Filed under: pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: aging pets, companion animals, dogs, Duke, euthanasia, labrador, pet grief, pet loss, pets, Senior pets, shady, shadytales
Thank you all so much for your kind comments (here and on our friend’s blog) and emails on our recent posts about aging pets and pet loss. We are sharing the condolences and advice directly with our friends who need it.
Here are a few of the most poignant remarks for you to share, in case you or anyone you know is dealing with this issue. As the first comment (from a very wise dog) suggests, knowing we are not alone can ease the pain:
Light a candle for the beloved pets that had to leave us behind at www.petloss.com
“I have noticed that when sad humans help others (with pet loss), the sadness alleviates some.”
“… I completely believe they tell us when it’s time, all we have to do is pay attention. I love how you have been saying about making the decision to take away our pets pain and take it into our hearts and let them go. It’s a beautiful metaphor.”
“Our pets, with their short lives, are our Beloved Heartbreakers.”
“May you feel some consolation that you labored with love for him and he knows it.”
“…I dread the day I have to make a decision. I know they will help me.”
“As you described above, the good-bye time, if you are lucky enough to have it, is a treasured memory. Thank you for offering support to others and tackling this difficult subject. Typing through early morning tears…and grateful for all the memories.”
“Duke will never leave you as he will always be in your heart.”
“We snuggled on the bed with him one last time… told him heaven doesn’t have pain… we told him how he would again have his strong muscles that he lost months ago.”
“and now they are free from pain and we will see them again one day!!”
“I’ve lost my share of animals and know it feels like we lose a piece of (ourselves). “
The final remark from Linda, who lost her Duke less than a week ago and inspired these recent posts, sums it all up pretty well:
“as hard as it’s been I wouldn’t change anything for the world… I will love him forever.”
Filed under: pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: aging pets, dogs, euthanasia, labrador, old cats, old dogs, pet grief, pet loss, shady, shadytales
Mom and I have been sorting through a stockpile of new pet stories to tell. We are setting those aside yet again to address a theme we have heard a lot more about this week than we’d like. Most pet owners face this particular challenge at some point and it is one they claim to understand going in. Then when it happens to them, they realize they had no idea what they where in for.
Initially I felt this was more of a people-thing than an animal thing, so I asked Mom to take this post on. Two of her friends are dealing with this question this week. They are both handling things differently and each with equal amounts of compassion and grace. The specifics of that are not important though, not today anyway. I’ll let Mom finish up from here.
Thank you, Shady. The dilemma Shady refers to is, “How do you know when it is time to let your pet go?” After a lifetime of loving and caring for your best furry friend, families have always heard that they will know when, but HOW will they know? In an instant it seems, usually after a vet visit with a grim prognosis or just the inevitability of aging, subtleties and guidelines become important.
Though I started down a path with a list of unconventional insights I gained very recently, I am saving that stuff for another day. Anyone asking us this question needs some good information in a hurry. No time for lists. We are no experts, but we can tell you with certainty that if you have this question to begin with, it probably is NOT time yet so read on…
Q. How do you know when it is time to let your best friend go? What are the signs?
A. You will never fully let them go, so stop trying. Your pet is part of your family forever. Don’t be afraid to take a little time to prepare for the burden of taking on their pain. Freeing their bodies to rest in peace and agreeing to carry this pain for them as you miss them will last forever. The short time in between is a gift and your dog or cat may need this time as much as you do.
A dog that trusts you enough to let you see his changing needs is a gift.
Reward your pet’s trust, love and faith in you by demonstrating what every pack animal needs to see from their leader when they are stressed; strength and protection. The decision of “when” is not always black and white so don’t be afraid to see the shades of gray as you search for the “signs.” Consider that animals may not pine for lost youth the way people do. If they are pain-free they may take great joy in aging quietly with you and in the security of their own home for longer than you realize.
Or not. There is a risk of waiting too long but it can be managed. Unless you are far removed from vet care, you will be able to do what is necessary in a timely manner if things change suddenly. You know this about yourself; do not doubt your instincts.
To be further assured of this simply tune in to your pet by spoiling them (more than usual) any way you can manage. This level of attention and support may not be possible long-term but short-term it will tell your pet clearly; it’s okay to show me what you are feeling.
Why do you need to convey this to you pet? Because they are waiting for a sign too. Shady and I figured out that she is wrong; this dilemma is not a “people only” thing. Pets want to know when their best friend is ready to let them go. They don’t want to let you down and they will fight hard not to abandon you before they know you are going to be okay.
