Taxi Needs a Ride

Taxi is a senior maltese at the Animal Protection League in Anderson, Indiana. He has bad teeth and even a couple of snaggle teeth in the front, a hernia, a fatty tumor, and with his age and health issues, he has yet to be adopted or even fostered. Ever since I first saw his face and read his story, my gut instinct has refused to let him out of my mind.

If I were still in Indiana, I would contact my rescue coordinator, aka "partner in crime", and ask to make a road trip to get him, with a stop at our favorite Taco Bell on the way. We used to do that every chance we had --- and always took extra crates so we could pull a few more adoptable dogs and even cats while we were there.

I can't explain the attraction. I look at pictures on Petfinder every day, but this little guy has gotten into my head and heart.

The Animal Protection League, formerly Anderson Animal Care and Control, has one of the most caring and dedicated staff ever. They try their level best to find homes for dogs, cats, and occasionally a chicken, goat, or some other animal.

Taxi - my prayer is for you to have a new home for Christmas.

Roxy Gets Another Chance

Roxy is an 18 month old German shorthair mix that was adopted from a local humane society at eight weeks old. She has a certificate of completion in obedience school, knows sit, down, high five, shake, is spayed, and very well house trained and crate trained and isn't a barker. She's currently at the end of her "teenage years". She weighs around 40 pounds and is a beautiful chocolate with classic shorthair white markings on her legs and belly.

My son called me one day and said her owners had decided that they could no longer keep her because of their 12 hour shift work and her "hyper" behavior. He asked if I would consider taking her in and doing some rehab as she also didn't come when called, and after that go on and find her a new home. They didn't want to take her to a local shelter as they were concerned about the possibility of euthanasia.

Roxy came to me with the main problem of not paying attention. I worked with her on her leash skills and recall, and in a matter of a couple of days she was walking like a champion on a leash and starting to come when called. My husband actually asked me just why they were giving her up as she has been so very well behaved here.

She improved so rapidly and behaved so well that I contacted the owner, as was the agreement, and told her that I really felt she could make this work if she was willing to take some advice, instruction and coaching along the way.

Yesterday I got an email saying that they felt their long shifts at work would make it just too difficult to take her back and to find her a new home. I was disappointed, but went on to email a local rescue that was willing to post her on Petfinder for me.

However, today I got another call asking if I really thought it could work. The owners just can't stand the thought of giving her up for good. Of course I do!!! So Roxy is going to get to go home, and I am going to do my level best to help them make this work for the whole family! So, in our prayers at Thanksgiving, we will be sure to include a prayer for this family and their success.

Cat Problems

This is about someone who is trying to save a bunch of cats --- barn cats to be specific --- that were dumped by people who didn't want them. These kind hearted folks live on a gravel road in the middle of acres and acres of farms, and they have provided shelter, food, and gentled these cats. They started out getting them spayed and neutered, but soon there were so many more that their fixed income would not allow them to continue the practice. As word spread that you could dump your cats on that piece of road and they would be fed and cared for, more were dumped. Just last week a tiny gray long hair about 8 weeks old was dropped off. You know it didn't stray out there!!!

Now, with winter coming and so many to feed, these folks need to find homes or barns or something for these animals. They have contacted rescue groups and shelters. The shelters will take them and admit that there are so many cats that euthanasia is almost guaranteed. The rescues want to charge these kind folks from $20 to $50 per cat to take them in. There are about 20 cats. In all cases, the rescues were somewhat accusatory - asking why they didn't have them all altered. I guarantee you that if that many animals, dog or cat, were dumped around here, we could not personally afford to alter all of them and neither can these folks. The fact that they have provided the care that they have and are concerned for their continued welfare speaks for itself.

I know the cats were dumped. I know they have been taken in and fed and given shelter and affection and attention. I don't know what the solution to her problem is going to be. I have found homes for a few of them with people who will make sure they do not reproduce.

I guess my biggest problem with this whole thing is that these good folks are going to have to pay lots of money they really can't afford to spend to attempt to be sure that these animals have homes and care ----- and they weren't the ones who just dumped them on a gravel road to get rid of them!!!!!!