Just wanted to share......

tricia · #1 12-15-2003, 06:15 AM

This morning has been hectic.... i saw an injured dog in a deep valley by my home.... as i love all animals i could not just leave it sitting there in the cold snow scared cold and injured... first thing i do is call animal control...guy on the phone isnt too much of an animal person... since the dog is scared i jus watch her from a distance and gain her trust....after sitting out in the cold for 30 mins or so she finally creeps up to me and i grab a hold of her collar... of course ive been the type that swears animals understand words and start talkin to her...promising her i would not leave her out in the cold all alone....takes me a while but i get her out of the valley and up to the street... still waiting for animal control.. i decide my house is 10 mins away to bring her back home... (cat would of been pissed but oh well)...call animal control again.... and tell them i have her and im walking home and give my address etc... she then is beyond thankful i had her in my reach and within like 10 mins as im still slowly walking with this injured dog an animal control van pulls up... the girl that gets out is soooo nice and checks her over... i explain that there was a cop looking at her b4 and she said yeah they got a call but the cop couldnt catch her... and many ppl tried and it wouldnt happen... and when she put the leash around her neck to take her to the vet the dog looks at me with the most beautiful eyes....and when she tries to pull her away from me she tried to come back to me....like she knew she could trust me... of course i tell her to go with her and she will help you...and the dog goes but keeps looking at me from the van... i wanted to cry..it was like losing a best friend... i had talked with her for 1 1/2 hrs in the cold.... and just felt a connection... the animal control woman tells me a bunch of ppl including the police tried to get her and she wouldnt come... but she came to me... which makes me feel good inside... dogs know who to trust.... and i felt good knowing she could trust me to help her and not hurt her.... i wish i had money and if no one would claim her man i would adopt her.... im still gonna call tomorrow and see if shes ok...hopefully they will tell me...if its not too much and if no one claims her i might try to adopt her.... this touched my heart today... i cant leave an injured animal alone in the cold... i love animals way too much.... jus thought i would share... im teary eyed now....

Erin Pavlina · #2 12-15-2003, 08:17 AM

Aww, you've got me all fa-klempt now too. What a generous, compassionate person you are to do that. You were like her guardian angel today. Let us know what happens with her.

tricia · #3 12-15-2003, 08:54 AM

Erin,

I'm beginning to feel as she was my guardian angel today.... since there are no farm sanctuarys by my house to volunteer at im looking at volunteering at the SPCA/Animal Control. I am gonna see if she will be allowed to be adopted and start saving up the money to do so...she looks old and i dont wanna have her put down... i couldnt handle that...

its crazy but i miss her... i guess spending 1 1/2 hrs in the cold snow talking is enuff to bond with an animal... if i could i would adopt all the animals at the pound...but my apt cant handle that many animals.... lol...

sophie · #4 12-15-2003, 11:51 PM

That's so cool Tricia- good for you.

xmysticprincessx · #5 12-16-2003, 05:31 AM

That story almost souds like fate, like you're meant to have this dog! (I have a similar, though not as heroic story about my half blind "old man cat" Tiger.I just adopted him from the SPCA after he had been there for 5 1/2 months. The SPCA had named him Tiger, and I had a cat named Tiger when I was growing up. I thought that "Old Tiger" would want me to have "New Tiger." He's now the best $41.50 I ever spent and probaby ever will.)

Maybe you can work something out with the SPCA, like if you volunteer so many hours that they will just give you the dog or that you can have her at a reduced price. Especially if she is older (FYI, the vet can tell by their teeth), maybe the SPCA would be more likely to do that. You could even point out the financial side of things, that if you adopt her when she is better, then they don't have to pay to kennel her, feed her, etc.

Good luck with this and keep us updated!

tricia · #6 12-16-2003, 06:02 AM

ok...i called animal control... they told me the dog is ok...her wounds were superficial (didnt look like that yesterday)... but im upset i cant stop crying... they will not release her to me cuz i am not her owner and if they give her to me its theft... and if the SPCA doesnt pick her up for adoption then she will be put down cuz she is older...

i called the SPCA to see what their criteria is for picking up dogs for adoption and they base it all on tempermant, good health, etc... they do adopt older dogs but not all of them... she told me to wait out the 72 hrs and call back and see if they picked her up.... 72 hrs is a very long time....

another bad part is adoption is $280 + 7% tax....

that sux...now im all upset...and probably some ppl think im weird... but i just happen to be a big animal lover.... so now the waiting game begins....

xmysticprincessx · #7 12-16-2003, 06:17 AM

So let me get this right... the Animal Control agency that is supposed to help animals and be all for them might put down a perfectly wonderful dog instead of giving her to a potentially caring owner???