Accepting a pet in their new state of frailty (and I am not talking about any extenuating methods of care that are outside of your reach, here) will reassure them. As you brace yourself for the inevitable you will be comforted with memories of a proper goodbye.
Don’t underestimate your need for that memory. Lack of it can overshadow all later when you are grieving and make the loss much more intense. Find a boundary you and your pet can share so you both endure the least amount of suffering possible as you wait for the right time.
Adoption Good,. Homeless Bad. Dog Eared Tales author Shady is the newest and rarest designer breed of all dogs…a “blogdog”. Well, okay, she is actually an 9-year-old Labrador and co-founder of http://www.thisgoodthatbad
Filed under: Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, golden retriever, grey muzzle, grey muzzle organization, happy valentine's day, homeless animals, lucy, old dogs, Senior pets, shady, shadytales, sweetie, tex, TGTB, valentines day
On this Valentine’s Day, Mom and I would like to talk to you about a subject very close to our hearts: the plight of homeless, senior-aged dogs. Older dogs are more at risk in shelters than other age groups at a time in their life when they should be able to relax and age gracefully with a family that loves them. Anyone who has had a pet in their lives during these precious years surely knows just what we mean and how their needs are special. There are many fine organizations out there dedicated to helping older dogs, but today we would like to tell you about one of our very favorites; The Grey Muzzle Organization.
Their mission statement is pretty straightforward: The Grey Muzzle Organization improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other non-profit groups nationwide. We fund programs such as hospice care, senior dog adoption, and medical screening.
Want to know more about what that means in practice and how they make a difference every day? We will let them tell you about it themselves, in this excerpt from their latest newsletter. We hope you will support them any way you can….adopting, fostering, donation or just finding them on Facebook and saying “thank you for making sure older dogs are not forgotten.”
Hearts of Gold
By Tinka Deal, Grey Muzzle Volunteer
“While some may regard Valentine’s Day as another marketable holiday, there’s a brighter way to look at it. It marks the season of love, as we celebrate love for our senior canines and the joys they bring to us. They teach us so much—patience, perseverance, peace—and they are always in our hearts.
This month we’d like to share heartwarming tales of a few endearing seniors: Two golden retriever achievers—one of them beating the odds at 17; and an inspiring update on our lively little 2010 Valentine’s senior, Sweetie. As you check out their stories, always remember, it’s never too late for love!”
Lucy and Tex: showing us what love can do!
Read the stories of these remarkable, resilient dogs and their rescuers here, in the full version of the newsletter. To learn more about the entire group or how you can help, visit www.greymuzzle.org.
Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s never too late for love…
Sweetie: It's never too late for love!
Author Shady is the the newest and rarest designer breed of all dogs…a “blogdog”. Well, okay, she is actually an 8 year old Labrador. This blog is not really about her though; it is a spotlight for many formerly homeless dogs and cats. Although she is a pampered pet-store-purchased pup, she hopes to raise awareness about pet rescue and adoption through her and her families’ stories and experiences with rescue.
Like this:
Filed under: events, fundraising, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, contest, homeless animals, labrador, shady, shadytales, TGTB, this good that bad, writing contest
Well, it’s official. I am 9 years old. Mom alternates between telling people I am 8 and 9 because she can’t keep it straight, but papers were checked and I did indeed turn 9 yesterday. Thanks to everyone who sent me Happy Birthday wishes! As you may have heard I started celebrating early…like around 4am. While everyone here was still sleeping I got my paws on a hard plastic dog toy my friend Spiderman left behind and chewed through it in short order. I am pretty sure if you press on my tummy now, I will squeak. As a result of this unscheduled snack Mom has delayed all my birthday treats till today. I typically have a cast iron stomach but at my age I guess it’s better to play it “safe than sorry.”
I have been assured birthday treats are forthcoming. I
So, what’s it like to be a senior dog? How do I stay young at heart and fit? Those very questions are the basis of the contest we are running at This Good That Bad this month. We’ve had a lot of entries so far, so we thought this was a good time to share some of them with you. There are three judges overall and since I’m not one of them I’ll be adding my commentary. Publishing here does not in any way indicate a preference or a “lead” to win. We are just sharing portions and paraphrasing some of them at random to inspire those who may want to enter but be stricken with writer’s block. When the contest is over, we’ll release a lot of the entries verbatim and with proper credit.
