on my shoulder as he makes rumbly little sighs.
Buzz is a starer. He will gaze at you with that patent psychic beagle look, drilling into your soul with all the sadness of a dog who has been expelled from his home and is trying to figure out how he fits into the new one. Woody is a very, very different pup. The tiniest beagle we’ve ever seen, he is ferociously protective of his treats. He’s also an intensive blanket tunneler. He’s gone missing any number of times; we’ve hunted for him until we realized that that small lump on the bed was moving up and down with the rhythm of a sleeping dog.
As for the “buddy” aspect of Woody and Buzz, they seem to hardly notice each other. Then again, this morning I woke up to the sound of soft, sterophonic snoring. Buzz was lying next to me, silkily-furred head on the pillow. And in his paws was Woody, wheezing along in tandem.
The only thing that upsets us is how someone could let go of two such beautiful, loving, wonderful pups. As you might recall, the duo are (allegedly) 11 years old, and spent all their lives together. I would add a couple of years to that.
These dogs are just a marvelous example of why senior dogs are the best. They are (reasonably) relaxed and easygoing while at the same time full of caring and energy. The best news: Buzz has been cured of deafness! If you have a treat, and call his name from across the room, he comes running — actually, it’s sort of a loping lumber. He is not speedy, but, given that we specialize in seniors, we’re glad he can walk.
Interestingly, Woody hates the doggie door with a profound passion, and has set a new record for reluctance to learn how to use it, while Buzz figured out the door in one day. I got clue as to why the other day when I was sweeping. Woody fled the room as soon as the broom moved across the floor. Buzz hardly noticed it. Woody is just not comfortable with moving, flapping things.
Sometimes I look at our new dogs and tear up, thinking of all the senior dogs stuck in shelters until they perish, or being given quick and unfair executions. How could someone let go of two such appealing, adorable animals after a dozen years of good company? We were told a grandmother had to move into the dog’s home, and that she tripped over the pups. I’ve done that more once for Buzz, who often likes to stay closer than is particularly safe. But there are always ways….
Baud
Why don’t you just autoplay Sarah McLaughlin while your at it, AL? Teary post.
I rescued my dogs when they were young, but they are seniors now.
raven
@Baud: Me too.
Elizabelle
I love it. Beagles are the best. Good on Tony S. Would love to see more of the story of Woody and Buzz.
Aleta
Beautiful.
Elizabelle
I will never tire of those sweet beagle faces, and their story. This thread is going to be my “go to” when other threads head south or focus on crap I have no interest in hearing.
Aleta
I’d be a better person if I was my dog.
Baud
@Elizabelle: Like this thread isn’t going to go south. We’re only on comment 7.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Elizabelle:
Heresy! Everyone knows that Cocker Spaniels are the best.
satby
Tony S., you’re my hero!
It kills me how often someone will call me because they got my name from someone else, asking if I could take on a senior dog when some elderly person has died or gone into a nursing home. How can a family who has lost a loved one betray that person by giving away their beloved companion, almost certainly abandoning it to death?
raven
@BillinGlendaleCA: The Bohdi says it’s mutts!
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: I’ll think of something to say soon.
raven
The Senior Dogs Project
Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.”
– Sydney Jeanne Seward
satby
Good morning everyone! Tree’s still on the house, no internet (using my phone) but power came back on about midnight and it’s cooler, so life is good.
Could be better, but we’re doing ok.
Baud
@raven: My dogs agree!
Baud
@satby: What is it with trees falling on your houses? Glad no one was hurt.
Baud
@OzarkHillbilly: Your presence here is sufficient.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby: Bad storm I take it? OK is good.
satby
@Baud: How about it? The downside of living with beautiful old growth trees around, I guess. It had a rotted center we didn’t know about. The tree itself was lush with leaves, only a couple of dead branches. Beautiful sugar maple, I get sad whenever I look at the wreckage, more for the tree than the house.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: Huge microburst. Big pine across the street uprooted, tree across the road north if me, trees down south of me. I was the only one with a house tree though.
rikyrah
Good Morning ?, Everyone ?
rikyrah
Those dogs are beautiful.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: Here’s how it looks.
