Damned if we Do and Damned if we Don't. (Reply)

(Picture Left: Joy -- Little girl lost.)

In a message dated 9/12/2009 5:07:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Amby111 Writes: By the way, how is the older chow mix, Joy, doing?

Reply: I went to the boarding facility yesterday to take Joy for a long walk.

We went to Carl Shurtz park and walked for almost an hour. We sat on a park bench for a while and watched the East River relentlessly flow.

I petted and tried to talk to Joy but she seemed distracted and anxious; always gazing off in the far distance as if desperately searching for something....

I couldn't figure out if Joy longed to return to her former junkyard (or, whatever hellhole she originally came from) or missed the foster person who had Joy a few weeks and then suddenly returned her.

At no time during the lengthy walk, did Joy pee or poop. That usually indicates an insecure dog who is not comfortable with his/her circumstances or the environment.

Joy's foster person had indicated initial housebreaking problems. But, during the last week or so in the foster home, Joy began to eliminate outside. It appeared then that we might be getting over the hump. Joy seemed to be gaining her self-confidence and sense of "place" in the environment and neighborhood.

But, now it seems Joy has retreated back to her original timidity and/or insecurity. -- Something I was afraid would happen upon her abrupt return from foster to a boarding facility.

It's as though Joy was "thrown back in the hole" so to speak.

I do in fact, think of long term dog boarding as a perennial "black hole."

It seems once going into boarding, rescued dogs rarely come out.

The public and even most of those working or volunteering in the animal rescue community tend to think of dogs in boarding as "safe."

They are thus easy to forget.

And yes, while dogs in boarding may be "safe" from the fatal needle at the pound, is life mostly in a cage any "life" at all for a dog -- or for that matter, any animal or human?

I tend mostly to think not.

Boarding is OK for short term emergencies. But, it is not OK as any kind of long term "solution" or strategy.

Boarding dogs long term can cost small rescue organizations thousands of dollars a month (depending on how many dogs) and worse, costs the dogs their sense of security, confidence and even identity.

This past week, I was able (with the help of foster volunteers) to rescue a total of five new animals from the pound: Tommy, the Pomeranian dog, Betty Boop, Tommy's companion cat, two pit bulls and one Lab/Chow mix.

With the exception of Tommy, all the other animals had been "pulled" from the death list.

But, all seven dogs in boarding still remain. Almost all of the dogs have now been in boarding a very long time (with the exception of Joy who went into boarding this past week).

All seven dogs have been "returned" from either foster or adoption situations.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if instead of sending dogs to boarding kennels when adopters or fosters return the animals, we sent the dogs back to Animal Control?

Ah, but then we could not call ourselves "no kill" could we?

Perhaps we couldn't even call ourselves "rescue" in the true sense of the word.

Then again, can we truly call ourselves "rescue" now when sending animals to perennial "black holes" of long term boarding?

I have vowed to myself not to rescue any death list dogs from the pound to send to dog boarding.

I don't like the idea of animals in boarding being perceived as "safe" and thus forgotton and dismissed by those in the public and animal community.

But, what to do when adopters or fosters suddenly throw animals back at us?

I haven't figured out an answer to that one yet.

It seems we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't (send the dogs to boarding facilities).

I just know that when looking into Joy's lost face yesterday, I failed to see anything really "safe" about long term animal boarding.

I guess it all depends on what one's definition of "safe" is.

I just know that "safety," security and joy are not the one and the same things. -- PCA


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Playing the Same Game (New York City)

(Picture left: "Betty Boop." A very lucky gal that the Intake person at the shelter bothered to note that she and a Pomeranian were discarded together. Still, she came within mere hours of dying.)

Its been almost three days since I brought home "Tommy" the Pomeranian, to foster.

It is fantastically baffling how any people could have given up such a loving, incredibly gentle and full of life, cheerful dog to a pound.

Tommy doesn't possess the usual "feistiness" and wariness of strangers of most Pomeranians. Rather, he is more like my first dog, Tina: Enthusiastic, optimistic, curious, open to new adventures and very accepting and affectionate towards people and other animals.

In other words, Tommy is very nearly, a seemingly perfect dog.

But, even nearly perfect animals get dumped for things like "cost."

I would sooner give up every material possession I own, before I would give up either of my dogs, Tina or Chance.

But, I guess that is just me.

It obviously isn't everyone.....

I also picked up Tommy's companion cat, "Betty Boop" who, like Tommy was discarded at the shelter for the same reason: "cost."