The contest is inspired by Mark J. Asher’s book “Old Friends: Great Dogs on the Good Life.” What does your dog think the secret to longevity is? In his/her opinion, what do dogs need to live a long and happy life? We asked you to tell us in 125 characters (including spaces) or less, and entries could be from dogs, cats or any kind of pets.
Me, with my trusty bone. It is never far from my side.
“A good bone and a soft bed.” Gee, I wonder who wrote that one?
“Second chances.” I know a lot of rescue dogs and families who would agree with that.
“When you see a lap, sit on it.” Ha! That one sounds like a CAT to me.
“A well trained human.” True that, brother.
“Never, ever let toy animals keep their stuffing!” Yea! Show ‘em who’s boss!
“Never give up, your real family will find you.”
Now that last one really “gets me. We spend a fair amount of time on this blog talking about just that…success stories. In reality a lot of animals are not given enough time to find their forever families. Senior dogs have the toughest time of all in the shelters. That’s why we need you to enter our contest…the prize money is a donation to rescue and every little bit helps all the animals beat the odds and get adopted. This is our way of giving back, and you can help us decide what to do with our donations by entering today because each winner gets to pick a rescue or shelter to receive the money.
There are also a lot of regular prizes, including a signed copy of Mr. Asher’s book. Get all the info and entry forms here on our website and enter now. Consider it a birthday present to me. I would give up all my treats and cake to give even just one pet an extra chance at finding his forever home. That’s my real birthday wish, and I need your help to see that it is granted.
Author and senior pet Shady is the proud blogdog for “This Good That Bad“, a company dedicated to helping shelters, animal rescues and other non-profits raise funds with their products. She and her Mom donate proceeds, sponsor contests and lend marketing support and advice to groups to help raise awareness for their causes on every level.
Filed under: events, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, contest, dogs, good life writing contest, homeless animals, LoJack, shadytales, TGTB, TGTB Writing Challenge, tgtb writing contest, this good that bad, writing contest
Have you heard the news? Here is a sneak peek at our press release, launching later today. Please share!
Our LoJack, adopted as a senior and missed as though he was ours forever. Click to read his story.
“Good Life” writing contest for dog lovers.
This good. That bad. to sponsor a writing challenge based on great dogs and old friends.
Metuchen NJ, November 10, 2010: This Good That Bad (TGTB) has announced their second creative writing contest this year, inspired by the book “Old Friends: Great Dogs on the Good Life” by Mark J. Asher. Prizes will include a cash donation to the winner’s selected 501(c)3 companion animal charity and a signed copy of the book. This coincides with “Adopt-A-Senior-Pet” month as declared by Petfinder.com and stems from the premise of the book, wherein senior dogs offer their secrets to longevity. Entrants are asked to explain in 125 characters or less what they think their own dogs would consider the secret to a long and happy life.
TGTB was founded by Melissa Peterson in 2009 and offers fundraising products to animal charities with the pet adoption logo “Adoption good. Homeless bad.” “I can’t think of a better way to motivate others to consider opening their homes to an older pet than collecting and sharing insights from those who already have older dogs in their lives.” Peterson says. “Every day I communicate with dog owners, rescues and shelters and see that the plight of the older animals up for adoption is serious. Their chances for adoption are just not good. This breaks my heart because these animals not only deserve better but they have so much to offer new families. All they ask for in return is a quiet and safe place to age gracefully.”
Peterson purchased Asher’s book as part of a fundraiser for the Grey Muzzle Organization. She immediately knew it was going to be a good fit for the next writing challenge she would offer to the pet owner/rescue network she has built through her company. She points to one quote from the book specifically that clinched the contest idea for her, on page 58. There she saw an 11-year-old mixed breed named Kelsey who describes the secret to the good life as “roll in smelly things, never let little dogs with bows in their hair get the best of you.” Could it be the so-called special needs of older pets are really nothing more than simple things like that?
There is no fee to enter the contest and it is not limited to dog-centric entries. Anyone with any type of pet wisdom on aging may pen their pet’s thoughts and enter. It is open to all active TGTB Facebook page fans and it is free to join Facebook and become a fan (a.k.a “like” the page). The deadline for entries is December 31, 2010 and winners will be announced in mid January. Full details, entry forms, rules and complete prize information will be posted at www.thisgoodthatbad.com. Entries will be judged on originality, authenticity, and overall mass appeal to pet lovers. Contest judges are Ms. Peterson and these fellow animal advocates, entrepreneurs and bloggers:
Bette Allen, inventor of the ScooPup Pocket, founder of Tiny Growl and blog author. Bette came up with the idea for a cleaner better way to pick up after pups during her daily walks with her rescue dog, Riley. She has put a career of 20 plus years in video, film and TV production on the back burner to start her company. She has dedicated herself to raising as much money as she can for animal rescue through sales of her product and organizing events such as the recent “Two Million Dogs “walk for canine cancer in Seattle.
