- We're sending another 12 dogs to Denver tomorrow morning.
- After ten days out sick, AK is back and we're glad to have her.
- After three months missing, a ferret was reunited with his owner by LM. She checks Craig's List almost every morning to see if she can match up any of our animals and get them back home.
- The new software is installed and we are just waiting on training. It only took a year!
- I got to see several women graduate from a dog grooming program in which the shelter participates. They have overcome challenges in their lives and are ready to start new chapters. It was very moving and there were many hugs and some tears.
- JW and his wife have a new baby girl.
- And for the past few days space has not been a deciding factor in the hard decisions.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Points of light
Even with the difficulties of money and staff, small points of light keep shining through.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Which one is the beanie baby?
Take a quick glance at this photo - can you tell which one is real? The beanie baby lion on the right is the favorite toy of Frank, a two week old Boston Terrier puppy that came into the shelter a few days ago. He came in with an owner surrender dachshund Mom and her puppies. It was so obviously not a member of Mom's litter!
LM has taken on Frank's care. She brings him in every morning and takes him home every night. Frank has a special spot in the clinic and he loves sleeping with his lion.
Another case of taking our work home.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Home in purple
Fiona went home today. Her new people brought a beautiful new purple collar and leash and she looked wonderful. I'm going to miss her.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Fiona's people arrive
It is a day to celebrate - Fiona has been adopted! I dropped her at the office to be spayed this morning and start her heartworm treatment. I was at a seminar all day and when I got back to the office late this afternoon she was being visited by her new family. She had been pouting all afternoon but seemed happy to see me. I brought her home tonight to rest and recover from surgery and we'll see how she is doing tomorrow. I know a new family is the best thing for her but I'm going to miss her alot. Adopting her and then leaving her home with my two all day is not what she needs. I'm also seeing some stress in my two labs. They are not used to having to share!
A welcome break from the office today, attending a day-long seminar on social networking. Trying to determine the best ways to use Twitter, Facebook and all the other social media opportunities can be mindboggling.
A welcome break from the office today, attending a day-long seminar on social networking. Trying to determine the best ways to use Twitter, Facebook and all the other social media opportunities can be mindboggling.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Some hard weeks
Budget cuts, staff changes, and difficult animal decisions have conspired to make the last two weeks very difficult.
We found out last week that Fiona is heartworm positive. Her last puppy was adopted last Saturday and so SH brought her to me at the end of the day. I just couldn't stand the thought of her alone in my office over the rest of the weekend without her babies. So I had four chocolate labs at my house - on a very wet, rainy weekend. Fiona and Georgie played and played and played. In fact it was hard to keep Georgie as quiet as he needs to be during heartworm treatment. So I've been taking her back to the office during the day so that he's not too stressed.
With the heartworm diagnosis comes the tough decision. Treat or not - spend high dollars on one animal or a few dollars on several animals. I've already committed to treating Georgie, a young male, and fostering him until he is cured and ready for adoption. Fiona is an older, female lab who has had many litters. Her chances of adoption at the shelter are fairly slim and the local breed rescue has as many heartworm positive animals as they can handle. Can we dedicate the space to hold her for an extended length of time when we are getting more than twenty animals every day, healthy puppies and young adults who are very cute and not sick?
Yesterday the veterinary staff and I made the decision that we should euthanize Fiona. I asked only that we wait till the end of the day and that I hold her while she was euthanized. I had a series of difficult personnel meetings to get through first. I took Fiona to the clinic late yesterday and sat on the floor to talk with her and hold her. Living with her for six weeks and watching her care for her puppies had created a close bond. For the first time I had tears running down my face while at the office. It felt like we had just used her until she had done her job nursing the pups and was now expendable. I looked at Dr. P and she looked at me. AK, LM and JS were there ... and we couldn't do it. We had gotten too close - she had become a fixture in the building and a favorite of the staff. Several of them had taken turns walking her several times each day.
So I took Fiona home last night. She walked out the front door and ran for my car. She trotted in front of me this morning on our way in and she is now sitting at my feet along with Georgie and my own two chocolate labs. There are more hard decisions to come - some will be as difficult to face as yesterday's. All I can hope for is the instinct and the courage to make the right ones.
We found out last week that Fiona is heartworm positive. Her last puppy was adopted last Saturday and so SH brought her to me at the end of the day. I just couldn't stand the thought of her alone in my office over the rest of the weekend without her babies. So I had four chocolate labs at my house - on a very wet, rainy weekend. Fiona and Georgie played and played and played. In fact it was hard to keep Georgie as quiet as he needs to be during heartworm treatment. So I've been taking her back to the office during the day so that he's not too stressed.
With the heartworm diagnosis comes the tough decision. Treat or not - spend high dollars on one animal or a few dollars on several animals. I've already committed to treating Georgie, a young male, and fostering him until he is cured and ready for adoption. Fiona is an older, female lab who has had many litters. Her chances of adoption at the shelter are fairly slim and the local breed rescue has as many heartworm positive animals as they can handle. Can we dedicate the space to hold her for an extended length of time when we are getting more than twenty animals every day, healthy puppies and young adults who are very cute and not sick?
Yesterday the veterinary staff and I made the decision that we should euthanize Fiona. I asked only that we wait till the end of the day and that I hold her while she was euthanized. I had a series of difficult personnel meetings to get through first. I took Fiona to the clinic late yesterday and sat on the floor to talk with her and hold her. Living with her for six weeks and watching her care for her puppies had created a close bond. For the first time I had tears running down my face while at the office. It felt like we had just used her until she had done her job nursing the pups and was now expendable. I looked at Dr. P and she looked at me. AK, LM and JS were there ... and we couldn't do it. We had gotten too close - she had become a fixture in the building and a favorite of the staff. Several of them had taken turns walking her several times each day.
So I took Fiona home last night. She walked out the front door and ran for my car. She trotted in front of me this morning on our way in and she is now sitting at my feet along with Georgie and my own two chocolate labs. There are more hard decisions to come - some will be as difficult to face as yesterday's. All I can hope for is the instinct and the courage to make the right ones.
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