Here we are at Christmas with our busy lives, our families, our jobs, and our homes. Each year it seems to come faster as i age and each Christmas seems to come and go without the meaning that it should hold. We each worry about the gifts and the tree with little thought to what Christmas truly is.
This year despite the fact that i am not working and looking with desperation for that job i am thankful for what this time of year truly means. I see what it means in so many ways. I am thankful to our Lord that my son is healthy and safe. I am thankful for the love of my friends, my family, and my incredible rescue family. I am so thankful for the gift in which lay at my side as i type this. My dog family.
I reflect often to when i became a rescuer and realized i never became one.....i was born one. I remember every dog who has come through my life much like it was yesterday. With alot of discussion recently about the Rainbow Bridge i am reminded that when i reach that stage of my life i will meet a stampede of those who i have lost along the way and those who wait for someone to claim them at the gates of the bridge. I am reminded that each one of those loved and lost and those yet to come are my future, my present and my past.
I have asked that each and every person reading this message for a favor. From one giant heart to another i am asking that you meet my challenge this Christmas. Please go out and rescue a life. Even if you are not able to take on another dog, dont have alot of money, dont have alot of time, i am asking you give a little to give alot. Even if you cannot keep this dog foster this poor soul. Feed it, get it well, retrain this dog to know that life with a human being is special and find that dog a home. I care little if it is a Dane or a Chihuahua.......i am simply asking that you find the one that needs you and change that dog's life forever.
It is a rewarding experience that many can say "I cannot do it because i get too attached" and i say to you....thats the point. You will be the stepping stone to the good life for this dog and you will let it go to make room for the next dog down the line who needs you to. This is an incredible gift not only for this dog but for yourself as a person. For your children who should learn what it means to give back. For your heart to become more full. There are no excuses folks.....there are no reasons this cannot happen.
If money is your reason give up your morning Starbucks, your trip to get your nails done, the blouse you may not need, all of those things could feed and vet this dog, this life for a months time while you work for the greater good. God gave us the gift of domestic animals and it is long past time we stop taking this beauty forgranted and give something back. It is time to show our appreciation for the beauty in life and show our Lord we have not forgotten.
At the very least folks if you have a dog who you are not treating as it should be treated change that. Get your dogs off their chains. Bring your dogs inside and out of the fence where they have become a fixture. Feed the dog next door whose owners havent done properly. Donate money to a vets office to allow someone without funding to vet an animal they could not otherwise. Find a rescue and sponsor a dog who is up for adoption and awaiting a home. If each one of you did just one thing we could be an army making a difference. I am asking that you join my Army and become my troops....i am asking you to make my Christmas whole as this is all i ask for. It is a small price to pay for the hearts we have been given inside to use for the greater good.
If you have done any of these things for Christmas please post them. Please share them on Facebook at the Dames forDanes Page. Please email me and let me share. And most of all please honor my Christmas wish....i ask not for myself but for the dogs who need your help. Make my Christmas bright. Please. It is my wish and my prayer.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Backyard Breeders and Such........
Everyday i come home and my inbox is loaded with yet another couple of Danes. Some days as of late it is more than five per day. I am honest when i say most of them are black,multicolored such as fawn Merle's, or there are health issues in which are genetic. The ever increasing cases of Cardio myopia, Addison's, Bad Backs, Bad Hips, Bad Spines, Wobbler's, are due to poor breeding. Our Danes have become lost to a group of people who are breeding from their yards, their said facilities, and not doing their homework all in the name of the dollar they can place into their pockets. I find this type of sale, of flesh ... stomach turning.
There are some rock solid breeders in which i believe in with a full and honest heart. Those are the breeders who are breeding for quality, life span, and are not making a dollar when their litters go home. They have obtained the appropriate dogs, done the appropriate blood testing, and don't make a dollar for their pocket when their pups go home at 12-14 weeks. The breeders i believe in are not breeding Fawn Merle's, Blue Merle's, Silver Merle's, White-Blind and Deaf Danes, Fawnequins, and the list goes on for the newest colors sloppy half assed breeders are throwing into this world. The breeders i believe in are breeding for quality and to ensure that the best possible spawn of their dogs is going out into the world looking at a long and healthy life with someone who loves them.
Should a true breeder have only one stud dog? Only one stud dog to their ten females? Should a true breeder have two litters of puppies on the ground all year long? Should a true breeder continue breeding the Fawn Merle, Fawnequin, white blind and deaf, Danes year after year without thought to the person who is going to purchase and love them? Without thought to the dog who will suffer the bad genetics passed forth? Hell no is the answer. And to hell if i will promote someone because they are nice......have a cool bunch of Danes living in their backyard.....or because the puppies are cute. I just love the breed more than that.
True enough if backyard breeders didn't exist there would be no need for rescue. Because good breeders send their dogs out on contracts and take back those in which they were responsible for allowing to create. Good breeders fully vet their puppies before they go to homes. They are confident in their product and many times offer a health guarantee their final squiqqly wiggly product.
If my Jessie Girl had come from a good breeder i would never have lost her before she was two years of age. And to whomever bred my Jessie Girl....thank you as i loved her more than you would ever imagine........but damn you all the same for breaking my heart with your final product. I hope that $500 bucks was worth it to you. You sold her to someone who chained her in the backyard and beat her. Whoever you are i pray i get to know about your special day in hell. I am sorry you didn't care more about those puppies in which you made in your backyard without taking the proper steps.
Breeding is not for the weak. It is work and a true work of art. It is more than the initial oooo's and ahhhhh's. It is so much more than picking up poop and making sure everyone ate that day. It is more than having a beautiful female and a huge male in the backyard who make pretty and different colorings than we are used to seeing. It is more than that $500 bucks you placed in your pocket for the crappily half vetted puppy you threw out there. Breeding is for those who have time and complete dedication to what they do. It is not a half assed job.
So those of you out there who are supporting the backyard breeder i must ask you why? I must ask why you think it is okay to pump out those crazy new colors which come with a lifetime of health issues? I ask you why you think it is okay to plop up a website and honor a breeder who is out to make a dollar? Again don't you know true breeders never make money? I ask you why you think these females dropping two litters a year should have to live this way?
So what i ask? I ask that those of you supporting these things do your homework. If you want to make others aware of breeds of any kind.....you want to promote a breeds wellness, you want to better your breed and make rescues all but vanish....do your fricking homework. Quit rattling off a bunch of uneducated crap in the face of others....it has only earned you disrespect.....and made you a fraud. I ask that you better your breed next time you want to pump out puppies (because their cute....) by going to a REAL breeder....not a hobbyist, a backyard one timer, a backyard old timer, but a REAL BREEDER with REAL CREDENTIALS with a RIGHT IDEA and get some education. It takes years to find the right dogs......many wait a long time for them. They didn't get a rescue dog, nor create a litter and keep one to continue breeding with two they already have (Their parents, etc.