Unlike Tommy, Betty was on the kill list of the shelter yesterday, despite having only been dropped off to the shelter this past Tuesday.

Cats just can't seem to catch much of a break these days.

So far, Betty (unlike her canine buddy) is pretty stressed by the entire ordeal of abandonment to the pound and now ending up in a new environment with other cats and dogs and a human who she doesn't know.

She's currently hiding on top of the window ledge in my bathroom.

I wish there was something I could do or say to help Betty feel more welcomed and safe, as her more confident and adventurous doggie friend seems to feel.

But, it seems she is going to need time.

I sometimes think cats have a harder time with forced changes and new circumstances than do dogs.

Dogs can be amazingly adaptable sometimes. Or, perhaps it is that they are generally more accustomed to adventures in the outside world, presuming their former owners walked them on a regular basis. We don't, after all, walk cats and introduce them to the noises, other people, animals, places and things outside of their homes.

For many cats, their immediate homes and owners are all they have known in their lives.

Suddenly being thrust out of all that must seem like being launched into space and ending up on another planet. -- So completely alien and terrifying to them.

At least most dogs have familiarity with the outside world (barring of course, those unfortunate canines who have spent their entire lives tied up in a yard or confined in a small space without daily walks. In such cases, the dogs generally have as tough a time with "change and new environments" as do cats.)

I am hopeful of adopting out Tommy and his feline friend, Betty Boop together. -- In fact, I advertised them as a "pair" on Adopt-a-Pet and Petfinders. Former owners requested that the animals be placed together. Of course, they were totally ignorant and naive as that rarely happens in shelters -- particularly with a cat and dog.

Am I being equally "ignorant and naive" in requiring that these two former housemates be adopted together?

Maybe.

Or, perhaps I am simply being fussy, demanding and discriminating.

Like most of the people who call us these days supposedly seeking to adopt. -- PCA

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Consequences of Irresponsible and Selfish Choices (Guest Editorial)

(Picture Left: "Dash" -- young, active, loving Boder Collie who now is victim of poor human choices and lack of acceptance of personal responsibility.)

Shellie Writes: Wednesday's post, "Unrescuing Rescue", really struck a chord with me.

The past three weeks at the shelter wher I volunteer have been a series of one failed adoption after another. There have been so many "returns-to-shelter" you would think it was the day after Christmas at Wal-Mart.

"Dash", a 10-month-old Border Collie mix (pictured) was initially adopted 6 months ago as a puppy, and has now been returned to us twice.

Three weeks ago, at opening time, an elderly woman came in walking (or being dragged by) this gorgeous dog. Once in the door, she stated, "You have to take this dog back. He's just too much for me. I'm 83, and he's just too strong for me".

When she was told that we have a waiting list for owner surrenders, she then threatened to "just turn him loose on the road". When informed that this was illegal; and that if the dog were found loose, she would be charged with abandonment, she then stated, "Then just take him and put him to sleep; I just can't handle him anymore".

So Dash was taken in and placed for adoption once more. (Incidentally, the woman's adoption application included notes from the staff that she was counselled regarding the high energy level of the breed and questioned her ability to care for the dog. It also indicated that she had had Collies for 20 years, and her previous dog had recently died; and that she assured them she could manage a high energy breed.)

Then after 10 days in the shelter, Dash was again adopted; only to be returned after one week in a home. This time the reason for his return was "nipping at the childrens' legs". On reviewing the adoption application, it again documented the counseling, specifically the possibility of "herding behavior" with children. Once again, the family assured the shelter that they were very dog-experienced and could manage this behavior.

So now we have a friendly, housebroken, intelligent dog in a cage for the simple reason that he is a dog; just doing what dogs of his breed have been doing for centuries. Now Dash is waiting again...in hopes that somewhere there is an adult home that will provide him with the stimulation and exercise he needs. Because I am afraid that the next time will be "Strike Three----You're Out!!"

--Shellie

skdean53@hotmail.com

Reply: Thank you for taking the time to share with us this all too common problem of many people making selfish and ignorant choices when acquiring animals and then simply looking to "dump" the pets later without acceptance of any personal responsibility for why the adoption "didn't work."

Certainly, this is one of my biggest frustrations in the placement of animals. From senior citizens demanding puppies or adolescent pets (your story being an excellent example of this) to those with cats at home seeking Pitbulls or other breed types noted not to be genereally good with cats, to those with small kids seeking small dogs who are generally nervous around children, to those working long hours and demanding a young "Lab mix" or other active breed, yes it is all indeed a kind of nightmare that results in millions of animals being abandoned and ultimately killed annually.