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: Hearing that gladdens my heart.
No coffee this morning, I have to fast for blood work ( just getting the yearly tune up done) . It sucks.
Schlemazel Khan
@BillinGlendaleCA:
You’re a sell out corporate whore!
rikyrah
@satby:
Glad to hear that you all are OK.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: if you don’t put sugar or cream in you normally can still have a half cup or so I was always told.
Schlemazel Khan
@satby:
Oh dear, well it could be worse I suppose. Sorry to hear you had a bumpy night
Amir Khalid
@OzarkHillbilly:
At least you only have to fast until they draw the blood.
satby
@rikyrah: thanks. I was actually driving home, was about 1/4 mile away when the storm hit. No visibility, I couldn’t see to the end if the hood of the car. The tree north came down across the road behind me, the pine and my tree came down right after I got parked in the drive. Storm so violent I never heard anything but the wind. So very lucky, I could have really gotten hurt.
raven
Notice that Lil Bit is sleeping on Bohdi’s foot.
Schlemazel Khan
@satby:
That scares me. We have a beautiful old hard maple very close to the house & I can tell from the knot hole in it that part of it about 10 feet up is hollow inside. Not much of it at the moment but it won’t get better I suppose,
JPL
What a sweet story! Both Moxie and Finch were adults when I adopted them, but not seniors. A lot of adult and senior pets, just want to be safe and love their rescuers. As I mentioned before, Finch tends to walk on two legs while peeing. This morning I wasn’t paying attention and had my foot in the way. ick!
@satby: Life is good, but it will be better without that darn tree on your house.
Mustang Bobby
My friends Bob and Ken have a rescued beagle named Benjamin. He is a goof in a good way, and I get to take care of him when Bob and Ken are gone. Another friend has taught Ben how to howl; not exactly a talent worth bragging about, but he’s a sweetie nonetheless.
satby
Anyway, thanks to Tony S for sharing that beautiful story, because it really made my morning get off to a better start.
Elizabelle
@Amir Khalid: LOL. Peace be to you in this time of fasting, dear friend Amir.
satby
@Schlemazel Khan: yeah, I figured it would have to come down in a couple of years.
Nature thought sooner.
satby
@Amir Khalid: What Elizabelle said.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby: Not good.
@Amir Khalid: I could never do the “all day fast every day for a month” that Muslims do. My blood sugar would go nuts. I had to do a 24 hr fast once for a colonoscopy. I barely survived on chicken and beef broth. Pretty much Hell on earth for me. I decided that the next time I’ll just deal with the cancer.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Schlemazel Khan: No, I used to work for Satan.
raven
@Schlemazel Khan: An arborist can drill in the tree and tell what’s up.
raven
Since we’re veering into the medical, I was diagnosed with a couple of hernia’s last year and confirmed last week. I have no symptoms and have done all kinds of big fish catching and construction projects. I really don’t want to have surgery unless I have to.
Elizabelle
@satby: Another tree down. Yikes. Glad you are safe. Way to take your mind off the girls’ absence.
Baud
@raven: If you have no symptoms, how did they find it?
ET
I am glad the two pups now have a nice, new pack.
(on another note when I opened the post I was greeted with a Trump ad. Gag)
RealityBites
So glad no one was hurt by the tree, and so glad the pups found someone to respect and love them and make them happy in their final years.
Baud
@ET: So he’s spending his $1 million war chest wisely.
Schlemazel Khan
@Amir Khalid:
Could be worse! Here on the frozen tundra sunup is around 400 & sunset about 2200. I don’t know how anyone does it. We have a favorite halal restaurant that does a huge feast at sundown in their parking lot every night. A lot of stuff that is not on their menu by the looks of it. I’d love to go but also am afraid I’d be in line ahead of some people who need dinner a whole lot more than I do.
Blessed Ramadan to you
TheMightyTrowel
Lovely dogs and lovely dog adopters. That thing you said about the anger and disbelief you feel towards your boys’ former owners, i feel that too about whatever moron put my amazing, gentle, funny, cuddly cats in a shelter. But then i quietly thank that f-ing moron because now i have the two best cats in the world.