If this is your idea......to breed from your backyard......or to promote backyard breeders......then call a recommended breeder first. If you would like a list of recommended breeders i can give you one....for any breed of dog you like. Save up your money because it is going to cost you big. And get prepared.....to set out dogs who are in the right health from birth. Is it really too much to ask? I really dont want my heart broken again. I dont want that for others either. And most of all......i say it to many of you every day....i dont want it for the dogs as i came for them.
If you are reading this and thinking it might be about you....it probably is. If you think it is about you then i ask that you take a long look at what you are doing because some place your guilt has gotten the best of you. I am on a roll right now because i am watching the breed that i love the most be destroyed by those like you. I am watching your puppies end up in shelters by 12 months of age or dumped when they become ill with medical issues the average people cannot afford. I am cleaning up your mess and am damn sick and tired of it. Find a new hobby will you? Collect stamps, glass bottles, hobby cars, but for Gods sake quit ... fricking quit screwing up LIFE. These dogs are LIFE......
And lastly.......the challenge to the guilty ones? I dare you to run my rescue out of business. I dare you. I challenge you to that day....and upon it....i will happily take off my hat to you. Hell for that matter you can even have my best shoes and we all know how i love those. The shirt off my back.... and i will kiss your tail in Times Square. Beat me out......i am waiting.
There are some rock solid breeders in which i believe in with a full and honest heart. Those are the breeders who are breeding for quality, life span, and are not making a dollar when their litters go home. They have obtained the appropriate dogs, done the appropriate blood testing, and don't make a dollar for their pocket when their pups go home at 12-14 weeks. The breeders i believe in are not breeding Fawn Merle's, Blue Merle's, Silver Merle's, White-Blind and Deaf Danes, Fawnequins, and the list goes on for the newest colors sloppy half assed breeders are throwing into this world. The breeders i believe in are breeding for quality and to ensure that the best possible spawn of their dogs is going out into the world looking at a long and healthy life with someone who loves them.
Should a true breeder have only one stud dog? Only one stud dog to their ten females? Should a true breeder have two litters of puppies on the ground all year long? Should a true breeder continue breeding the Fawn Merle, Fawnequin, white blind and deaf, Danes year after year without thought to the person who is going to purchase and love them? Without thought to the dog who will suffer the bad genetics passed forth? Hell no is the answer. And to hell if i will promote someone because they are nice......have a cool bunch of Danes living in their backyard.....or because the puppies are cute. I just love the breed more than that.
True enough if backyard breeders didn't exist there would be no need for rescue. Because good breeders send their dogs out on contracts and take back those in which they were responsible for allowing to create. Good breeders fully vet their puppies before they go to homes. They are confident in their product and many times offer a health guarantee their final squiqqly wiggly product.
If my Jessie Girl had come from a good breeder i would never have lost her before she was two years of age. And to whomever bred my Jessie Girl....thank you as i loved her more than you would ever imagine........but damn you all the same for breaking my heart with your final product. I hope that $500 bucks was worth it to you. You sold her to someone who chained her in the backyard and beat her. Whoever you are i pray i get to know about your special day in hell. I am sorry you didn't care more about those puppies in which you made in your backyard without taking the proper steps.
Breeding is not for the weak. It is work and a true work of art. It is more than the initial oooo's and ahhhhh's. It is so much more than picking up poop and making sure everyone ate that day. It is more than having a beautiful female and a huge male in the backyard who make pretty and different colorings than we are used to seeing. It is more than that $500 bucks you placed in your pocket for the crappily half vetted puppy you threw out there. Breeding is for those who have time and complete dedication to what they do. It is not a half assed job.
So those of you out there who are supporting the backyard breeder i must ask you why? I must ask why you think it is okay to pump out those crazy new colors which come with a lifetime of health issues? I ask you why you think it is okay to plop up a website and honor a breeder who is out to make a dollar? Again don't you know true breeders never make money? I ask you why you think these females dropping two litters a year should have to live this way?
So what i ask? I ask that those of you supporting these things do your homework. If you want to make others aware of breeds of any kind.....you want to promote a breeds wellness, you want to better your breed and make rescues all but vanish....do your fricking homework. Quit rattling off a bunch of uneducated crap in the face of others....it has only earned you disrespect.....and made you a fraud. I ask that you better your breed next time you want to pump out puppies (because their cute....) by going to a REAL breeder....not a hobbyist, a backyard one timer, a backyard old timer, but a REAL BREEDER with REAL CREDENTIALS with a RIGHT IDEA and get some education. It takes years to find the right dogs......many wait a long time for them. They didn't get a rescue dog, nor create a litter and keep one to continue breeding with two they already have (Their parents, etc.
If this is your idea......to breed from your backyard......or to promote backyard breeders......then call a recommended breeder first. If you would like a list of recommended breeders i can give you one....for any breed of dog you like. Save up your money because it is going to cost you big. And get prepared.....to set out dogs who are in the right health from birth. Is it really too much to ask? I really dont want my heart broken again. I dont want that for others either. And most of all......i say it to many of you every day....i dont want it for the dogs as i came for them.
If you are reading this and thinking it might be about you....it probably is. If you think it is about you then i ask that you take a long look at what you are doing because some place your guilt has gotten the best of you. I am on a roll right now because i am watching the breed that i love the most be destroyed by those like you. I am watching your puppies end up in shelters by 12 months of age or dumped when they become ill with medical issues the average people cannot afford. I am cleaning up your mess and am damn sick and tired of it. Find a new hobby will you? Collect stamps, glass bottles, hobby cars, but for Gods sake quit ... fricking quit screwing up LIFE. These dogs are LIFE......
And lastly.......the challenge to the guilty ones? I dare you to run my rescue out of business. I dare you. I challenge you to that day....and upon it....i will happily take off my hat to you. Hell for that matter you can even have my best shoes and we all know how i love those. The shirt off my back.... and i will kiss your tail in Times Square. Beat me out......i am waiting.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Ground Work.......
It is once per week at least i hear of conflict between rescue groups. One differs in policy from the other. One doesn't like someone who volunteers for this group or for that person. The reasons for rescuers to be at the throat of one another goes on and on until hate brews between groups and it is something in which can never be buried. It is a politic of rescue in which i don't understand and quite frankly i don't want to.
With Dames for Danes there are times in which we have been under fire for the way we did something. Be it a person others think are a qualified adopter that we didn't or vice verso. Be it that perhaps our customer service to a caller or someone who applied was answered not in a timely fashion or even at all. In honesty i must admit that customer service to those who are not our adopters already is lax. It is something i don't place alot of focus on as in honesty i came for the dogs....not the people. Does it make me a terrible person or a bad rescue? I have to think not as my primary goal is to take care of the fur flesh in which has my entire heart. So at the end of the day i don't really care what another rescue thinks about my practices, my opinions, or the way i do things. I care that my rescue partners, my adopters, my foster parents, and my good friends know where my heart truly is.
I thought for several hours today about those of us who are rescuers. We devote the majority of any personal time we have left after families, our pets, school, our jobs etc to saving the lives of these fur creatures in which we love. I cannot tell you the last time i sat down without the phone in my hand, a dog on my lap, and actually had a good silent cry. I cannot tell you the last time i have been to the restroom alone, been without a foster, gone a day without talking to my rescue partners, taken a call for a dog, jumped on someone who wanted an unaltered dog, preached spay and neuter........or had a vacation. Vacation is something that isn't within my vocabulary and i ha vent seen one in years. Through these thoughts i gathered that other rescuers are the same and at the end of the day what we have in common is the love for an animal in which we are desperate to save.
