Too expensive!

On occasion, we hear the adoption donations for our puppies are too expensive at the rescue shop.  Facts are, everyone wants puppies and not as many people are interested in adopting an older dog.  It is terrible the way human nature is... when it is new and shiny like a bright copper penny, it has greater desire, but the older and more 'tarnished' that penny becomes, the less value it has for the adopting public.

When other rescue organizations leave these old timers behind because of decreased adoptability, I don't fault them... each rescue needs to run based upon a dream or passion.  I clearly understand the philosophy of faster adoptions, quicker turn around in limited amounts of funds, etc.  "We can save MORE dogs if we don't pull the older dogs, the sick ones or the dogs that need long term rehabilitation or socialization, Linda!"  And that's OK with me... Ya gotta do what you feel you need to do, ya know?

At TLC, we don't save our dogs on the basis of age, health or behavior.  I used to say it was because I am 'older than dirt' and I feel for the old timers... that's why we had older dogs that took longer to get adopted.  All of the volunteers I work with at the rescue shop are at least 30 or 35 years YOUNGER than me, so I have found I can no longer substantiate this position.  The next generation of rescuers are just as committed (if not more so) than I am to saving ALL dogs that are going to die, regardless of their age.

And I understand the public's comment of "I don't want to adopt someone else's headache, so I ONLY want a puppy".  There are times my daughter was damned inconvenient to be around as she grew up (especially in that "I know it all" stage).  She'd come home from school with some pretty odd ideas taught to her by a teacher, and I'd scratch my head, wondering what in the world that teacher had in mind when she planted that thought process into Desiree's head!  Didn't change how much (or how less) I loved her, nor did her "I know it all and you don't know nuthin" stage force me to ship her off to some other relative!  (smile)

There is something these old timers have that takes years to produce in a puppy... that calm, "I just want to look at you and love you" persona not found in most puppies.  Such is the case with Mr. Bill who is currently at the rescue shop and available for adoption.

He has had years of an untreated medical condition that destroyed his coat, grew fat and puddgey, then dumped at a high kill shelter by his owner.  One of our soft-hearted volunteers opted to bail him out before he was killed and he arrived on our TLC doorstep.  

Now, Mr. Bill is on a specific diet with a host of supplements to reverse the damage to his coat.  Little by little, he has started losing weight... but that little stinker does not care for the supplements we have to add.   So the TLC volunteers go through all kinds of hijinks to outwit him... We all share in our efforts to find the perfect and fail safe way of getting the needed stuff down him once a day!

Originally we were told he was blind, but I think we need to get those folks glasses of their own!  On Saturday, I had Mr. Bill bebooping around the back room as we waited for him to eat his breakfast.  Every time I turned around, there he was behind me, watching what I was doing and I think when I carried the third basket of laundry from the washer to the dryer, he thought I was working just too hard - either that or he was tired of following me around!

He figured out if he stayed in the apex of the activity going on, he'd see me coming and going.  And that if he looked up at me so darn endearing,  I'd cave in and give him another goodie!  Mr. Bill now has no teeth because they were in such bad shape upon his arrival, they needed to all be pulled.  I don't think he is sad they are gone either... he's just a happy, happy camper now and toodles around like nobody's business!  

He has come such a LONG way from the state we found him in...  Is it cheap to do this?  No... that's where those 'too expensive adoption donations' go... Certainly not in my pocket because I don't get a pay check and I work six days at the rescue shop (usually at least 10-12 hours most days).  

But for those that say, "He's just an old dog and who wants that?", I ask you to come in and sit with Mr. Bill in the meet & greet for half an hour.  Then you tell me he didn't deserve to live, get healthy and now be on the look out for his furever home!  He's healthier now, his mouth has been taken care of, and he appreciates the finer things in life that a puppy does not - calm times spent loving us, being potty trained, having an 'attitude for gratitude' having seen hard times, etc.

If you GOTTA have puppy poop to pick up throughout the day, widdle to clean off your carpets, that's OK by us - we always have puppies for some odd reason.  But we also offer you great dogs like Mr. Bill, who have hearts brimming with love, are guaranteed to make you giggle several times a day and unconditional, consistent furever love!

As Always,
Linda