If people only listened to the advice we try to give them based upon years of experience in learning which adoptions work and which adoptions don't then there would be more successful placements.

But, when its a matter of "I want what I want when I want it and no one can advise me differently" then yes, the animal is inevitably returned and all too often ends up dying for the errors of his/her human "former owners."

What a sad and really inexcusable pity -- all of it. -- PCA

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Strange Days (New York City)

(Picture Left: "Mr." [this ridiculous name will have to go.....probably to be replaced by "Tommy" Pom, Pom.]. Who would ever think a beautiful and socialized little Pomeranian dog like this would have a hard time finding placement? Well, these are strange days, indeed.)

Although swearing to myself that we could not rescue any new animals, last night my attention was drawn to a Pomeranian on one of the shelters Alerts. The dog looks just my Pomeranian, Chance.

The dog's name is "Mr." (yes, how creative.) He is two-years-old, already neutered (surprise, surprise!) and was given up from a home because the people are "moving" (What else is new?).

Mr is indicated by former owners to be "great with kids, dogs and cats!"

Now, normally a small, healthy and adorable purebred dog like this who is "great with people, kids and other pets" would be snapped up by rescues in a New York City heartbeat!

When responding to the alert with an email to the New Hope Coordinator at Animal Control, I was sure Jesse would get back to me saying, "The Pomeranian has already been placed."

But, instead Jess called yesterday to ask, "How soon can you pick up the Pomeranian?"

Trying to hide my utter shock that rescues weren't fighting to take Mr, I simply told Jesse I would pick him up today.

Not only is it grim news that the Manhattan Animal Care and Control shelter is having to send out almost daily "Alerts" to rescue groups with MORE THAN 22 SMALL DOGS on them, but that many of these Shih-Tzus, Poodles, Chihuahuas and others have now been on the Alerts numerous times without being pulled.

That would not have happened just a few years ago.

I remember one occasion about 5 years ago, when another rescuer practically wanted to do battle with me over a Chihuahua I was pulling to place in an adoptive home.

"I already notified the shelter we were taking that dog! Our name should be on him!" the young woman cried.

The shelter had neglected to put a memo on the Chihuahua and technically, we should have been able to rescue him. But, to me it wasn't worth fighting over. The adopter and I handed over the Chihuahua to the group (whose name I won't mention) and simply rescued another dog.

But, now it seems the shelter can't find enough rescues for all the small dogs that are pouring in -- most of the animals in poor condition from neglect to medical or grooming needs or extremely stressed due to their sudden abandonment.

This is not a pretty picture.

After all, if the shelter is experiencing problems in the placement of small dogs to rescues, what does that say for all the thousands of larger dogs, Pitbulls and cats that routinely flood the shelters each month?

I don't have an available foster home or boarding space to send Mr to. The plan, for the moment is to bring Mr home with me, although I already have too many animals in my apartment (2 dogs and half a dozen cats.)

I am hoping that because Mr is virtually identical to Chance, my Pomeranian (even down to the same size -- 22lbs.) no one will notice that I temporarily have 3 dogs.

Of course, I am presuming that Mr will be a quick and easy adoption. And one cannot make any "assumptions" in placements these days.

I am reminded of how long we had "Rudy" the sensitive, but beautiful, purebred little Pekingese who though advertised for many months, ultimately was adopted by his foster person just last month.

It won't be option for me to keep or adopt a third dog.

I have to hope that there is someone decent and reliable out there who loves Pomeranians as much as I do.

As for the rest of the small dogs languishing in our city shelters right now?

Well, the shelters are warning that some are now facing euthanasia. -- Including a 5-year-old female Pomeranian who arrived at the Brooklyn shelter a couple of days ago after reportedly getting into a "fight" with another dog.

"Chuchi" is apparently not good with other pets.

I sent an email to the staffers at Brooklyn, saying I would try to "work on" Chuchi.

Whatever "work on" means in this strange, seemingly hostile and indifferent and now totally unpredictable animal adoptions environment. -- PCA

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Unrescuing Rescue (New York City)

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(Picture Left: "Joy" -- After suffering years of owner neglect and/or life on the mean streets of New York City as a stray, we thought that this gentle and resilient dog's luck had finally changed. But, it apparently is not to be......No joy to be found in abandonment.)