Schlemazel Khan
@raven:
Yeah, we talk about having someone come look at it. I am afraid we will end up like satsby and find out the hard way.
MomSense
@satby:
I’m relieved you are ok. That sounded scary.
Schlemazel Khan
@raven:
Oh man, mine hit me like a ton of bricks while we were out on a hike & didn’t stop hurting until the surgery. Listen to what the dr says though, I understand they can actually end up life threatening if they constrict a chunk of colon so don’t take a chance if they say get it taken care of.
also too: what baud said
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
So when he gives one of his ridiculous speeches or pressers from his house in Florida he charges the campaign a rental fee.
What. A. Grift.
Imagine the firestorm if Hillary was billing her campaign $400K per month for holding meetings in her home.
Baud
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: You don’t expect him to run for president for free, do you?
Elizabelle
@Baud: LOL.
OzarkHillbilly
I guess I am alone in not wishing horrible things on people who have taken good care of their animals for years and due to circumstances beyond their control are no longer able to, so they take their beloved companions to a shelter where hopefully they can find somebody new to love as opposed to just dumping them in the woods where they become tick infested, half starved to death, and are then torn to shreds by a pack of hungry coyotes. But then, that’s just the alternative I see used all too often around here.
Cat48
They were looking at that on Twitter last nite, he pays almost everything to Trump “Foods”, etc. He is a a Grifter with a capital G. If he won, he would be our Flim Flam man. Eww
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
JPL
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: IOKIYR
Cat48
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Good for Hillz. She can keep those ads running with Trump saying ugly things.
Baud
@Cat48: I thought her SuperPAC was doing a lot of those.
Cat48
@OzarkHillbilly:
That keeps me from getting another kitty. What happens if I die or if I can no longer care for it? I’m older so I just don’t get one.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: No, you’re right, a shelter and if it happens a more humane death is preferable to just dumping the animal for sure. But, you know if you really loved gramma, would it be that huge of a sacrifice to care for her beloved elderly pet for a couple of years more? Or at least have the stones to have a vet visit at the home and do a gentle euthanasia there, without terror for the animal.
People don’t want to be the bad guys, but they seldom want to do what it takes to be the good guy either.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Trump paid HIMSELF $6281.41 in salary.
Why would someone who says he’s rich pay himself?
When Kennedy was President he donated his entire presidential salary to charity. Of course, Kennedy was actually rich.
Cat48
@Baud:
Well, yes it is, so she’s more likely to pay salaries or rent, etc. I think she is also running a few positive ads which she puts her name on.
satby
And yay, internet’s back!!
Baud
GMA covering California wildfires. Crazy video.
Baud
@satby: Where did it go?
satby
@raven: I agree with the Bohdi!
Amir Khalid
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Well, Mar-a-Lago probably has a bigger ballroom than Bill and Hillary do at home. And it is a business, so I suppose it must bill the campaign for services rendered. But you are right, it does seem hinky that Trump businesses are making money off Trumps’s own campaign.
satby
@Baud: It was AWOL from my house after the power came back on.I guess it takes longer to come down the line ?
bemused
@satby:
Very scary and glad no one was hurt. We live on 60 acres almost all forested. When it’s really windy, I don’t go out on our trails in the woods but my spouse does with our dogs with nervous me telling him for pete’s sake watch the trees and listen for suspicious creaking. Unfortunately usually don’t get any warning. Nearer our house, I’ve heard more than one tree come down with a hell of a crash.
There was a tragic event last weekend in the BWCA. The brother of D Rep Tim Walz was killed by a tree falling on the tent he shared with his son who was seriously injured.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: The super PAC is running the negative stuff, the campaign will be positive issue stuff.
Baud
I love that Trump’s would-be assassin is a white “illegal” from the UK.
Raven
@Baud: Through the cough part of the exam.
Baud
@Raven: Oh wow. I always assumed that was gratuitous.
Raven
@Schlemazel Khan: thanks
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@rikyrah: Good Morning, rikyrah!
Sweet senior pups. Beagles are terrific.
