Thursday, September 20, 2007

Gary

I guess I can talk about Gary now.

We didn't plan on bringing a Special Needs foster dog into our home with everything on our plates right now: BAD RAP's conference just hours away, more travel plans to the east coast just ahead, November's Pit Ed Camp to plan for and the Tuff Love Art Show all breathing down our necks. But sometimes louder voices call to you and you just have to listen.

This boney guy was covered in hundreds of fleas on his scarred, filthy dirty, starving little body. Just another day in an urban animal shelter. He was nobody's dog and he was basically, already dead. But he managed to look us in the eye with the calmest look of quiet resignation. Suckers-R-We ... we only meant to give him a bath before he went to meet his Maker, but his brown eyes sold us a bill of goods and five baths later, we loaded him up in the car.

When we can manage it, our group will take home compassion cases for the purpose of letting them die in peace after a few days of rest, love and sunshine. We don't talk about it much because, frankly, it's both painful and controversial. Why save a dog only to put it to sleep? In some cases, a dog's temperament is iffy, or - like Gary here - a dog might be too injured or too sick to invest limited resources into. I wish we could take on more of these cases, because there sure are a lot of shelter dogs that deserve a few days of quiet comfort before they pass on.

So, Gary.

Its hard to know exactly what his temperament is like. He's just too sick and shut down to care about much except mealtime and long naps. But today, after four days of food and sleep, he trotted outside, smiled at everyone, threw himself on the ground and did the classic Doggy Joy Dance on his back...legs kicking happily, tail wagging. We were thrilled. Even our personal dogs were happy to see it (he seems to like our dogs too).

Because dogs live in the Now rather than the 'What happens tomorrow?' future, we're happy just knowing that he's finally living. Whether or not he can be a part of our adoption program is still an unknown. Of course, we're hopeful...

Now onto that Conference! We so look forward to seeing old and new friends so we can plan better days for the Garys of the world. Bravo to all the participants and to the organizers who have been working long hours to create a fantastic event.

6 comments:

julie said...

It's heartwarming that Gary made it! What a happy story. I really hope he's the sweetheart his photos look like. What a cutie!

Jackelyn said...

Oh, poor sweet Gary. Thank God for your wonderful group. Your work restores my faith in humanity.

Anonymous said...

Donna,

I read it last night and I cried; I read it now (a.m. on the East Coast) and I cried. I remember the statistic; every 16 seconds in this country, a dog is euthanized. And perhaps for Gary, a second might be skipped and it is for one little bleep, 18 seconds before the next dog.

All because of careless owners, backyard breeders, ignorant people.

You make a dent though, one dog at a time. Here on the East Coast, I regularly give out your website name to people I see on the streets in this oh-so-fashionable, labrador retriever neighborhood. It warmed my heart the other when I ran into a young couple, with Ivy, a friendly happy 6 month old female bully. They told me that they go to your site, about every day...for information, for solace, for support.

Thank you for being there...for all of us.

Dina

Anonymous said...

"When we can manage it, our group will take home compassion cases for the purpose of letting them die in peace after a few days of rest, love and sunshine. We don't talk about it much because, frankly, it's both painful and controversial. Why save a dog only to put it to sleep?

How can you not ??? Life is Life..
the only question remaining is ...
Do you have a soul ????

Yes...You Guys Do !!!!!

Anonymous said...

Gary is just one of so many good things you do. I hope and pray that he will get the chance of a new life and home, like so many others you have help!

Anonymous said...

Gary - what a sweetheart. Do you have an update on his well being? He deserves life.