Rescue Journal

new dog in...

Carol  ·  Oct. 12, 2016

i was going to say no..we are full and still have several waiting in the wings.
but then i saw him.

one of our vets called just as i was ready to go grab some lunch in between clients.

she said the dog was brought in for euthanization, he snapped at the face a 4 yr old today, and his family took him to the spca but they were unable to take dogs who try to bite kids...not many rescues will. it is a liability issue. and it wasn't this dog's first offense either, he bit a visiting male friend last year on the hand when the friend went to pet his head. plus the vet said the dog was fearful in the clinic (but lot's of dogs are), had terrible, chronically inflamed skin from a probable flea allergy, snapped at the vet when she tried to look at his skin, has not been around other dogs, the family was going thru really hard times and could not afford his vet care p0lus he was no longer trusted around the family small children. oh...and he has been pooping in the house for the past few months. this guy was a disaster star.

so i was thinking..ok 10 yr old bad skin, incontinent and fearful dog with a bite history who has never really been around other dogs and we are already too full. but i felt an obligation to look him in the eye and say, sorry we can't help you and accept the fact that he would die. so i headed over to the clinic, planning my gentle but absolute refusal, willing to shoulder the guilt like a trooper...
and my plan fell apart.

nice dog. sweet dog. came right away and let me pet him. bad skin that we could really help him with.
shit.

honestly...here is the thing about rescue....this is exactly how rescues end up with too many!
man, i gotta pull my heartstrings in and shove them in my back pockets for a few weeks.
and here is the other thing, and it is a terrible thing to say out loud.
laddie has his euthanization appointment tomorrow so i know we are going to be down one much loved dog. laddie's kidneys are toast and he is no longer feeling well. and i know laddie is tired and ready to be done and i know this messed up dog standing in front of me does not have to die...he has plenty of life in him yet.

fucking rescue. i gave this new dog laddie's spot before laddie was even gone. that sucks because it is both right and wrong.
welcome ricco. i hope you find the happiness here that laddie is leaving for you.


we love you laddie, you are an incredibly great dog and all of us are truly going to miss you.

rescue sucks.

Comments

Val

Love you Laddie :( Will miss our barn snuggles and watching you swim in the pond!

Fiona

Will definitely miss Laddie, such a nice dog. Such hard decisions to make.

Michelle

You did right, Carol....Gawd I couldn't do what you do....love you laddie...welcome ricco!!❤❤