Jeff Spender
There’s a Trump ad at the top of the page.
It says “Paid for by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.”
Fascinating.
Germy
According to Rush Limbaugh, it’s Howard Zinn’s fault tRump’s numbers are falling?
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/06/how-rush-limbaugh-explains-donald-trumps-unpopulaity/487772/
OzarkHillbilly
@satby:
For some, say the allergic, or the ones who travel a lot, or those who live in small apartments, or already have too many pets, or a dog that hates cats, or a cat that hates dogs, or a job that does not allow one to care for an animal for 3 or 4 days at a time, or a bitchy spouse, or…..
I could go on forever. Things happen, life happens.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Trump charged the campaign a grand total of $2,112,000 for service rendered by his business for the month of May. Expenses ranged from his use his homes to using his plane to $607.59 for taco bowls ordered from room service.
¡Ay, caramba!
Germy
@OzarkHillbilly: The cat we adopted had been dropped off at the kill shelter by someone who said they couldn’t financially afford to care for her anymore.
NotMax
Am a dyed-in-the-wool dog person, but beagles confuse my ankles with a prime rib roast.
Have been bitten by dogs three times (as in break the skin bitten). Each time it was a beagle. Each time on an ankle.
Remember well the first one, who shifted to warp 8 when I entered the front door of a friend’s house for the first time when I was maybe 8 or 9. Dog bolted across the living room and latched onto the ankle like there was no tomorrow.
Patricia Kayden
@Cat48: Secretary Clinton is going to give a major speech today where she goes after Trump’s alleged business prowess. Should be a barn burner. How a man who has declared bankruptcy 4 times and couldn’t even run a casino is seen as an astute businessman is beyond me.
Patricia Kayden
My comment is waiting moderation.
Baud
@Patricia Kayden: I’ll wait with you.
Immanentize
Hi all. Beautiful pups. I like beagles so much, when I was growing up in upstate NY my uncle always had a hunting pair. Such kind dogs.
Satby so sorry about that tree! We had a huge old maple across the street that got uprooted in Hurricane Sandy, and when it fell it took out three telephone poles (pulling down the wires) which sent a transformer flying which landed on and crushed my neighbor’s car. The tree itself fell right toward our house, took out two younger trees in my yard and then landed on my car in the driveway crushing it too. It looked like an action movie scene after some superhero fight. 5 days without power and my car took a month to fix (it was only a year old so not totaled). So, when my tree guy spotted chancre on the even bigger maple out back, we decided to have it taken down. July 14 is removal day.
Raven I vote (if we all get to vote) Get the hernia fixed — you will be happy you did after the recovery. It is so much easier these days — they just put a springy little mesh ‘toortilla’ inside the hole and it seals things nicely. Downside is the post-op waiting around for a few weeks period.
satby
@bemused: That is tragic. And the tree that fell on the garage in Chicago at my old house just came down on a clear sunny windless day, no warning. If anyone had been in the yard or garage they would have been killed. I love trees, but there is a downside to having them all around.
Immanentize
@Germy: It makes me so happy to know that Howard Zinn still freaks out these jerks
OzarkHillbilly
@Germy: Yep, people lose their jobs.
Patricia Kayden
@Baud: Thanks Baud!
@NotMax: LOL! I’ve had Yorkies try to bite me but they were so small that all I could do is laugh at them. Not sure what they thought they were accomplishing.
bystander
@NotMax: Maybe it’s the Eau de Boeuf cologne?
Moanin’ Joe is marveling at how screwed Trump is. Finally, I don’t have to watch Matlock in the AM.
Cat48
@Germy:
That’s hysterical. Poor Rush.
Iowa Old Lady
We inherited our last dog from a friend who had brain cancer. We like to travel, so we hesitated, but we got so much pleasure from her, and she was old enough that it wasn’t a long-term commitment. We still miss her.
Joy
What a beautiful story and, yes, I teared up. The beagles are adorable as are your other guys. I don’t understand how anyone could give up a dog they have had for so long. It would really break my heart. Luckily these guys found you.
debbie
@satby:
Glad the power’s back on. The heat only makes the situation worse. Are you or your city responsible for tree removal?