Why is it that we don't work together? Although there are some rescues that i literally would damn to hell for their horrible practices, the majority of the difference i may not like about another rescue is not the battle i want to fight. To not spay or neuter is a black mark upon my book for someone calling themselves a rescue. However small issues like how one rescue does their home visits or what they name their dogs is something i cannot quibble over. Does anyone have any idea what we could do together?
I think how many dogs have died in the past because one group didn't want to work with the other? We are brothers and sisters in this fight. Senior rescues are those in which we learn from as there are none of us who are perfect. We at Dames for Danes learn new things each and every day.....and we are proud of that. If there is a younger or even senior rescue with practices i question, i ask. If i don't like the answer then i try to educate with my opinion and help someone do this better. I want to see every rescuer be successful. And quite frankly folks none of us are successful if our dogs are still dying in shelters.
We are supposed to help one another. It takes every solider to win the war and if we all are opposing one another then where are we really? I ask each one of you to mend fences, reach out, and try to band together for the welfare of the cause in which needs our full concentration. I am not asking you to love someone....or even like them. I am asking that your love for an animal be stronger than your petty personal opinions. I am asking that you be the change........instead of the opposition. Look back when you have helped a rescue in which needed your guidance and feel good about what you have done. Give yourself the inner credit and move on to the next. And please.........leave your drama at the door.
If there is someone you need to make up with for the greater good......do this today and let us quit hurting one another. Let us do it for the dogs.....the cats....the guinea pigs......i could care less what it is.......let us get moving. I challenge you to make that make up call tonight and lets get on with what we were born to do....with the support we should have. And for those who are too small to consider the challenge.......i pity you as you are hurting no one but the animals you are trying to save. Get a life.
With Dames for Danes there are times in which we have been under fire for the way we did something. Be it a person others think are a qualified adopter that we didn't or vice verso. Be it that perhaps our customer service to a caller or someone who applied was answered not in a timely fashion or even at all. In honesty i must admit that customer service to those who are not our adopters already is lax. It is something i don't place alot of focus on as in honesty i came for the dogs....not the people. Does it make me a terrible person or a bad rescue? I have to think not as my primary goal is to take care of the fur flesh in which has my entire heart. So at the end of the day i don't really care what another rescue thinks about my practices, my opinions, or the way i do things. I care that my rescue partners, my adopters, my foster parents, and my good friends know where my heart truly is.
I thought for several hours today about those of us who are rescuers. We devote the majority of any personal time we have left after families, our pets, school, our jobs etc to saving the lives of these fur creatures in which we love. I cannot tell you the last time i sat down without the phone in my hand, a dog on my lap, and actually had a good silent cry. I cannot tell you the last time i have been to the restroom alone, been without a foster, gone a day without talking to my rescue partners, taken a call for a dog, jumped on someone who wanted an unaltered dog, preached spay and neuter........or had a vacation. Vacation is something that isn't within my vocabulary and i ha vent seen one in years. Through these thoughts i gathered that other rescuers are the same and at the end of the day what we have in common is the love for an animal in which we are desperate to save.
Why is it that we don't work together? Although there are some rescues that i literally would damn to hell for their horrible practices, the majority of the difference i may not like about another rescue is not the battle i want to fight. To not spay or neuter is a black mark upon my book for someone calling themselves a rescue. However small issues like how one rescue does their home visits or what they name their dogs is something i cannot quibble over. Does anyone have any idea what we could do together?
I think how many dogs have died in the past because one group didn't want to work with the other? We are brothers and sisters in this fight. Senior rescues are those in which we learn from as there are none of us who are perfect. We at Dames for Danes learn new things each and every day.....and we are proud of that. If there is a younger or even senior rescue with practices i question, i ask. If i don't like the answer then i try to educate with my opinion and help someone do this better. I want to see every rescuer be successful. And quite frankly folks none of us are successful if our dogs are still dying in shelters.
We are supposed to help one another. It takes every solider to win the war and if we all are opposing one another then where are we really? I ask each one of you to mend fences, reach out, and try to band together for the welfare of the cause in which needs our full concentration. I am not asking you to love someone....or even like them. I am asking that your love for an animal be stronger than your petty personal opinions. I am asking that you be the change........instead of the opposition. Look back when you have helped a rescue in which needed your guidance and feel good about what you have done. Give yourself the inner credit and move on to the next. And please.........leave your drama at the door.
If there is someone you need to make up with for the greater good......do this today and let us quit hurting one another. Let us do it for the dogs.....the cats....the guinea pigs......i could care less what it is.......let us get moving. I challenge you to make that make up call tonight and lets get on with what we were born to do....with the support we should have. And for those who are too small to consider the challenge.......i pity you as you are hurting no one but the animals you are trying to save. Get a life.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Happy Mother's Day All
Generally my rescue blog contains stories about the dogs coming and going through my life. Today however i wanted to talk about the picture many never get to see. The honor goes to the family who is behind my passion. Since the birth of my son he has always been privy to witness the comings and goings of all of the animals that have passed through our lives. He has been subject to poop scooping, brushing, bathing, and general care for these wild beasts that grace us with their presence. Although he may at one time or another say….”No Mom, we are not keeping it”, always he has been supportive of my passion and always supported my heart.
As mother’s day approaches it is one in which is sad and holding a type of grief for me. My son, my only child and the very root of my heart will graduate in a few days from high school. Each time there has been a landmark birthday…….13 was his first year as a teenager. 15 we got the learners permit. 16 the driver’s license and I cried inside and out as I watched him drive away for the first time. This year it was 18 and a registration for draft, as well the graduation. I only thought the pain of letting a foster dog go was horrific until being faced with this aspect.
Although there have been times in which having a child pulled at the very being of my sanity, those times were so far and in between. Face it we all think our children are perfect but I swear to you mine is. He is well mannered, loving, compassionate, smart, giving, respectful, thoughtful, and above all else a man of honor. I watched as he walked through my living room last night the man before me……and I again felt such an incredible sense of pride.
There are days I catch a vision of that tiny curly headed boy who held on to me for dear life. The child who lay his head within my lap and felt the safest within my care. The child who comforted me when the world was falling apart with sweet little ‘I love you Mommy’s’ in which melted my soul. I remember the days when other kids saying ‘My Dad will beat your Dad’, my son replying ‘Well you don’t know my Mom’. Logan always knew Mom would make sure all things were right.
Last Mother’s Day I was gifted with a beautiful butterfly necklace in which this child spent far too much money on and it took my breath when I opened the box. It has not been off my neck since that time. It has become my most prized possession and will always remain such. Not only did he know I would love this gift he cared enough to know that I love butterflies and found one in which matched who I am. What a gift…….. larger than the actual possession itself.
