It was a day like any other day, except I happened upon a picture of a dog at an animal control in rural Kentucky. We have a rescued dog already, plus a whole bunch of rescued cats, so I try NOT to look at pictures of animals needing to be rescued. It gives me horrid angst. We’re full up w/ animals and shouldn’t take any more. As much as I would like to save them all, the cold hard truth is–we can’t.
Then along comes #194, a medium sized mixed breed. His picture immediately tugged on me. ALL the pictures of animals needing to be rescued tug on me, of course, but this was different in some way I can’t explain.
So I called down to the animal control where the dog was being held and asked about him. I talked to the man who picked him up as a stray. He seemed a very caring type and gushed on about how sweet this particular dog was. He told me #194 had been passed over twice already for euthanasia because he and a couple of the other workers had taken a special liking to him.
Just as an aside, I can’t imagine what a hard job that must be. I had expected everyone I talked to there to be a little hard, a little burned out, not forthcoming with information, but no one I talked to was like that AT ALL. It was a very nice surprise.
Anyway, the man told me a rescue out of NY was coming that day to take him. He was very sure #194 would go with this organization, but I could call back on Friday to make sure he’d gone.
I almost didn’t call back on Friday since the man was so sure #194 would go, but I’m really glad I did. The NY rescue didn’t take him because the transporter lacked room enough in her vehicle. The woman I talked to that day at animal control also gushed about the sweetness of this dog and she was devastated that his options were now all gone. He would have to be put on the euthanasia schedule for Monday and couldn’t be passed over again.
So, yeah, NO. 😉 My husband and I adopted him over the phone and a transporter was arranged to bring the dog to us on Saturday.
And, just like that, we had a new family member.
This is a picture of him right after we picked him up from the transporter. He was terrified and shedding like crazy (as you can see).
I worried how he would be with our current dog, who is a large girl (a German Shep/Husky mix about twice his size) and older than this young guy. I worried whether or not he was housebroken. I worried how he would be with our cats.
I didn’t need to worry. 🙂
He spent the first day and night very frightened, but by yesterday morning he realized he was all right. He’s still insecure and sticks close to my side, but he’s really come out of his shell since Saturday. He’s amazingly well-behaved, aside from the fact I don’t think he’s ever seen a cat. My best friend says he thinks they’re indoor squirrels, 😉 but we’re working with him on that (and taking absolutely no chances with my purry babies). He’s not aggressive toward them, but they DON’T want to play.
Other than that, he is fitting in amazingly well. Almost as if it was meant to be. 🙂
Here’s a picture of him out of his shell and feeling more relaxed. What a difference, right?
We named him Bingo. Not my first choice, but my daughter picked it.
So, it was an eventful weekend for us. We weren’t quite expecting to add another member to the family, but sometimes these things just happen.
And, in this case, I think we really got lucky. He’s an amazing guy.
He is so cute! Looks like he has some basenji in him from that second picture 🙂
by Jen April 7th, 2011 at 11:14 amBingo is so cute. He looks like Cam in the ears down pic, my younger dog, with those soulful eyes saying “love me, love me, c’mon and loooove me.” And that great big grin is adorable. (Cam still doesn’t understand cats and it’s been nearly 1.5 years since I picked my little mutt up.)
I completely understand about adding more than expected. My foster fail, an older pug, was an unplanned addition. I was trying to find her a home (not too hard, though) but she wormed her way into my heart. She’s completely lazy and a perfect fit. She’s also my 4th animal while I’m jobless and living with my mom while tending to her after surgery. (My cats are being fostered by a friend for 4 hours away since mom’s allergic.) But there’s something so nice at completing an unknown empty family.
by Jesi April 7th, 2011 at 12:14 pmI know EXACTLY how you feel. I always try to stay away from ads and public adoptions for fear that I’ll cave.
We currently have 1 dog and quite a herd of cats. Not once did we expect to get any of the animals that we had.
There is not one more animal that should be added to the brood. They think so even more than I do. Even now there is a stray that we have been taking care of outside.
But sometimes things turn out unexpectedly well.
by Rae M. April 7th, 2011 at 1:06 pmAnd Bingo looks adorable and like he’s happy .