It has been gut-wrenching over these many long weeks to see so many beautiful animals on the shelter kill lists everyday and not be able to "pull" any.

I had begun to think of myself as the "unrescuing rescue."

And yet, there was clearly no choice in the matter.

With no animals moving out of foster homes or boarding and no place to put even one more cat or dog, it was not option to respond to any of the many "alerts" emailed to us everyday or even the kill list itself.

I don't even look at the Cat Euthanasia list anymore as it is just too overwhelmingly depressing and demoralizing. I have thus become like most members of present day society -- "buying my head in the sand." -- "Please don't show or tell me."

But, this past week, we had two dogs move out of boarding and foster. One was (so far) successfully adopted, the other went to a foster home.

I was hopeful of being able to rescue one or possibly two new dogs.

But, fortunately (or unfortunately), I didn't jump the gun on new rescues, because yesterday, I was informed that at least one dog is being returned from a foster home and possibly another one, as well.

It seems in the one definite case of return, a cousin of a roommate will be "visiting" and for some inexplicable reason, this necessitates having to send "Joy," a very sweet and gentle, older Chow mix into boarding.

I am not sure when visiting house guests got to call shots on what a host keeps in his or her apartment, but apparently new roommates and their visiting cousins have a great deal more "say and sway" than what I was aware.

That is of course bad news for the foster dog who now, having gotten used to a caring home environment has to go sit 24/7 in a cold, antiseptic, boarding kennel.

Joy is a particularly sensitive dog, who before being rescued, apparently led an outdoor life of either total human neglect by an inattentive owner, or survived as a true stray or junkyard dog.

I loathe the idea of putting this particular dog in boarding for what could be a long, long time.

Joy, of all dogs needs to experience human attention, love and care.

So yes, that particular call upset me greatly. Not only because of having to send an especially sensitive and needy dog to a boarding kennel, but even more so, because it means I still cannot pull any new rescue dogs.

But, the most distressing thing about the call is that it came from a person I would have deemed as the very last individual on earth who would do something like this.

There is a part of me now that believes one cannot fully trust or rely on anyone when it comes to animal rescue, fostering and adoptions.

You never know when that unanticipated and (at least in this case) shocking call is going to come in:

"I need to bring the dog (or cat) back."

But, adopting an attitude that "no one can be fully trusted or relied upon" in animal rescue and placement is indeed, not only self-defeating, but downright deadly.

Animals die when we are too afraid to rescue them for fear "no one can be relied upon" to foster or adopt.

I know I am going to have to work on my attitude over the next few days.

Or, maybe I am going to have to quickly find an indoor pool to swim in and attempt (at least for an hour or so) to drown sorrows. -- PCA


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Labor Day Springboards (New York City)

Who says Labor Day has to represent endings? For one lucky dog and one determined swimmer, Labor Day is springboard for new beginnings.....

As though on cue, the balmy temperatures and high humidity of only a week ago, suddenly vanished in New York City to be replaced by crisp, fall-like temperatures and early setting suns.

Labor Day is of course, the traditional, but unofficial end of summer.

I both, looked forward to the day and dreaded it with equal passion.

I looked forward to Labor Day because it would hopefully signify the end to what has been a long, terrible summer for us in terms of being able to place animals we had languishing either in foster homes or boarding kennel situations.

We had no adoptions at all during the month of July and less than half a dozen during August. We so far, have one dog adoption during September. The adoption of Adidi, a sweet older Shepherd mix last week seems to be a success. -- The people, thankfully are very happy with her.

We were also able to get one of our long time boarders finally into a foster home this past week. "Chiva" is a five-year-old, extremely loving Pitbull rescued from death at the pound more than 7 months ago. But, during all this time we were unable either to find an adoptive or foster home for the smallish Pittie who bonded strongly with the vet techs caring for her and obviously began to think of the animal hospital where she was boarding as her "home."

It was a huge relief to finally get Chiva out of boarding and into a real home. I was beginning to fear that we might never find placement for the dark Pitbull who arrived at the pound last January after her former owner died.

Black and brindle pitbulls are probably the hardest of all dogs to adopt out, no matter how loving or trained they are. Both, the colors and breed-type seems to condemn them.

But, in Chiva's case, the young woman who took her in to foster grew up with a very loved dog who looked just like Chiva and from that standpoint, was drawn to Chiva.

We finally caught a lucky break.

I hope it represents the stirring of luck beginning to change by the slight increase we are starting to see now in adoption inquiries.