And as I watched him walk back into my view, the man I saw before me is one I am proud of. Logan is long and lean with my eyes and his father’s voice. A blend of two very different individuals but yet his own person. A child with the vision to see the good in the world yet be cautious enough when stepping into the unknown. A quiet soul like his father who is not expressive on his thoughts unless he wants to be, but a social butterfly most like his mom with a love for people in general. This is a child whom is an old soul, simply reborn to make a difference with his presence in this world.
I have said my entire time as a Mom if ever I am nothing more than Logan’s Mom it is enough for me. It is the greatest gift and the most pure great love I have ever known. So I say Happy Mother’s Day to me…….as I am the mother of one of the most special people on earth.
And Happy Mother’s Day to each of you out there who love someone more than you love yourself. A mother is a beautiful thing and I thank God every day for allowing me this chance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs
As mother’s day approaches it is one in which is sad and holding a type of grief for me. My son, my only child and the very root of my heart will graduate in a few days from high school. Each time there has been a landmark birthday…….13 was his first year as a teenager. 15 we got the learners permit. 16 the driver’s license and I cried inside and out as I watched him drive away for the first time. This year it was 18 and a registration for draft, as well the graduation. I only thought the pain of letting a foster dog go was horrific until being faced with this aspect.
Although there have been times in which having a child pulled at the very being of my sanity, those times were so far and in between. Face it we all think our children are perfect but I swear to you mine is. He is well mannered, loving, compassionate, smart, giving, respectful, thoughtful, and above all else a man of honor. I watched as he walked through my living room last night the man before me……and I again felt such an incredible sense of pride.
There are days I catch a vision of that tiny curly headed boy who held on to me for dear life. The child who lay his head within my lap and felt the safest within my care. The child who comforted me when the world was falling apart with sweet little ‘I love you Mommy’s’ in which melted my soul. I remember the days when other kids saying ‘My Dad will beat your Dad’, my son replying ‘Well you don’t know my Mom’. Logan always knew Mom would make sure all things were right.
Last Mother’s Day I was gifted with a beautiful butterfly necklace in which this child spent far too much money on and it took my breath when I opened the box. It has not been off my neck since that time. It has become my most prized possession and will always remain such. Not only did he know I would love this gift he cared enough to know that I love butterflies and found one in which matched who I am. What a gift…….. larger than the actual possession itself.
And as I watched him walk back into my view, the man I saw before me is one I am proud of. Logan is long and lean with my eyes and his father’s voice. A blend of two very different individuals but yet his own person. A child with the vision to see the good in the world yet be cautious enough when stepping into the unknown. A quiet soul like his father who is not expressive on his thoughts unless he wants to be, but a social butterfly most like his mom with a love for people in general. This is a child whom is an old soul, simply reborn to make a difference with his presence in this world.
I have said my entire time as a Mom if ever I am nothing more than Logan’s Mom it is enough for me. It is the greatest gift and the most pure great love I have ever known. So I say Happy Mother’s Day to me…….as I am the mother of one of the most special people on earth.
And Happy Mother’s Day to each of you out there who love someone more than you love yourself. A mother is a beautiful thing and I thank God every day for allowing me this chance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHQ_aTjXObs
Friday, April 29, 2011
God Bless Our Southern States People and Pets
April 29, 2011
I sit here today making sure to remind myself that although life isn’t perfect I am alive. All those in which I love are safe within their homes. The tornados that ripped through our tiny towns in the South have not been this lucky. Today many are still searching for their missing family members and looking at shreds of what their lives used to be. To even begin to imagine the feeling of hopelessness that these families are feeling is beyond my measure.
I sat this morning looking through this house I love and the things I have collected and know in my heart it is simply nothing more than a gift in my life. There is no way to measure what one person’s home means to them. There is no way to measure the feeling if I were suddenly standing where my home used to be. How do we say we are sorry for those who have lost everything? The words “I am sorry” don’t even seem to measure up.
Today I am so grateful to be within the comforts of my home. My son safely at school, Sean working, my parents, siblings, and my friends are all moving through the day as normal. Although none of us are without issues and some forms of our own sadness we are here. We are breathing, living, and being given the gift of yet another day. How much more beautiful can that be? We have babies on their way and can look to our futures when so many through the South cannot right now. How lucky and blessed we are.
I watched a video earlier in which a woman dug through the rubble of what remained of her home digging her dogs out from under the debris. She cared not that she no longer had a piece of clothing, not even a piece of underwear, but she cared about the dogs in which were lost underneath. My heart breaks for these people. My love is out there for every one of them. To imagine having to flee for your human life and making the choice to leave your pets behind is one of such anguish. How do we ever live through making that choice? How could we ever say what we would or would not do when our very lives were on the line?
I can speak for myself on this matter as I sat in a walk in closet with my dogs during the storms for a while the other night. There were moments where things got rough and I was afraid. I flashed back to the memory of Hurricane Katrina where I watched a woman of color lift her small children into rescue baskets from a roof top sending them up to the helicopter. I remembered when she went to place her two dogs in the basket them saying to her she could not send the dogs up. This woman then refused to get into the basket herself saying she would wait until someone could rescue them all. She allowed her children to be taken to safety but stayed behind with her dogs. This woman had my heart from that moment on. I will never know her name but forever I am her fan.
Could I have let my human child go into that basket without me? No I could not have. It is in honest I tell you every day I say my animals are my children and I do love them as such. However my human child is and will always be my priority. Would I have killed myself getting back to my animals? You can bet your very life on it. Would it have ripped the very heart I carry out? All day long you can make bets that it would have. I would have gone back.
The thoughts of leaving my animals behind is one in which I can barely think of. It is something I say I would never do. And if all made possible I never would. My life revolves around the joy that my dogs bring me and I love them beyond measure. Losing them is heart and gut wrenching for me. All who know me will tell you when I lose a pet that is beloved it is much more than I can bear and the grief is so raw it hurts to feel it. This very day I am checking off my list in case of my untimely death who will take which animal. Who will care for it as I do? I have made arrangements for all of my pets in this event. It is something I have to think of.
Each dog I have is so special and so spoiled it is not comprehensible to most human beings. You have to be a dog person to understand the love another dog person has for them. I have Ginger my oldest who is 14, covered in tumors, and her vision is failing, but as sweet as the day is long and has been with me for years. Teddy my 9 yr old Pit/Chi mix is my watchdog, my ears, my eyes, and is such the character. My Ruthie 7 yrs….what a nasty Peke she is! However her antics and the sweet way she allows me to hold her despite her horrible history in life is what gives me hope. My sweet but stupid Girl Sophie, 21 months is as rotten and hyper as possible, but she is sweet willing to learn, and follows me wherever I go. Sophie gives me the bit of youth I am losing. And then there is my Jake. Jake is 3yrs old and the light of my heart in itself. As unfair as it seems he is the one…….and will forever be that most special one. Jake knows what it means when I give him a look. We communicate with one another without verbiage. He is compliant and good loving everything and everyone around him. And then Scooby….okay so maybe I am saying out loud he is my dog, maybe I am not. I am going to continue to call him foster for now despite the fact most already know better. The largest beast at 7 yrs of age I have ever laid eyes on. Scooby is nothing but pure and gentle love inside. Despite his failing limbs and back he does not hesitate to place that huge head on your shoulder and demand his love. So could I possibly leave them behind? It would be the hardest thing I would ever have to face even thinking of it. I just cannot say what I would or would not do if faced.