Patricia Kayden
@Germy: Yeah sure, Limbaugh. Whatever you say. It’s not as if Trump has given sensible people loads of reasons to despise him and vote against him in November. It’s not as if he is a loudmouth, know-nothing bigot with zero political experience and less self control than my doggies.
I assume Limbaugh is secretly rooting for a Clinton Presidency since ranting against Dems is what makes him $$$.
debbie
After 30 minutes, I finally figured out that the plane that’s been buzzing my building ceaselessly is spraying for gypsy moths. There are lots of trees here, but 30+ minutes nonstop?
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: I’m allergic. My sister has (and I had) road warrior jobs, she adopts senior dogs. Yes to too many and all the other excuses, I’ve heard them all and sometimes they’re pretty legit. I can’t take anymore animals, people think it’s nuts I have 9, you should see their faces when I say it used to be 12.
But people can do more than they usually do, often they just don’t want to be inconvenienced or to make the tough decisions that need to be made. And I can usually tell the difference by what they tell me on the phone, and it pisses me off. They want to be able to drop off the dog at the nice rescue house without having to be concerned about a single thing.
I’ve had rescuer friends that have woken up to litters of puppies thrown over their fence into their yards. WTF is wrong with people?
satby
@debbie: I’m responsible. There isn’t a city government worth mentioning here, it’s rural; people cut up the trees across the road themselves or they’d wait for a really long time.
debbie
@raven:
Do it while they’re still painless. Aside from gratuitous activities like fishing, you must remain available for dragging garden materials around for your princess.
satby
@Immanentize: Good luck on July 14. I know it’s sad to take out a big beautiful tree, but the alternative isn’t good. I’ve been doubly blessed this year ?
JPL
Deranged Donald called in to the Today show, so another day he is able to free advertising. He won the news cycle simply because he’s able to rant about crooked Hillary.
Patricia Kayden
@JPL: Secretary Clinton’s economic speech today will knock him off the news cycle though so he hasn’t won for the entire day.
Baud
@JPL: I don’t see how you can say he won the day. He’s getting hammered. The sad part is, he’ll benefit from the bigotry of low expectations if he improves just a tiny bit. We still have a lot of work to do.
bemused
@satby:
No, it doesn’t have to be windy at the time it falls. My spouse checks out trees closet to the house but the bad ones can look perfectly normal and leafy. I was working in the yard one still sunny day when I started hearing a very odd noise and then a tree dropped suddenly with a lot of noise some yards off the lawn edge. Scared the heck out of me.
Ha Nguyen
I have two elderly parents who are showing signs of incident dementia. One of them hates, of which I have two. Of all their children, I am the best one to take them in when their dementia becomes full-blown. I really don’t know what to do, if it comes down to a choice between my parents and my cats.
JPL
@Patricia Kayden: I can’t remember the last time that the media actually covered issues that are important to us.
raven
@Immanentize: Well, that’s the struggle, fell better than what? I feel fine. I do agree with the rest.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby:
Those aren’t excuses, those are reasons. Obviously they aren’t good enough for you, but then you aren’t living their lives, and they aren’t living yours.
As true as it ever was of all people everywhere, including me. I could take in every stray that gets dumped out on my little rural road. I could just turn over my life to taking care of other people’s unwanted pets. But I don’t want to. I applaud your efforts on behalf of these animals, but I don’t want to. I just want to take care of me and mine, for now, that is enuf.
We are people, with all the messy confusing unpredictable stupidity that comes with being an “intelligent” race of beings. Yes, some people are complete raging assholes, but most are just imperfect boobs muddling their way from one problem to the next. And every now and again, they find themselves completely overwhelmed with no where to turn, a place where all options are bad and they have to choose the least bad among them.
I sympathize. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. It sucks.
JenJen
I’ve been going through a rough couple of weeks, and even though I read this post through tears, it was a beautiful tonic for the soul. Thank you so much for this and for rescuing Buzz and Woody.
OzarkHillbilly
@Ha Nguyen: You have my sympathies.
