(no subject)
I'm doing some web site work today, which loosely means that I have done absolutely nothing so far except surf some web sites about adoption and such. I know we can't afford this option, and yet I cannot look away.
Had a good day at the shelter yesterday. We might be getting some new volunteers in the form of a couple of young girls who'd like to start coming by to help out. I don't know how much of the clean up and maintenance work they would want to do, but I let them know that even just to come in and play with the animals would be a help, since it's impossible to give them all the attention they need, try as we might. I am already feeling a lot of affection for the cats, and some of the more timid ones are becoming more used to me. The one who doesn't like to be touched, who I'll call Patty for the sake of this journal (after the Bouvier sister who doesn't like it either), let me get close enough again yesterday to give her some treats. I've also been spending some time with the little one who has to be separated due to her compulsion to war loudly with the other cats. She is such a sweet cat, so good-natured and loving; she just doesn't like to be around other animals. She needs a one-animal home. I hope we can get one for her, because she is one of the sweetest and most affectionate cats I have ever met. She actually got up on her hind legs at one point and tried to crawl up into my arms to be petted. The shelter manager couldn't believe how much she took to me - she asked if I had animals and I reminded her I had two cats, and she just gave a disappointed, "Oh." Poor kitty. I hope she gets a good home soon.
I am falling in love with one of the dogs, against my better judgement. He's a beautiful black border collie mix dog, with so much love to give. Everytime I take him for his walk, he stops several times just to lean against my legs and look up at me, hoping for some pats. I always stop and pet him for a few minutes when he does this, and his tail starts wagging and he licks my chin. I think half of our walk time yesterday was taken up with these Stops for Love. He needs a home where people can pay him the attention he needs, and he'll definitely reward that family with loyalty and devotion. I wish it could be our family, but I know that our cats wouldn't like it. And I wouldn't want to do anything that would upset our little family; if I knew for sure they'd accept him and it would be ok, that would be a different thing, but I suspect it would not be an easy road, and they were here first. Besides, it's no secret how much I love my cats; I wouldn't want to bring in another animal if it was going to upset and stress them. But I wish I could, because he's a beautiful dog that's in need of a loving home, and he's taken a shine to me which makes me feel responsible towards him in some ways.
Cute story: there was a big bone outside the shelter that the manager must have brought in, a nasty huge bone, all dirty and gross. Every dog I walked wanted to stop for it, but I managed to convince them all to leave it alone. Well, when I was bringing my border collie back, he found it too, and I couldn't persuade him to give it up for love or money. His tail was wagging, he was just as happy as a clam with this big, disgusting bone that had been sitting in the grass for god knows how long. I tried to take it from him gently, but I didn't know how much he'd been trained to give up items so didn't want to push it. Every time I took it gently out of his mouth he'd clamp down on it again. I think he thought it was a great game, but at the same time there was a definite stubbornness underneath it. He wanted that bone. Finally the manager came out, and I was laughing, saying, "He won't drop the bone!", so she said, "Well, let him have it! I suppose he deserves to get his own way sometimes." So we let him go into his kennel with the bone, and he was gnawing on it when I left. Ick.
One of the long-term cats there is going to have to be put to sleep as she has throat cancer. It's going to be so hard on her companion, as they've been together over ten years. It's going to be a difficult week. On top of that, one of our beautiful dogs is going to a new home! This is wonderful for him and I'm so happy for him, but of course it will be a little bit sad to see him go, too. The manager was very sad to see him go, and I was sad too even though I have only known him a short time. When my border collie goes... oh dear, I can't even think about that right now! He'd better get an outstanding home, that's all I can say.
Better get back to "work". And please feel free to tell me if I'm babbling about the shelter too much!
In other news, I am still not totally arranged here in the house. Will it ever be done? Ever??? Am I really this lazy and disorganized??
Had a good day at the shelter yesterday. We might be getting some new volunteers in the form of a couple of young girls who'd like to start coming by to help out. I don't know how much of the clean up and maintenance work they would want to do, but I let them know that even just to come in and play with the animals would be a help, since it's impossible to give them all the attention they need, try as we might. I am already feeling a lot of affection for the cats, and some of the more timid ones are becoming more used to me. The one who doesn't like to be touched, who I'll call Patty for the sake of this journal (after the Bouvier sister who doesn't like it either), let me get close enough again yesterday to give her some treats. I've also been spending some time with the little one who has to be separated due to her compulsion to war loudly with the other cats. She is such a sweet cat, so good-natured and loving; she just doesn't like to be around other animals. She needs a one-animal home. I hope we can get one for her, because she is one of the sweetest and most affectionate cats I have ever met. She actually got up on her hind legs at one point and tried to crawl up into my arms to be petted. The shelter manager couldn't believe how much she took to me - she asked if I had animals and I reminded her I had two cats, and she just gave a disappointed, "Oh." Poor kitty. I hope she gets a good home soon.
I am falling in love with one of the dogs, against my better judgement. He's a beautiful black border collie mix dog, with so much love to give. Everytime I take him for his walk, he stops several times just to lean against my legs and look up at me, hoping for some pats. I always stop and pet him for a few minutes when he does this, and his tail starts wagging and he licks my chin. I think half of our walk time yesterday was taken up with these Stops for Love. He needs a home where people can pay him the attention he needs, and he'll definitely reward that family with loyalty and devotion. I wish it could be our family, but I know that our cats wouldn't like it. And I wouldn't want to do anything that would upset our little family; if I knew for sure they'd accept him and it would be ok, that would be a different thing, but I suspect it would not be an easy road, and they were here first. Besides, it's no secret how much I love my cats; I wouldn't want to bring in another animal if it was going to upset and stress them. But I wish I could, because he's a beautiful dog that's in need of a loving home, and he's taken a shine to me which makes me feel responsible towards him in some ways.
Cute story: there was a big bone outside the shelter that the manager must have brought in, a nasty huge bone, all dirty and gross. Every dog I walked wanted to stop for it, but I managed to convince them all to leave it alone. Well, when I was bringing my border collie back, he found it too, and I couldn't persuade him to give it up for love or money. His tail was wagging, he was just as happy as a clam with this big, disgusting bone that had been sitting in the grass for god knows how long. I tried to take it from him gently, but I didn't know how much he'd been trained to give up items so didn't want to push it. Every time I took it gently out of his mouth he'd clamp down on it again. I think he thought it was a great game, but at the same time there was a definite stubbornness underneath it. He wanted that bone. Finally the manager came out, and I was laughing, saying, "He won't drop the bone!", so she said, "Well, let him have it! I suppose he deserves to get his own way sometimes." So we let him go into his kennel with the bone, and he was gnawing on it when I left. Ick.
One of the long-term cats there is going to have to be put to sleep as she has throat cancer. It's going to be so hard on her companion, as they've been together over ten years. It's going to be a difficult week. On top of that, one of our beautiful dogs is going to a new home! This is wonderful for him and I'm so happy for him, but of course it will be a little bit sad to see him go, too. The manager was very sad to see him go, and I was sad too even though I have only known him a short time. When my border collie goes... oh dear, I can't even think about that right now! He'd better get an outstanding home, that's all I can say.
Better get back to "work". And please feel free to tell me if I'm babbling about the shelter too much!
In other news, I am still not totally arranged here in the house. Will it ever be done? Ever??? Am I really this lazy and disorganized??