Our goals are great in life and we all have thoughts and opinions but until faced with the situation there is no way to know how we would react. I have emergency plans which include my pets and I encourage all others to do the same thing for their beloved pets. Our pets are with us because we wanted them and we must protect and cherish them. Pet ownership is a gift and should never be considered a right. It is our responsibility to care for what we brought in and there are no excuses for not giving them everything they deserve.
Please pray for the humans and the animals across the South right now. They have lost everything and those of you who are reading this are rich in wealth in many ways. Feel blessed and call those that you love and tell them so. Give your pets extra special treats and love today. To all of those who have lost I send my love my prayers and a piece of my heart for the pain they are feeling.
I sit here today making sure to remind myself that although life isn’t perfect I am alive. All those in which I love are safe within their homes. The tornados that ripped through our tiny towns in the South have not been this lucky. Today many are still searching for their missing family members and looking at shreds of what their lives used to be. To even begin to imagine the feeling of hopelessness that these families are feeling is beyond my measure.
I sat this morning looking through this house I love and the things I have collected and know in my heart it is simply nothing more than a gift in my life. There is no way to measure what one person’s home means to them. There is no way to measure the feeling if I were suddenly standing where my home used to be. How do we say we are sorry for those who have lost everything? The words “I am sorry” don’t even seem to measure up.
Today I am so grateful to be within the comforts of my home. My son safely at school, Sean working, my parents, siblings, and my friends are all moving through the day as normal. Although none of us are without issues and some forms of our own sadness we are here. We are breathing, living, and being given the gift of yet another day. How much more beautiful can that be? We have babies on their way and can look to our futures when so many through the South cannot right now. How lucky and blessed we are.
I watched a video earlier in which a woman dug through the rubble of what remained of her home digging her dogs out from under the debris. She cared not that she no longer had a piece of clothing, not even a piece of underwear, but she cared about the dogs in which were lost underneath. My heart breaks for these people. My love is out there for every one of them. To imagine having to flee for your human life and making the choice to leave your pets behind is one of such anguish. How do we ever live through making that choice? How could we ever say what we would or would not do when our very lives were on the line?
I can speak for myself on this matter as I sat in a walk in closet with my dogs during the storms for a while the other night. There were moments where things got rough and I was afraid. I flashed back to the memory of Hurricane Katrina where I watched a woman of color lift her small children into rescue baskets from a roof top sending them up to the helicopter. I remembered when she went to place her two dogs in the basket them saying to her she could not send the dogs up. This woman then refused to get into the basket herself saying she would wait until someone could rescue them all. She allowed her children to be taken to safety but stayed behind with her dogs. This woman had my heart from that moment on. I will never know her name but forever I am her fan.
Could I have let my human child go into that basket without me? No I could not have. It is in honest I tell you every day I say my animals are my children and I do love them as such. However my human child is and will always be my priority. Would I have killed myself getting back to my animals? You can bet your very life on it. Would it have ripped the very heart I carry out? All day long you can make bets that it would have. I would have gone back.
The thoughts of leaving my animals behind is one in which I can barely think of. It is something I say I would never do. And if all made possible I never would. My life revolves around the joy that my dogs bring me and I love them beyond measure. Losing them is heart and gut wrenching for me. All who know me will tell you when I lose a pet that is beloved it is much more than I can bear and the grief is so raw it hurts to feel it. This very day I am checking off my list in case of my untimely death who will take which animal. Who will care for it as I do? I have made arrangements for all of my pets in this event. It is something I have to think of.
Each dog I have is so special and so spoiled it is not comprehensible to most human beings. You have to be a dog person to understand the love another dog person has for them. I have Ginger my oldest who is 14, covered in tumors, and her vision is failing, but as sweet as the day is long and has been with me for years. Teddy my 9 yr old Pit/Chi mix is my watchdog, my ears, my eyes, and is such the character. My Ruthie 7 yrs….what a nasty Peke she is! However her antics and the sweet way she allows me to hold her despite her horrible history in life is what gives me hope. My sweet but stupid Girl Sophie, 21 months is as rotten and hyper as possible, but she is sweet willing to learn, and follows me wherever I go. Sophie gives me the bit of youth I am losing. And then there is my Jake. Jake is 3yrs old and the light of my heart in itself. As unfair as it seems he is the one…….and will forever be that most special one. Jake knows what it means when I give him a look. We communicate with one another without verbiage. He is compliant and good loving everything and everyone around him. And then Scooby….okay so maybe I am saying out loud he is my dog, maybe I am not. I am going to continue to call him foster for now despite the fact most already know better. The largest beast at 7 yrs of age I have ever laid eyes on. Scooby is nothing but pure and gentle love inside. Despite his failing limbs and back he does not hesitate to place that huge head on your shoulder and demand his love. So could I possibly leave them behind? It would be the hardest thing I would ever have to face even thinking of it. I just cannot say what I would or would not do if faced.
Our goals are great in life and we all have thoughts and opinions but until faced with the situation there is no way to know how we would react. I have emergency plans which include my pets and I encourage all others to do the same thing for their beloved pets. Our pets are with us because we wanted them and we must protect and cherish them. Pet ownership is a gift and should never be considered a right. It is our responsibility to care for what we brought in and there are no excuses for not giving them everything they deserve.
Please pray for the humans and the animals across the South right now. They have lost everything and those of you who are reading this are rich in wealth in many ways. Feel blessed and call those that you love and tell them so. Give your pets extra special treats and love today. To all of those who have lost I send my love my prayers and a piece of my heart for the pain they are feeling.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Asking for the Biggest of All in Rescue- Love Scooby
Every day there are another hundred dogs in my inbox. Their pictures staring holes through my heart. I have gotten tougher as the years have gone by and know in my heart that many of them i have to say no to. Saying no is the worst part of being a rescuer. The past week has been especially tough. Every place i looked there was yet another senior Dane who was being thrown away by their owners. Not only is it something i dont understand but it is something that places that small space of hatred within my heart for those people who so carelessly throw away what i find so special.
How often does the size of a Dane take my breath anymore? Not many times. I can name the last time it happened. It was picking up Andrea Reynolds beautiful Rocket from the shelter. They brought him out and i said "Holy Hell" how will i ever ask this family new to the Dane world to take this GIANT BEAST home with them? It would take two trips this day to take both mother and son to the Reynolds home. And graciously the Reynold's did it. That Rocket....i see him now with his beautiful face and the look that claimed the heart of a gal named Andrea .... who i have come to love so much. May Rocket rest in the fields of green chasing those butterflies in large circles. He is a Dane i will never forget.
I had this same feeling yesterday. Amy sent the photos of this nice looking senior Fawn male named Scooby. Looking at his photos i thought he is a nice size. I as well became angry to a huge boiling point wondering about the owner who left their 7 yr old at a shelter. I looked at the photo some more.....thought for a second and told Amy....i am going to get him. I cannot sit here and let a 7 yr old die in a shelter. So i did......driving with some radio blaring...eating some McD's and smiling in my heart.