Denali
Happy World Giraffe Day, everyone!
SIA
Tony S, you’re a gent.
Eric U.
@satby: our local rescue group imports dogs from killer shelters in other areas, so if someone local has a true emergency and has to give up a dog, it’s impossible. My mom’s dog is a wonderful girl, but she doesn’t get along with other dogs. So when mom died, we really wanted to give the dog to someone else. Probably magical thinking. Fortunately, she gets along ok on Prozac. Two rescues is really enough. Mom lived in redneck Virginia, I’m sure the no-kill shelters near there are overwhelmed
We got the second of our two rescues because the first family that adopted him couldn’t get over his separation anxiety. He’s the most amazing dog ever, very loving, so I’m happy they were so pathetic. But I feel like anyone that adopts a dog should understand that there is an adjustment period where things aren’t going to go well. We like to ridicule them occasionally.
lurker dean
Great thing you’re doing Tony S, Woody and Buzz are so lucky to have found you.
Kristine Smith
@Baud:
Seriously.
What a great story. My Gaby was a rescue. I look at that face, and wonder how in hell anyone could’ve given her up.
Tony Seideman
Thanks to everyone for their lovely comments.
I admit that I’m saddened that a family got rid of dogs that had lived with them for dozen years, but, as I said, Buzz really is a trip hazard. And a single fall can cripple or even kill an elderly person. I’m very happy they turned the dogs over to the Vorhees Animal Orphanage, which is the most professional shelter I’ve ever dealt with. The Buzz and Woody (ne Donald) posting was down before we got home; they’ve engaged in extensive followup and been very supportive. Given that they felt they had to let go of the dogs, Vorhees was the best place to send them.
OTH, while Woody is a stone killer in adorable disguise, Buzz still seems emotionally shattered from what happened to him. Both dogs are far more human that canine focus, but Buzz just seems adrift and anxious. Maybe that’s the way he always is.
As for “alternative solutions,” our long-term dog Jessicur Lynch (adopted in 2003, if you didn’t guess) was shipped up to Danbury from a shelter in West Virginia. The place we adopted her from accidentally included Jessica’s papers. She was sent to shelter for “killling chickens.” She’s nailed at least one crow and more than dozen mice in her time with us; I know the usual solution for a chicken killing pup involves 22 caliber or larger, so I am very happy someone took the time to take her to a shelter so she could spend her time loving us and harassing Monty.
People ask us how we can stand the sadness of rescuing senior dogs, given how briefly we sometimes have them. The pain of knowing these lovely animals might be executed because of their age or whither and die wishing for the families they once had is infinitely greater than holding their paws and saying goodbye for the last time as they leave us.
Hillary Rettig
What an outstanding thing to wake up to – Tony, thanks for your kind and generous heart, and this is also some of the best animal writing I’ve ever read.
Also: “Cerberus rig.” OMG such a LOL.
Elizabelle
@Tony Seideman: You are the best. And what a great encouragement, for taking in the senior pups.
hedgehog mobile
Thank you, Tony S.
TaMara (HFG)
What a great way to start the morning. Good on Tony S and his wife – clearly their angel wings are showing.
Now that I am moving into a single story home with easy access to the outside, rescuing elder/joint challenged Danes becomes a possibility again. It is something we will think hard about here – physical strength is the only other consideration – mine.
MazeDancer
@satby:
How scary for you. How wonderful no tree hit you.
Had a huge maple miss the large window near where I was sitting by inches once. I know how frightening it can be, especially in the aftermath, realizing how easily things could have been different. Here’s thanks to the good trees for falling clear of you.
Good luck with the clean-up and repair!
TaMara (HFG)
@Tony Seideman: I highly recommend Bach Flower Rescue Remedy – you can find it at almost any health food store – a couple drops in water or rubbed on the inside of ears for a week or so can really help with adjustment. I use it for vet visits and for everyone when we rescue someone new.
The vet can testify – the cats’ heart rates are almost normal when we arrive at her office. I ran into it when watching a show about rescuing elephants – they swear by it. Works for people – great for dogs with thunder storm issues, too.