Amber Carlton, advertising copywriter by day and her dog Mayzie’s blog assistant by night. Amber shares her home with 2 dogs, Mayzie and Ranger, and 2 cats, Ripley and Abby. As a formerly neglected and fearful rescue dog adopted as an adult, Mayzie demonstrates the meaning of “overcoming challenges” every day and their blog poignantly and humorously explores their daily life. They both hope that one day every dog and cat will have someone to speak for them and in the meantime they spend their time organizing events and contests to raise money for the cause in Colorado.
Other prizes include TGTB merchandise and an authentic full color Sunday panel MUTTS Comics print procured from Patrick McDonnell’s MUTTS website. To enter the contest, follow this link to the entry form: http://tgtb.wufoo.com/forms/this-good-that-bad-good-life-writing-contest/
For further information, please contact:
Melissa Peterson
info@thisgoodthatbad.com
www.thisgoodthatbad.com
Filed under: animal rescue, events, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, contest, homeless animals, Nikki, pet grief, shady, shadytales, TGTB, this good that bad
Mom and I are up early today but I assure you it is totally against our will. You see, we generally take a complete break from staring at a PC screen on Saturdays (yes, you still see us on Twitter or Facebook but that is through the magic of automation or the Blackberry) and then we reserve early Sunday morning for blogging. But not this early…it is not even 7AM. Due to a series of unfortunate events, we have already been up 2 hours!
Operating under the sincere hope that we can get a long nap in later, I made a command decision to postpone this week’s intended topic and write something else now while our eyes are still open. We are not fully awake yet and I want to make sure our regularly scheduled post gets the attention it deserves. Instead, I am offering you an unprecedented and exclusive peek into our private and personal lives. In the spirit of our This Good That Bad theme, here are six of the best and worst things going on with us this week. As you read it we think you’ll find it easy to tell some of the good from the bad but for a few, it’s just too close to call.
1. Tuesday was my sister Nikki’s birthday. She would have been 13, but as most of you know she left us for the Rainbow Bridge in January. It was a sad day. Mom took her favorite bed out of storage yesterday and gave it to me. She spent Nikki’s last night on the floor with her in this bed. It’s a nice orthopedic bed; I think Nikki would be glad that Mom is letting me use it again. Here is a very blurry photo of us sharing it last year (thanks, Blackberry Curve, for the lamest camera ever).
Shady (L) and Nikki (R) December 2009
2. We decided to send another donation to Cocoa over in the UK in Nikki’s honor. Cocoa is a senior chocolate lab that suffers from the same neurological disorder that took Nikki from us. He has been given a permanent foster home with the Oldies Club in the UK where they will make sure he gets the care he needs. We are told he is still getting around and holding his own—and they are going to send us some new photos.
3. Mom also decided another Facebook contest was in order. The winner will be given the opportunity to name their favorite animal rescue or group and we will make a donation to them, too. The contest is simple to enter and is open till 8/30, so please go over to our page and check it out. As always, the donation amount comes right out of our This Good That Bad sales and so far we are up to $75.
4. I have been continuing with my fire truck recovery program. Walks here are about every other night, the weather the last few days has been great and thus far I am holding my own. I am still going through 3 poop bags every 20 minutes, but Mom seems able to keep up—for now.
5. We were surprised to learn about that some of our people friends, who came to us for help with a pet surrender earlier this year, were getting a new pet. They chose to go to a breeder despite the fact that it was rescue who helped them re-home their previous rambunctious dog. The puppy arrives next week…and the excuse they gave about “allergies” does not quite hold up with the breed they chose. As always Mom won’t make them feel bad about their decision because, well, it’s already been made but also because they were pretty patient with their first dog and had to wait a long time to do the right thing for her. Still, I don’t understand how someone can work with a rescue and see all they do for animals and not immediately want to go back and support that effort. They felt so strongly that their dog could still be a good companion for someone else…so why not someone else’s dog for them?