Maybe you should see if they have a Seniors for Seniors program. (Don't be insulted... I have an idea...) Since I know money can be tight, and especially an extra $300 around the holidays and such, why not ask one of your parents/grandparents or an elderly neighbor to adopt him for you if they have a program like that. Programs like those will usually sell older animals to the elderly at a reduced price. (But don't say they will be giving the dog to you.) Like maybe tell them that you were going to get the dog for your Grandma to keep her company but since it would be cheaper for Grandma to buy her, tell them you want to go that route.

Or how about seeing if they have some sort of payment plans? Like maybe $100 down payment and then $100 a month for the next 3 months.

Or maybe call the SPCA and ask them to do a preadoption type thing, that when this dog is available to them to take her. Maybe even try to put down a deposit just so that they know you are serious. And dont talk to the moron at the desk answering phones. Try to get a supervisor or the person who selects the animals to bring in. (How about the resident vet?)

And then when you finally get this dog, all this heartache will be worth it when she looks at you and you look at her and you both know that you saved her life.

tricia · #8 12-16-2003, 08:14 AM

I have given her that name jus to be able to refer her to something other than the dog.....

there is hope in my receiving "faith" to be part of our family... i looked on the internet for animal rescue groups that i could plead my case to to see if one of them can get "faith" out of animal control before she is put down... and i will take her in... even if it means being her foster parent while still searching for her owners....

i pleaded my case to a local group... normally they do not rescue dogs cuz its hard for them to find foster families for dogs...but i explained to her if they can go in and rescue her i will take her in.... she said she has to speak with another person on their board and talk to animal control.... so im keeping my fingers crossed and who knows maybe "faith" and i will be reunited.... man i couldnt stop crying earlier... i dont want her to be put down.... and it doesnt make sense to the lady from the animal rescue group either...that instead of putting her down let her come to a loving home... i would be willing to pursue finding her real owners if its a big deal about theft.... but the laws need to be changed.... shes old and i dont c anyone wanting to adopt her...

its sad cuz this is the truth with human kids... the older the animal or child is the less adoptable they are....but i wanna give her a good home and all the love and attention i can even if she lives for only a few more years at least her final years will be happy and filled with love....

man im rambling getting all teary eyed again..... this is my update.... hopefully soon i will be able to tell all of u interested that i have received "faith"....

duckie1978 · #9 12-16-2003, 08:54 AM

See if your SPCA has foster homes for animals. I had a friend who worked for an animal shelter and she had me foster a mother cat and her two kittens because they were still nursing. They provided a large cage (which I did not keep them in, they had a spare bedroom all to themselves when I wasn't home), all the necessities: food, dishes, litter, litter pans (which I didn't accept as I had my own or bought it), etc. Once the kittens were old enough, they went to the shelter (which was a no-kill) to be adopted. They also had people foster animals who were sick or before they were ready for adoption, when the shelter was checking out the animals temperment and all that. You have to fill out paperwork and interview and all that, but it might be an option.

tricia · #10 12-16-2003, 08:57 AM

unfortunately our shelters are kill shelters...

so hopefully this local group can get her from the pound since they are an animal rescue and they are willing to let me take her...she was touched by my story... and the fact i was practically breaking down on the phone.... this local group has a foster program...so i might foster for them.... if i cant get "faith"... im not gonna give up easily...im gonna bug everyone.... and who knows maybe if i bug them enuff they will want me out of their hair...lol... and jus give her to me...lol...

annie7 · #11 12-17-2003, 02:02 AM

Maybe the lady at the shelter who agrees with you could "not be looking" when faith "accidently" escapes?

tricia · #12 12-17-2003, 03:19 AM

Good news.... one of the woman that was going to help me adopt faith through her animal rescue group has a contact at the animal control. She was picked up by her owners

I am excited because she wont be put down. Kinda sad though. But as long as she is safe I am ok. Now im opening my home to fostering animals. I am also trying to volunteer at an animal shelter, and who knows maybe adopt an older dog when I have some money after xmas. Just thought I would adopt you all who were interested. Thanks for the ideas. I greatly appreciate having somewhere to talk to people who care about animals as much as i do. Most people think im nuts for even spending time out there in the cold waiting for animal control or for even finding out about how she is doing.

Fiona · #13 12-17-2003, 04:47 AM

Glad to hear your story has a happy ending.

Happy birthday to your daughter!

Fiona