Monday, April 11, 2016

"You're too fat"

"Owner surrender requesting euthanasia because dog is too fat"

You might think we are kidding, but no, we're not.  We have several of these dogs now at the rescue center.  In fact, we pulled three at one time and set up a special area just for them with extra room to walk around in, feeding them special diets, a program set up with our dog walkers and logs to monitor their weight loss.

We call it our "Chunky Monkey" section and no one can believe these sweet dogs were destined to die - requested to be put to death by their owners - because they were fed too much and/or the wrong things and allowed to get "fat".

What do you even say to someone when they tell you this?


When Sox came to TLC on the 22nd of February, she weighed 29 pounds.   You had to help her stand up by pulling slightly on the lead to give her that extra hand in going from a laying down position to an upright, standing position.  She could not walk up or down the steps of the rescue center... in fact, she was 'done' and out of breath simply walking from the dog room to the front door of the rescue center! 

Then our dog walker would have to carry her down the front stairs, nudge and coax her to walk 200' around on the sidewalk, then carry her up the back steps!

Today, seven weeks later, she weighs 21 pounds.  She is no longer out of breath simply by her walk, can stand up on her own and looks forward to her walks... bring the leash and she is ready to go!


We haven't done anything spectacular here - just simply cared enough about her life to do the right thing.  Sox has been to the vet and there is nothing really medically wrong with her.  Our vet was really impressed by how much weight she's lost in 7 weeks (8 pounds) and by this time next month in May, she'll be at her ideal weight.

Now Sox can sit down like a normal dog, and walks without the pain of her hind legs being stretched too far apart because of the extra girth in her belly.  This dog's frame was never meant to carry almost 30 pounds - her ideal weight is 15.

As for her special diet, we purchase frozen green beans and freshly shredded carrots in addition to the high quality kibble (Zignature) that we feed all of our rescued dogs.  A bit of warmed up salt-free chicken broth popped into the microwave added to the mix?  The chunky monkeys love their extra special meals at TLC!

Sox could use an advocate however... Or more than one... Someone willing to come to the rescue center and walk her once a day, or several times a week. Have you been wanting to give back and not been able to figure out how?  This could be your gentle act of paying it forward -- to help save the life of a sweet, deserving dog that did not deserve to die because she was 'too fat'!



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