6. And now the one you have all been waiting for…WHY are we up so early? In Mom’s words, “Because I am the Mom, that’s why.” She doesn’t want to be the Mommy today though—the toilet is clogged! The one and only toilet in this old house. We heard those magic words whispered to us at 5AM and have been playing a little game ever since. The game is called “plunge, wait, flush, try again…and hope no one has to go anytime soon.” Old houses can be pretty delicate, so we’ll play a little longer and then maybe have to call a plumber. We could all go back to sleep if they would just use the yard like I do, but people seem a little funny about that. I don’t really think it’s a big deal, and as you know I already have a zillion poop bags on hand, just in case…well, whatever.
So that is our week in review. We know many volunteers were out this weekend working events and doing transports to find homes for their rescues and fosters. We’ll end by thanking them all and praying that all their charges find forever homes soon.
Shady’s Mom, Melissa, is the director of marketing for a firm in NJ by day, and a blogger an entrepreneur by night. She still has good days and bad days since losing two of her dogs last year. She knows they would be proud of her efforts to help animal rescue through her “This good. That bad.” products. If she cannot adopt them all she wants to at least increase their chances any way she can. Please come back and visit us soon and if you are in animal rescue, contact us to learn more about how we can help you fundraise.
Filed under: dogs, pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, homeless animals, LoJack, Nikki, Sam, shady, shadytales, Sophie, this good that bad
There is a reason Mom and I only post on the blog about once a week. It is not for a lack of stories to tell, that’s for sure. It’s just that Mom gets busy with her day job and taking care of me and the house…but that does not take as much time as you’d think. Lately what takes most of her time is This Good That Bad. To be honest, sales have been pretty slow over the summer. What keeps her busy is some of the other things TGTB tries to do for rescue. When she is not running contests, tweeting about homeless pets or trying to keep the Facebook crowd engaged and informed, she is answering emails. Those emails are what I want to tell you about today.
We have shared stories from our inbox here before. This week there was also a disturbing pattern of inquiries and they brought me to a shocking realization. After observing Mom’s reactions I realized that she misses me. I haven’t gone anywhere at all, but that is just the problem. As you may recall, I have been afraid to even go to the front door since the fire truck incidents a few weeks ago. I have also been hanging around mostly downstairs and away from her because everybody knows downstairs and under the desk is just safer. It’s all about self-preservation, really, but I had no idea the effect it would have on her until I considered some of the mail we got.
Sometimes it takes a while, but Mom replies to everyone. Lots of people ask for help promoting adoption events or raising money. Some want to talk about their rescues or the loss of their beloved animals or ask about some of the pets we have written about before. Mom knows it is a real compliment and a privilege for us to meet these people and be trusted with such personal matters. Sometimes there is no real “story” in it that we can share per se, just thought-provoking questions or statements. Well, my thoughts were greatly provoked when one of the questions went like this:
Question: “What advice do you have for others about looking after a very elderly dog?”
Mom’s reply: “Be patient and kind. We will all age someday and deserve to do so with dignity. You’ll be rewarded with a much richer relationship with your pet. I know firsthand. I have seen 2 seniors to the bridge in 12 months. Sad, but there is comfort in knowing I did right by them… through vet visits, meds, ramps and anything else they needed. They had so much more life and love to give than one might have seen at first glance. I developed a closeness with each of them as we went through these things together that is hard to describe and it helped me build confidence and be the person they needed me to become to care for them. I am a better person now just for having known them.”
My reply: “Ummm okay sure, that’s very nice. But I am still your puppy right Mom? No, age 9 must not be a “senior” or elderly because I feel fine and I’m not sick at all but you still love me, right? This little fear thing I am going through—totally different I’m sure. Hey, can she even hear me under here? Pssst Mom! I am right here, under the desk…hellloooooo…”
Then there are all the photos we get. This week some people who read Sam’s Story followed up and sent us photos of their pets, like Sophie and Morganne’s Pup (whose name we missed because she sent us many photos of many dogs for us to share later—sorry about that Morganne). Mom was sure to reply and thank all who sent them.
Sophie, whose Mom saw herself in some of Sam's Story.
Hmmm…right about now is when I realized I have not been very good company to Mom lately. Uh- oh. I knew I needed to do better. I had to snap out of this funk I was in. Now here was the clincher…Mom also got an email request from a friend to do the unthinkable. I never thought I would come to this. Someone asked her to…to…PUPPY SIT. That’s right, you heard me. Mom’s reply was a resounding YES. We are going to have a BLACK LAB puppy staying with us next month. I hear he is very little and sweet. Seriously, what are these people trying to do anyway?
Morganne replied to Sam's Story with several photos, including one of her own pup.