I walk into the shelter and the young man standing at the counter says after sizing me up...."Do you know how big this dog is"? And i said no but i would like too! And then there was Scooby. Taking my breath like the first Dane i ever saw.....like my Rocket..........like Phil Parrot's Apollo. And i thanked God for that feeling. It is like riding the roller coaster....the biggest tallest most loopy one........the size of this dog took my breath. I was quickly ticking in my mind.....looking at this massive fawn with the most perfect black mask. It was two minutes and he was leaning on me with such force i had to find a wall to back up to. I knew right then i was right to go and bring this boy to safety.
On the way home he made he way between the front seats and rested his head on my console. A sweet kiss to the hand that petted him. I smiled as i thought of him not paying any mind to the cats and other dogs roaming free at the shelter. I was taking him straight to Dr. Shaw for evaluation and shots. We got to the vets office where there was the usual chaos of dogs coming and going and he was seemingly unaffected as we sat and waited to see the vet. I knew from watching him stand at the shelter we were in some trouble with his legs and hips but i had high hopes the news would be good. I just knew it should be good because this is one super great dog!
The news was not good. Scooby has a spine, hip, and back leg problem. This is one surgery will not take away. It will only progress and become worse each day. Dr. Shaw was honest when he told me that Scooby would be a short timer. Scooby is not in pain......not yet but one day he will be. With prayer and good care Scooby will have 6-12 months before it is his time to leave this life. This beautiful Dane with such a short time left........do i cry...scream......???
I didnt. I sat down in the car with Scooby once more resting between my seats to come home. I am not going to scream....i am not going to cry..........i am going to love him. I am going to make sure he gains no weight, place him on the supplements that may help, walk him daily and keep him moving. And i am going to love him. This dog is such pure love already there is no choice.
Scooby is wonderful with kids but needs a home without them. He cannot have kids placing weight on his frame. One day he will hurt and this means the kids must be older and respectful of an aching Dane. So i ruled out kids under the age of 12. Scooby is BEAUTIFUL with other dogs and cats. So those are okay but he should not go to a home with puppies under the age of 2 as one day he will hurt and cannot be jumped on. Scooby needs someone dedicated and caring and i want the perfect family for him. I want the very best for the last 6-12 months of this boys life. And with the proper love and prayer..........WHO CAN SAY????
So i challenge all of you...........Find Scooby the perfect home. Someone who isnt afriad to love an old dog. Someone who will make each and every day he has left ones in which are filled with love and light. I want this to be the person Scooby chooses to meet at the Rainbow Bridge one day. I will accept no less than PERFECT for this massive beautiful boy! NOTHING LESS! And if there is nothing in which fits that bill........i will do this job. I am unemployed, struggling right now, and i already have five dogs....Scooby would make six......but he deserves the best of everything in life. I know i can do it.........but i know some place there is someone who can do better than making him 1/6th of their life. Scooby deserves far more.
FIND SCOOBY THE PERFECT HOME! SHARE WITH ALL THOSE THAT YOU KNOW!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Oh My GirlFriend.....I do love her so!!!!
02/21/2010
As I near the birthday marked 42 I spend many of my hours listening more than talking. I hear my friends speaking of their investments, retirements, and their children going to college. I too have these things in common with my friends however there is a whole other side to what I do.
I called my Mother on Saturday to tell her that Girlfriend was spayed Friday and did not fare so well with recovery. Girlfriend is currently my foster Dane and everyone at our home has fallen madly in love with this senior bundle of worship. I went to pick Girlfriend up early Saturday morning and the vet required she stay on fluids for the remainder of the weekend at the vets office. I was visibly upset at the vet’s office letting the tears flow freely. I went to hold this poor sweet Dane who was so miserable. I too felt her misery.
I am driving home and screaming it out loud….I will not lose this Dane. The prayers pouring out to Girlfriend were immense from my mouth to the Lord’s ear. I kept saying Girlfriend is such a good girl; she deserves a chance to have someone love her for the rest of her life. Please see it fit to let her live. I am completely hysterical and past it somewhat when I call Amy. My voice was trying to be big and in moments I was to pieces. As always we talked through it and by the end of the conversation I was no longer crying but the pit of my stomach ached.
It was a long weekend waiting for a dreaded phone call. The vet’s office was only to call me if something went terribly wrong. At midnight on Sunday I went to bed feeling safe that Girlfriend had made it and all would be well. Sure enough a call from Tammy at Ideal Vet called to say Dr. John Shaw says Girlfriend is doing really well and can go home Monday afternoon. I have to be honest when I tell you that it felt as if a thousand pounds came rolling off my chest. I can breathe now.
So you see……..at 42 although I have investments, retirement plans, more importantly you need to see the greatest thing I have are investments of the heart. Many times people look into rescue and think how nice it would be to do this work. I have to say yes it is rewarding and very humbling but at the same time it is taxing beyond belief. We don’t just take these Danes in and find them a home. We take them in with every piece of love and light we have inside truly giving them our all.
My mother calls moments ago and asks if I get to pick Girlfriend up today. I tell her yes but she will have to be very still and very quiet for a few days. Mom says “Karen can you do that with all you have in your house going on”? I replied “Yes Mother, don’t you know I have a cape”? Mom simply laughs and says “I know you do Honey….I have always known”.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Losing what we work so hard for
This past week has been one answers are desperately searched for and none will ever be. When one prides themselves so much in what they do and it seems somehow in the end there is a failure it is not easy to face.
It is i who have sat at the other end of a phone line comforting someone who has lost a foster Dane to bloat or other illness in which no one is at fault for. I am good at sharing tears and loving the voice on the other end as i know they are in pain with their emotions. However this week i was the one asking for this comfort.
Bringing Lexi home was so much fun. She was so sweet and snuggly. Her violent tail wagging from joy over a meal, pets, and affection was infectious to us all. She was so beautiful and so incredibly happy. We quickly found her to be a fence jumper and it was not so much so she could run the neighborhood but just searching for that something out there in which made her wag faster. A simple call to her brought her right back in the door where she quickly found a couch and claimed her spot. She faired well with the rest in our pack and got right in there perfectly.
The day i posted a photo of her on Facebook and said she seemed so sad somehow, is a day i have marked my sheer ignorance for the books. I had no idea this girl was so ill. I checked her temp which was normal, looked at her gums which were pinkish and felt her nose which was cool to the touch but nothing abnormal. I covered her with a blanket and gave her some sweet pets. For the afternoon we sat in the office quietly while i worked on the computer.
By the time i decided she would need to eat and potty i could tell something was happening to this girl. This sweet Girl who has already been through so much was sick. I didnt note any change in gums or temp. What i did notice was a slight inability to walk properly. A sway to her gait that wasnt right. I noticed she lay down in the living room floor and her breathing was shallow but heart rate seemed fine. In honesty this was the point in which i thought Bloat. My worst fear with these Danes and i have personally never witnessed it. I started making phone calls to others who have seen bloat. Everyone agreed it could be but did not seem to contain enough of the symptoms in which spelled out Bloat.