MazeDancer
@Tony Seideman:
You and your wife are blessings on this Earth. Reading your beautiful story brought such uplifting smiles. Thank you, thank you for helping senior pups. And adding so much love to the world.
Betty Cracker
@Tony Seideman: You’re a wonderful person. Thanks for all the love you give those senior dogs.
satby
@Ha Nguyen: If you start looking well ahead of time, you can probably rehome the cats. A long term foster situation might also be available if you talk to the rescues near you. Or, depending on how much room you have, you could just isolate the cats from your parents.
satby
@OzarkHillbilly: I did say that sometimes the reasons are legit, and I sympathize. I don’t expect hardly anyone to go as far as many rescuers do; to be honest my life would be infinitely easier without all mine, especially given the whole jobs and now house situation I’ve been in for the last two years. So I do understand.
But yes, some (sometimes lots) of people are wilfully assholes, and they call me and other rescuers once the cute puppy they bought at the pet store has gotten on their nerves, or grandma passes, or they’re just sick of the hassle. To be honest, we do what we can to take all those animals, but it wears on you, you know? The same people who contact us every spring because there’s another litter and spaying their female pet costs too much. Excuses.
misterpuff
Love beagles but mine was a tunneler. When he was staying at my sister’s he led her pugs to freedom…..much to her chagrin.
WaterGirl
@raven: That is the sweetest photo of your guys. Ever. That one is a keeper!
WaterGirl
@TaMara (HFG): I swear by it, too, for people and pets! I have always put a few drops of the rescue remedy in my palm and then put it on their pads and noses. I had never heard of the ear thing. I guess the principle is the same, though – places without a lot of fur so it can be absorbed.
Miss Bianca
Just wanted to pile on to the senior dog love, and say “yay” for senior dog rescue! Beagles aren’t “my” breed, but I know enough people who love them dearly that I’ve come to appreciate their appeal. Thanks for the photos and stories!
dww44
@satby: Wow, that tree really was hollow. The tree experts here in my state have long recommended any maple over a sugar one, pretty as they are.
Tom
@Elizabelle: Our first (and so far, only) dog was a beagle. She was a stray and we named her Sam, thinking she was male (we were kids, shut-up!)
My dad tried to take her hunting but at the first sound of the shot gun, we looked around and saw she had gone back to the car to wait for us.
Anyway, Sam was so sweet and we figured out her gender when she got knocked up by the dog next door.
Her pups were mixed-breed, but very cute.
J R in WV
Here in Southern WV we do get dropped off animals, the pavement comes about 50 yards onto our farm/tree stand. So those who have decided that dogs are natural hunters and foragers and will do just fine on their own in the woods stop just after they get to our place, and dump their “pets” (aka slave animals) out into the field by the road.
So far we (us and our neighbors) have been mostly able to take care of them. We adopted out W and E’s pets when those old guys died next door. We also adopted K’s pets when she died way too early. We being the neighbors in a couple cases.
Right now we have 2 rescued dogs and 2 rescued cats. One dog is getting up there, but still an active farm dog. The other is a white lab mix who just learned about woods when we brought her home from the local shelter. She hadn’t really ever met grass, I think she was kept in a crate, no muscle tone, couldn’t jump and climb on the rocks. She had a pink rhinestone collar, probably intended to be a little girls puppy, then got to 60 pounds. Oops.
She’s a farm dog now! Probably about 3, I would have to look at the vet records to be sure. The local shelter tries very hard to be a no kill shelter, and will ask for foster help when they hit their limit. What do you do when you have 150 dog runs, and 155 dogs? Terrible choices.
And thanks for the campaign info. Corey turned out to be a petty thief, as well as a bully willing and able to beat up a girl who weighs half what he does. Should have been prosecuted back then, so he would have more of a record when they prosecute him for theft from Trump.
Theft from Trump, I like the way that sounds. Hope his henchmen get caught too!
Elizabelle
@Tom: Liked the story about Sam. Not a gun dog.
@J R in WV: Glad you rescue all those pups. Kudos, too, to the local shelter. Wish there were homes for all the pups; wish we could spay and neuter more.