So after that last one, I said “enough.” I started by returning to my usual spot in the kitchen while she had her coffee. Then I followed her outside when she had lunch on the deck. Believe you-me, I hate “outside” but darn it she needs me! She needs her dog back. I will not be replaced with a photo or a memory of Nikki or LoJack or a PUPPY. It was all going fine out there too until they showed up again. The fire trucks!!! There was a big barbecue down the street and they had a problem with a leaking propane tank. Soon there were lights and sirens and all the men in those crazy suits.
You know what I did then? Nothing. I just stayed right out there with her until she came back inside and I continued to stay close all day. If strangers in our inbox can trust her with important stuff, I can too. When it got cooler in the evening she took my harness out and put it near me as she has done a few times since the firemen first appeared. This time I did not run away or bark or hide. Slowly, I let her put it on me. Then I let her open the door. Then we took a walk. In the time it took me to fill three separate poop bags (Okay, so I am a nervous pooper, what of it?!) it was all over and I discovered there is nothing to be afraid of out there as long as Mom is with me. The person you trust with your tales and the person who guided Nikki and LoJack right to the end is more than capable of keeping me safe too.
Note from Shady’s Mom: From the inbox to under the desk–Shady heard you all loud and clear. Thank you for everything…the comments, the well wishes, the stories and the photos. Most of all, I want to thank you for giving me my dog back! Rest assured, she is loved and cherished now as she always was, she just lost sight of it briefly.
Filed under: animal rescue, events, pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, dogs, golden retriever, homeless animals, pet adoption, Sam, senior dogs, seniors, shady, shadytales, TGTB, this good that bad
Hmmm, fiction is more difficult than I thought. How can I get out of this Sam-and-Anne thing?
Thanks to everyone who helped us fill in the blanks on Sam’s story. If you don’t recall exactly where we left off with the senior golden retriever, you can click here to catch up. Sam’s story did spark some comments and it also filled our inbox. At first Mom and I were not sure what to do. Did I mention fiction is not our forte? In a lot of ways we were not too far off the mark with Anne and Sam, as some of you knew all to well what it is like to lose a loved one and have their pet left behind. Others told us about what it is like to age with your pet, or adopt one as a senior. A few simply took the opportunity to write about their love for their pets. We were supposed to write a story inspired by “you”, the readers and the inspiration was received loud and clear. After careful review we’ve decided to just go ahead and let you all write it as well. Here are some of the more memorable things we’ve read this week:
“We have all had some adjustments to make, but Sophie (late husband Bill’s dog) & I are now good friends & she helps me get through the days & take care of the rest of the household. “ K.P
“I didn’t give in to pressure from my family to sell the house. None of these communities allowed large dogs and I was not going to give up Candy (dog). She was more than my last link to Dave (late husband), she became my best friend. I will never regret standing by her until it was her turn to go join him.” L.D.
“Since Oreo passed away, I haven’t been able to have another dog. I know I have to move into a smaller place and it might be a problem. Shady would be proud of me …I get my dog fix from volunteering. Working events and an occasional foster is more rewarding than I would have thought.” R.C.
“I am going to be going to college this fall, and I have no clue how I am going to cope without my dog. But I know that she will be waiting for me when I come home, just as she always has.” M.P.
“Getting my mother a cat has been really good for her. We always had a cat or two growing up; I am not really sure why she didn’t get another after Tammy (late cat) passed away. Since my Dad died it’s clear she loves having someone to take care of again. She likes that Buster is a senior too, it is a nice thing to have in common with someone, I guess.” M. W.
“Because we are close to some adult communities around here, we have a lot of older single people (and their pets) coming into our (veterinary) practice. I have no doubt that having a pet has, for some of them, increased the quality of their life and maybe even extended it” S.D.
So, maybe Sam wasn’t Anne and Joe’s dog after all. Maybe he was a foster. Or her granddaughter’s dog, which she is walking during the day while the rest of the family is at work or school and the granddaughter is away at college. Or maybe Anne walks Sam for her neighbors that don’t get around well anymore in her “55 and over” housing complex. The possibilities are endless. No matter which one you choose as their ending, Sam and Anne will by fine in their literary limbo. They will both remain loved and keep taking care of each other there.
What Mom and I were reminded of though this exercise is simple; love and relationships are not formulas that we can outline neatly. What pets give on the surface may be a somewhat standard; things like a reason to get up in the morning, unconditional love, companionship, someone to take care of and so on. It is what people take from that and how it works into their own lives–the details we sought about Anne and Sam—that are too unique and personal to wrap up with just a few sentences. The end result seems universal though. Having pets or any kind of relationship with animals is good for the human soul and the spirit. No one who wants that in their life should be denied.