It was decided quickly that Lexi would have to go to the ER Vet in Knoxville. I quickly gather leash, blankets, and the debit card. Amy kicked in calling the ER vet ahead as i was rattled and starting to really panic. As Sean and i got Lexi into the car i noted her back feet were curling up and under. It gave the appearence that she was walking on stems of her legs. She had to be carried inside the vets office as she could not walk straight upon arriving.
The news quickly was determined bloat was not an issue they requested an ultrasound to see if there were something happening internally. Indeed there was. On the ultrasound you could see this ever so slight leak upon Lexi's spleen. She was bleeding to death internally. My first questions were what could we do? My next set was a series of questions on what could have caused this issue?
I have never in all the Danes in which have come through my personal care nor the ones within our rescue as a whole, have this happen. This would be one for the first of firsts within our book and i pray that never again do i see it. This was one of the hardest things upon my heart in a very long time. It is something i will not soon get over. It is terribly hard when you lose your personal dog, but losing one in which you have made promises too is somehow even harder. I wanted Lexi to have a beautiful forever life and quite frankly i did not come through for her.
Lexi was a teacher of many things. Unconditional love and forgivness for what humans had placed her through was lesson one. Always be optimistic and give it your best no matter where you came from was another. Education upon the spleen and what it looks like in symptom. And for myself personally another trip i took with a Dane while it entered the Rainbow Bridge was humbling. Lexi showed love and grateful eyes even within her last moments which included a small lick and snuggle.
I hope to see Lexi again one day among the pack in which will be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge. I promise that upon my arrival we will all have quite the party.
It is i who have sat at the other end of a phone line comforting someone who has lost a foster Dane to bloat or other illness in which no one is at fault for. I am good at sharing tears and loving the voice on the other end as i know they are in pain with their emotions. However this week i was the one asking for this comfort.
Bringing Lexi home was so much fun. She was so sweet and snuggly. Her violent tail wagging from joy over a meal, pets, and affection was infectious to us all. She was so beautiful and so incredibly happy. We quickly found her to be a fence jumper and it was not so much so she could run the neighborhood but just searching for that something out there in which made her wag faster. A simple call to her brought her right back in the door where she quickly found a couch and claimed her spot. She faired well with the rest in our pack and got right in there perfectly.
The day i posted a photo of her on Facebook and said she seemed so sad somehow, is a day i have marked my sheer ignorance for the books. I had no idea this girl was so ill. I checked her temp which was normal, looked at her gums which were pinkish and felt her nose which was cool to the touch but nothing abnormal. I covered her with a blanket and gave her some sweet pets. For the afternoon we sat in the office quietly while i worked on the computer.
By the time i decided she would need to eat and potty i could tell something was happening to this girl. This sweet Girl who has already been through so much was sick. I didnt note any change in gums or temp. What i did notice was a slight inability to walk properly. A sway to her gait that wasnt right. I noticed she lay down in the living room floor and her breathing was shallow but heart rate seemed fine. In honesty this was the point in which i thought Bloat. My worst fear with these Danes and i have personally never witnessed it. I started making phone calls to others who have seen bloat. Everyone agreed it could be but did not seem to contain enough of the symptoms in which spelled out Bloat.
It was decided quickly that Lexi would have to go to the ER Vet in Knoxville. I quickly gather leash, blankets, and the debit card. Amy kicked in calling the ER vet ahead as i was rattled and starting to really panic. As Sean and i got Lexi into the car i noted her back feet were curling up and under. It gave the appearence that she was walking on stems of her legs. She had to be carried inside the vets office as she could not walk straight upon arriving.
The news quickly was determined bloat was not an issue they requested an ultrasound to see if there were something happening internally. Indeed there was. On the ultrasound you could see this ever so slight leak upon Lexi's spleen. She was bleeding to death internally. My first questions were what could we do? My next set was a series of questions on what could have caused this issue?
I have never in all the Danes in which have come through my personal care nor the ones within our rescue as a whole, have this happen. This would be one for the first of firsts within our book and i pray that never again do i see it. This was one of the hardest things upon my heart in a very long time. It is something i will not soon get over. It is terribly hard when you lose your personal dog, but losing one in which you have made promises too is somehow even harder. I wanted Lexi to have a beautiful forever life and quite frankly i did not come through for her.
Lexi was a teacher of many things. Unconditional love and forgivness for what humans had placed her through was lesson one. Always be optimistic and give it your best no matter where you came from was another. Education upon the spleen and what it looks like in symptom. And for myself personally another trip i took with a Dane while it entered the Rainbow Bridge was humbling. Lexi showed love and grateful eyes even within her last moments which included a small lick and snuggle.
I hope to see Lexi again one day among the pack in which will be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge. I promise that upon my arrival we will all have quite the party.
Friday, January 21, 2011
A Week In Rescue-Midnight Blue 6
I sat at the first of the week cleaning up the rescue's website. I removed those who were going home, revamped the profiles of Dane's still waiting on their forever homes, and secretly smiled thinking we were low in number with Dane's for the first time in quite a while. I promise I never spoke out loud about this low number of Danes as I know it can serve as taboo, but I did think it.
Our newly voted in Vice President Caroline York called and with a shaking voice told me she had been contacted by an ASPCA President about 2 Danes who were being confiscated and could we make room. Of course we can make room for two Dane's. By evening the 2 Dane's turned to 6 and it was noted they were all in poor condition. The Danes were coming from the Memphis area which made it logical that they come in to our Nashville Branch and start on the road to their forever homes. The "Good Life" as we tell all Dane's in the beginning.
I had to listen with pride in the Young Woman's voice as she told me her plan of action. I never dreamed several years ago when she was adopting my foster dog Apollo that i would work in this capacity with the Woman. Caroline York, adopter, foster failure, and valued as a member of Dames for Danes Great Dane Rescue. Amy Mumpower and I started this rescue $50 dollars in the hole and one Dane at a time. So my pride cannot be masked when I speak of how we have grown and the good clean reputation that has grown with us.
Caroline organized the pickup of the Midnight Blue 6 with our wonderful foster parents Lisa Coffel and Jesse Ross of the Nashville Area. Three cars and six Danes were in a caravan coming through Tennessee to save these babies. I got phone calls in which exclaimed the dismay at the poor condition of the Danes. I listened to Caroline's usually powerful voice, now small and weak crying for one particular Dane female who was in her vehicle.
As a rescuer you get far too used to seeing emaciated dogs. You become far too used to seeing poor conditions and conditions in which to the average human seem larger than they really are. We have touched the bones of dogs in which protrude from the skin and looked into the hopeless eyes of a dog who has given up. It is a rough day for us as Human Beings though when it is the worst we have personally witnessed. This would be Caroline's first experience with a truly emaciated Dane. My first was Crockett. Amy's first was April. It is then in which you cry together for not only the horror of what you’re seeing but you cry because it hurts you to touch them. Feeling the physical pain with each pet you give to this poor animal is something many humans never experience. It is what make rescuer's special. We have the ability to move past the appearance and give our heart to a Dane who needed our love and powerful prayer.