What a happy story — and on a day when I lost my last cat to heart failure. I volunteer at the area’s only no-kill shelter; I’m sure I’ll be adopted sooner or later. Hopefully sooner.
by Susan Helene Gottfried April 7th, 2011 at 3:34 pmHe looks so happy!
by Diane Sadler April 7th, 2011 at 4:29 pmThank you for reminding people that you can adopt at a shelter. Two of my cats are from a shelter & my fist cat was found under a porch by a friend. This is a good way to bring a animal into your home. My shelter is partially run out of a mall & they have a viewing room where the whole family can play with the animals. We had a perfect fit. Our cat Rayna was a 6 week old when we got her and we are now celebrating her first birthday April 20th. Congratulations on your new family member!!!!!!
by Rachel April 7th, 2011 at 5:31 pmI can’t look at the pictures of the dogs needing adoption. That’s how we ended up with out Ginger. I wish I had a ton of money so I could help all of the animals! Congrats on your new baby.
by Jen B. April 7th, 2011 at 6:14 pmThat first photo, with his big eyes…such a sweetie, and I’m not even a dog person 😀
by Tez Miller April 7th, 2011 at 7:38 pmI, too, wish I could adopt every dog at the pound. I could not work there. This past Saturday our family bought tickets for a benefit barbecue that was to help raise money to help our local shelter care for 241 dogs they had rescued from one individual who had been breeding dogs to sell and got totally out-of-hand. Can you imagine 241 dogs at one location? The shelter is hoping to feed and care for them enough to make them eligible for adoption. I helped spread the word so others would buy tickets for the benefit. I hope they did very well.
by GladysMP April 7th, 2011 at 9:07 pmThanks, guys. He’s fitting into the family scary well. 🙂
by Anya April 8th, 2011 at 6:21 amOh he is cute! Wish I could rescue every animal I see… my heart always goes out to them!
by Colleen April 8th, 2011 at 9:56 amHe’s too cute Anya! What a great story. Thanks for sharing.
by Jess (The Cozy Reader) April 10th, 2011 at 7:32 amThat’s awesome!
A feew months ago I went to the shelter to adopt 1 or maybe 2 rats and ended up taking all 4 that they had because I couldn’t pick just 2. I’m so happy I adopted all 4 of them now.
by Mary Kirkland April 10th, 2011 at 9:28 amBefore I start this, I want to tell all animal owners to please get health insurance for your animal. It has saved us quite a bit on vet fees. Look into it. It can pay up to 80% of vet costs. We are with the ASPCA
In the early 1980’s, in my head, I kept hearing get a dog, you need a dog, etc.
So my older son and I went to the MSPCA and checked out the dogs. My son liked the Dalmatian, but we have allergies and shedding that amount was not an option. In one cage was a puppy but being told 70+ lbs was way too big for our home.
About a month or 2 later, we went back to the shelter and there was the puppy again. and now we were told 55-60 lbs. Also she came to the front of the cage, something she wouldn’t do with anyone else. The clincher-after being in 2 other homes she was due to be put down the next day.. The voice finally stopped
Buffy and I became as one. She basically went everywhere with me. We realized that one of the previous adopters had severely abused her. Just holding up a ruler or putting your hand on a mop stick the dog started to shiver and try to get small. Buffy and I became inseparable. She was given a wonderful life and as she aged she got Cushing’s Disease and the vet was never able to find the exact dose that worked and he tried. It came down to one dose too much and the lower dose too little.
Buffy telepathied me one morning at 4 AM. I sat up in bed and then ran to find her and she was in front of her water bowl, sitting unable to move. It went down hill from there but the telepathy from her never stopped until 2 days later. I was home alone around supper time when I dropped my fork and started to cry and 5 minutes later found out she had just passed on her own, at the vet’s. She visited me a few days later. I saw her in a sliding glass door at night. And she made more appearancs. Her urn sits on my bureau in my room as does Mocha’s..
!0 days later the same go get a dog and we had Mocha a 50 lb Schnoodle. She died of cancer all over her body at 12.. Vet never found it. During Mocha’s last 4 months in my head was, my name will be Lily.
by Janice Gould April 11th, 2011 at 12:05 pmAwww, you guys warm my heart!!! Bingo did get sick over the weekend–really, really sick. But I have a great vet and things are under control. I have faith he’s going to be okay.
Janice — that is an amazing story. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I need to look into pet insurance. It’s probably a good idea for us.
by Anya April 12th, 2011 at 10:04 amHe is sooo cute! I am so happy that there are people with such a big hearts and love for animals. I’m sure he is going to be OK.
by Fran April 12th, 2011 at 12:27 pm