Note from Shady’s Mom: Yes, that is really Shady in the photo above. Don’t worry, despite all the gray our 9-year-old girl does not show any signs of slowing down. She has not had an all black coat like you see in the header photo for a few years. A nasty computer virus a few months caused us to lose most of our photos from the past 3 years so we’ll be backing these up ASAP. We finally got around to taking a new photo with a proper camera (as opposed to the phone) yesterday. It only took 700 hundred tries to get one where she held still.
We hope you’ll come back and visit our blog often, and comment freely (we love reading what you have to say). You can also keep up with us at our website www.thisgoodthatbad.com where we help homeless animals by giving them the shirt off our backs. Look for us on Facebook and Twitter too.
Filed under: animal rescue, dogs, pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, LoJack, Nikki, Oldies Club, pet loss, shady, shadytales
As our regular readers know, Mom and I have been dealing with the loss of my adopted siblings LoJack in July and Nikki In January. Mom is still grieving and she has also been worried about me. You see, for the most part I am what humans would call a “follower.” I relied on Nikki a lot, she always knew what we should be doing and when. I really miss her and my brother LoJack and I think would like a new friend. Still, the change in the dog population has felt pretty sudden to us and after lots of consideration we just don’t feel ready to add a new furry friend to our family—yet. Instead Mom helps me keep busy with long walks. I don’t behave very well on a leash because a lot of things scare me (loud cars, other dogs, kid’s basketballs bouncing, those little lawn flags, you know all the really scary stuff of suburbia) and make me break into sudden runs, thus dragging poor Mom along. The only exercise I used to get was tug games with Nikki and wrestling with LoJack. Mom has been very patient with me because she knows I need something to do. She keeps herself busy with this blog and the TGTB fundraisers.
Mom’s busy work has one major pitfall. She hears a lot about really great dogs that need new homes. She knows none of them would replace LoJack or Nikki and she can’t imagine any other dogs in her home besides those she misses so much but she does feel guilty sometimes. We have plenty of room. We have plenty of love. And she was having “one of those days” yesterday…when she was missing her three dog life so much that well, she went ahead and did something about it. She found “Cocoa”! He is a chocolate lab and he is 11 and he likes walks and I already love him….
Wait, let me back up and tell you how that happened…first Mom saw a plea from our friend Jasper and his Mom in the UK for the “Oldies Club”. They helped rescue Jasper a few months back and he is living quite a grand life now thanks to them. This is a rescue group devoted entirely to senior dogs so you can only imagine what their vet bill must be like. I heard they have universal health care in Britain, but apparently it is not extended to us four legged creatures. Anyway we adopted LoJack as a senior and Mom says if she does adopt again, she will surely look for a more mature dog. She says she is too OLD for puppies and so am I. Jasper’s Mom takes the most lovely dog photos and Mom really adores them and she is a big fan of the “Oldies” out so she decided to check out the Oldies Club site and see if she could help them with their vet bills by making a small donation.
Meet Cocoa. You can sponsor him or one of his friends. Visit http://www.oldies.org.uk/
When she got to the site, she noticed a section called “Sponsor an Oldie”. That is where we met our new friend Cocoa. Isn’t he handsome? He has some gray on his muzzle like me, and he sleeps all curled up just like I do. He is suffering from a neurological issue similar to what Nikki had but is still getting around and enjoying life thanks to his foster family. He was taken in by the Oldies Club in January which is right when Nikki left us, so we knew he was the one for us! Mom says we won’t get to meet Cocoa because he lives “across the pond” but we can help his foster family care for him with our donation and maybe keep up with his progress and send him more help again soon. The Oldies Club will keep him in their care and he will live out his life with dignity and love. I kinda wish I could meet him, but seeing other doggies (especially older labs and goldens like Nikki and LoJack) sometimes makes Mom cry, so I am willing to wait till she is ready before I even try to talk about a new brother or a sister.
This sponsor idea was just what we needed here. Mom is very happy to meet Cocoa and to support such a worthwhile cause. I am looking forward to getting our sponsor pack and learning more about him. I think it is a step in the right direction for our family. Maybe you want to check out the Oldies Club and meet some of the Oldies who need a sponsor? Jasper’s Mom is raffling off some of her lovely photo note cards to anyone who donates this month—just visit her blog and let her know so she can enter you in the drawing. PayPal makes it very easy and converts all that dollars to pounds stuff for you. We’ll be back to tell you more when we get our sponsor pack. In the meantime, if you know about a senior dog rescue here in the US, please let us know so we can check them out too.