Caroline quickly dubbed her Bella as her project. There would be no doubt she was taking this Dane home. Despite the fact she needed to be carried as Caroline thought Bella would break simply touching her, Caroline wanted Bella to make her whole again. By morning again a small voice comes on the phone and says "Bella is heartworm positive". I knew from the sound of the tears and the small voice that approval not to put this Dane down due to medical condition was being asked for. It is a voice i know well as it is one I have spoken to Amy and one Amy has spoken to me...one in which the other says...."Let us treat her. Let us get her to a healthy weight and then work on her medical conditions". I told Caroline exactly that as I knew without calling Amy it would be a unanimous decision. There are some things i just know about the women i work with.
It was on to raise money for these Danes. Quickly organized fund raisers, begging, and television should aid us in finding help for these Danes who needed it so badly. I sat in amazement as my phone never stopped ringing with offers of adoptions, money, and foster parents who were reaching out to help these poor Danes. There are many days being a rescuer can be so lonely. So many out there do not understand a drive and passion to live among the fur creatures. However on a day like yesterday it restores my faith in the Human Race and allows me to realize that there is so much love and hope out there.
I want to thank everyone who came through yesterday for Dames for Danes and for these Danes who needed your love and support so badly. I want to thank our foster parents for pulling through when we really needed them. I want to thank Village Vet Hospital in Mount Juliet Tennessee for accomodating so many so quickly and with such love. What a marvelous staff they have there. Thank you Caroline for keeping your cool and for loving the breed as passionatley as you do. We are so happy to have you on our team. Thank you to every donator and every person who sent prayers our way. Thank you for all on our side in fighting the good fight for the animals. And God Bless every rescuer out there seeing your first horror. Our hearts are with you as you touch the animal who hurts you so deeply it strips your faith in Humanity.
God Bless All and never forget that the best possible way you can help our cause is to go home tonight and kiss the furry faces of those who inhabit your homes. Take them to the vet when they are ill. Keep them on their preventatives and feed them well. Remember they depend on you and look to you for the love they should know. And always ask for help if you cannot find the solution as there is always a rescuer out there willing to lend their ear and help.
Much hope for tomorrow and those who are now in our care. The Good Life is waiting and we promise to show you how marvelous it is. Bella, Bubba, Midnight Blue, Chloe, Zoey and Mama Lexus you will have a couch to call your own. You will never spend another night in the cold. You will never know anything but human kindness and affection from this point forward. And you will never miss another meal. It is in our power and we at Dames for Danes will keep this promise to you.
Our newly voted in Vice President Caroline York called and with a shaking voice told me she had been contacted by an ASPCA President about 2 Danes who were being confiscated and could we make room. Of course we can make room for two Dane's. By evening the 2 Dane's turned to 6 and it was noted they were all in poor condition. The Danes were coming from the Memphis area which made it logical that they come in to our Nashville Branch and start on the road to their forever homes. The "Good Life" as we tell all Dane's in the beginning.
I had to listen with pride in the Young Woman's voice as she told me her plan of action. I never dreamed several years ago when she was adopting my foster dog Apollo that i would work in this capacity with the Woman. Caroline York, adopter, foster failure, and valued as a member of Dames for Danes Great Dane Rescue. Amy Mumpower and I started this rescue $50 dollars in the hole and one Dane at a time. So my pride cannot be masked when I speak of how we have grown and the good clean reputation that has grown with us.
Caroline organized the pickup of the Midnight Blue 6 with our wonderful foster parents Lisa Coffel and Jesse Ross of the Nashville Area. Three cars and six Danes were in a caravan coming through Tennessee to save these babies. I got phone calls in which exclaimed the dismay at the poor condition of the Danes. I listened to Caroline's usually powerful voice, now small and weak crying for one particular Dane female who was in her vehicle.
As a rescuer you get far too used to seeing emaciated dogs. You become far too used to seeing poor conditions and conditions in which to the average human seem larger than they really are. We have touched the bones of dogs in which protrude from the skin and looked into the hopeless eyes of a dog who has given up. It is a rough day for us as Human Beings though when it is the worst we have personally witnessed. This would be Caroline's first experience with a truly emaciated Dane. My first was Crockett. Amy's first was April. It is then in which you cry together for not only the horror of what you’re seeing but you cry because it hurts you to touch them. Feeling the physical pain with each pet you give to this poor animal is something many humans never experience. It is what make rescuer's special. We have the ability to move past the appearance and give our heart to a Dane who needed our love and powerful prayer.
Caroline quickly dubbed her Bella as her project. There would be no doubt she was taking this Dane home. Despite the fact she needed to be carried as Caroline thought Bella would break simply touching her, Caroline wanted Bella to make her whole again. By morning again a small voice comes on the phone and says "Bella is heartworm positive". I knew from the sound of the tears and the small voice that approval not to put this Dane down due to medical condition was being asked for. It is a voice i know well as it is one I have spoken to Amy and one Amy has spoken to me...one in which the other says...."Let us treat her. Let us get her to a healthy weight and then work on her medical conditions". I told Caroline exactly that as I knew without calling Amy it would be a unanimous decision. There are some things i just know about the women i work with.
It was on to raise money for these Danes. Quickly organized fund raisers, begging, and television should aid us in finding help for these Danes who needed it so badly. I sat in amazement as my phone never stopped ringing with offers of adoptions, money, and foster parents who were reaching out to help these poor Danes. There are many days being a rescuer can be so lonely. So many out there do not understand a drive and passion to live among the fur creatures. However on a day like yesterday it restores my faith in the Human Race and allows me to realize that there is so much love and hope out there.
I want to thank everyone who came through yesterday for Dames for Danes and for these Danes who needed your love and support so badly. I want to thank our foster parents for pulling through when we really needed them. I want to thank Village Vet Hospital in Mount Juliet Tennessee for accomodating so many so quickly and with such love. What a marvelous staff they have there. Thank you Caroline for keeping your cool and for loving the breed as passionatley as you do. We are so happy to have you on our team. Thank you to every donator and every person who sent prayers our way. Thank you for all on our side in fighting the good fight for the animals. And God Bless every rescuer out there seeing your first horror. Our hearts are with you as you touch the animal who hurts you so deeply it strips your faith in Humanity.
God Bless All and never forget that the best possible way you can help our cause is to go home tonight and kiss the furry faces of those who inhabit your homes. Take them to the vet when they are ill. Keep them on their preventatives and feed them well. Remember they depend on you and look to you for the love they should know. And always ask for help if you cannot find the solution as there is always a rescuer out there willing to lend their ear and help.
Much hope for tomorrow and those who are now in our care. The Good Life is waiting and we promise to show you how marvelous it is. Bella, Bubba, Midnight Blue, Chloe, Zoey and Mama Lexus you will have a couch to call your own. You will never spend another night in the cold. You will never know anything but human kindness and affection from this point forward. And you will never miss another meal. It is in our power and we at Dames for Danes will keep this promise to you.
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