Dogs who have failed to generate any adoption calls over the summer are suddenly attracting some interest.

But, whether that "interest" flowers into actual adoptions, we don't know yet. Only time will tell.

But, if I looked forward to Labor Day for the "hope" it represented in finally being able to place and rescue more animals, I dreaded it from the standpoint of the outdoor swimming pools closing yesterday.

I had come to rely so heavily on swimming over the summer as both, a great stress reducer, a means of sheer escapism and most of all, an abiding love in and of itself that loss of it over the remaining three seasons is akin to the loss of great summer romance.

But, fortunately, there are indoor pools in New York City. They are smaller than the outdoor pools and one doesn't have the "romance" of swimming under the stars and moonlight. But, the indoor pools are comprised of water and in the end, that is what counts.

I simply can't give up swimming for ten months. It would be like cutting off both arms.

Indeed, nothing makes the arms and every other part of the body feel so alive, so free and so powerful as zooming through the water, weightless and unencumbered by all the "drags" of everyday life.

Swimming is the closest thing to flying -- with no particular destination.

I must have been a fish in a past life......

And so, yesterday, I returned to John J. Pool on East 77th Street by the East River, mostly for "nostalgic" reasons. John J is the pool where I officially learned to swim almost 30 years ago by watching and imitating lifeguards. It is also the pool where I took my then, very young daughter to familiarize Tara with the water and where she learned to swim from the time she was 5-years-old.

I have wonderful memories associated with John J Pool.

The only reason I switched to Lasker pool two years ago (in the north side of Central Park) for lap swimming is because Lasker (60 meters) is bigger and tends to be less crowded in the evenings than John J.

But, there was nothing "crowded" about John J yesterday.

With the temperature barely making it to 70 degrees and Labor Day marking the end of summer and the city swimming pools, there were less than a dozen people at John J when I got there about 5:30 PM.

For the next hour or so, it was pure heaven swimming in the mostly empty, 50 meter pool.

What a beautiful way to "officially" end the summer.

But, only as a springboard, to hopefully a better fall and winter for the animals.

As well as a summer next year of even faster, stronger swimming for I am determined to be smoke free by next year.

Nothing -- and I mean, NOTHING has motivated me to quit smoking in 40 years.

Not bans, public condemnations, horrifying "public service" commercials, the surgeon general, the mayor, or even the death of my Mother 12 years ago to smoking-related emphysema.

But, I have noticed that over the past couple of weeks, as I cut smoking to half a pack a day, I am a much better and faster swimmer in the pool!

And that is having an impact.

Labor Day might have signified the closing of the city's outdoor pools, the unofficial end of summer and for most people, the end of the "swimming season."

But, for me, it was only the beginning...... PCA

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Death by Silence

(Picture Left: "Napoleon" -- Wonderful Pitbull recently rescued from Euth list of shelter and curretly doing well in foster home. The bad news? This is only one Pitbull out of thousands going down in our shelters annually.)

The loudest protesters against Michael Vick and the horrors of dog fighting should have been all those connected with shelters and rescue -- especially those in charge of running animal shelters and accepting the responsibility for killing all the excess pitbulls that are runoffs from the dog fighting industry.

We are killing the by-products of the dog fighting industry every day. For every litter of pitbull puppies bred for fighting, only one or two are actually kept and trained for the fight rings. In this way, breeding for fighting is somewhat similar to those who breed dogs for "show." Show breeders are lucky if even one puppy out of a litter is "show quality." "Pet quality" puppies are sold to the general public or occasionally given away or, in some cases, even killed. For example, white German Shepherds used to be killed at birth as they were considered "mutants.")

Pitbull puppies not deemed aggressive enough for fight training (i.e. "pet quality") are either sold, given away or abandoned in the communities. Most will later end up in shelters though they are not "fighting dogs."

But, instead of demanding attention to this issue, there has been dead silence from the animal sheltering community -- from shelter leaders, to rescuers to volunteers.

So, Vick will play tonight against the NY Jets with nary a protest.

It seems the animals have no advocacy. Not only is the Animal Rights movement seemingly dead -- but even that of animal welfare.

The fiasco with Vick should have been used as "opportunity" to bring attention to how dog fighting is impacting shelters around the country and resulting in millions of dogs (most of them, pitbulls) killed annually at taxpayer expense.

But, no.

Instead, break out the pom poms, while injecting the dogs with "Fatal Plus." -- PCA

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