**REMINDER** the deadline for the Facebook fan page TGTB Writing Challenge is April 30, 2010. In the time it takes you to write 125 characters about your pet, you could win a cash donation for your favorite animal charity, a signed Patrick McDonnell book or one of the other great pet or gift item prizes. Enter today!
Filed under: animal rescue, dogs, pet loss, Senior pets | Tags: animal rescue, anniversary, birthdays, companion animals, dogs, fundraising, golden retreiver, homeless animals, labrador, pets, shadytales
Today is my people-brother’s 19th birthday! That’s a whole lot of dog years, but around here they still call him a kid. As you may recall (if you are following us on Facebook or Twitter) the anniversary of my arrival from the pet store was just a few days ago too. Mom celebrates all that stuff here. When there were three dogs it was a celebration for each of us on our birthday and the date we arrived into the family. Mom kept track of all that for us, except for LoJack (my handsome golden retriever brother). He was a rescue so we never knew his birthday. Mom just made it up.
On your dog anniversary or birthday you get a little spoiling and maybe a special meat based treat, but you have to share with the other dogs. Mostly what you get are stories…lots of reminiscing about where you came from, any silly puppy habits you had and all of that. It always makes me feel very special. Mom never knew quite what to talk about for LoJack. She chose the day the rescue found him for his birthday but even they didn’t know much about where he came from. He’d get extra spoiling to make up for the lack of stories. Although she’d always keep it to herself, she’d sometimes also write a letter to his first family on his new birthday. She knew they’d never see it but it seemed to make her feel better about any tough times that may have been in LoJack’s past. Mom wrote one on his last “birthday”, after we knew he was getting sick but weren’t quite sure how much so. He was gone a few short months later it has been really hard on Mom, but when I remember some of the things she wrote that day and that’s how I know that she doesn’t regret a minute of our life with him.
I am going to let you read some of that letter, but first I want to ask you a few things; do you commemorate birthdays for your pets? How do you celebrate, especially for rescues if they have no recorded history? Please leave us a comment of visit us on Facebook and let us know.
Hello again,
It is that time of year here again, when LoJack celebrates his “birthday” with us. All he has left of his life before us is his name, which was on his collar and all we ever really knew about him. Once we got to know him the name made a lot of sense, as he is always tracking me and wanting to be just where I am. I imagine he did that with you too. That used to really bother me but after all this time I realize I should just be thanking you. Thank you for your timing. This dog has brought our family such love and happiness over the last 4 years. Even one day’s difference on your part may have meant the difference between us finding him or not. If you had to give him up, I am glad that you did it precisely when you did.
LoJack has never held a grudge against you or any person, so I am going to let go of mine too. As much as I love all my dogs, I understand they are a huge responsibility and sometimes one cannot meet it even if they want to. The truth is you have must have done something right to have raised such a wonderful companion for me and for that I will always be grateful.
LoJack is safe and loved here, and we will see him through whatever old age has to dish out. If you worry about him or regret what you did at all, there is no need to think you have to make it up to him. I believe he understands. What you can do instead, if you’d like, is help some other animal companions out there. You don’t have to open your home to another pet to do that. Maybe you could pick up some pet food and drop it off to someone who has a pet but is having a hard time making ends meet. Or, if you have any pets now, you could make sure you set some money aside for their care in case of an emergency. I am sure you can come up with something. No effort is too small. Now of course you will never see this, so I will try to do it for you.
If I could, I would ask you for something more specific…tell me why. Tell me why you got him, why you let him go. Tell me and tell everyone that you regret it, or why it was the only solution you ended up with. Give me something I can use, not just for my own understanding but for others to learn from. I can’t adopt them all—no one can and that is the problem. The only way to save them all is to encourage adoption and slow down the surrenders. Our stories together could help to do that. “
If you have been following my blog and Mom’s website efforts, you can see she is trying to do that last part on her own. She is in good company, many, many people want to help these animals and they do—one dog or cat at a time. She doesn’t have much time to volunteer anymore, but she set up a whole business to help the rescue groups raise money. Her stories about LoJack and me and Nikki are not terribly unique but she shares them all the time to remind people about dogs like LoJack. Please adopt, volunteer, donate or share your stories too. Every dog deserves his day—a special day for celebration and a lifetime of ordinary days to feel loved and comfortable.
