Adoptions this week
Every adoption is special - but some make my heart sing and when someone comes in and specifically asks for a 12+ year old, blind toy poodle who they think has heartworms, and they still want to meet him?
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| Bruce James |
Bruce arrived here in March of 2010. We named him after his transporter's husband. He was nothing but bone, heartworm positive, eyes clouded with cataracts and matted to the skin. The little stray from Augusta, GA had a lot of strikes against him and most people would have shook their heads and said we would be totally in line to gently send him to the Rainbow Bridge.
I just can't do that to a dog who dives head first into a bowl of food, then snuggles in my arms in gratitude afterwards and licks my nose. Old does not mean there is no joy to give or receive - so we kept putting food down and he kept eating it, bad teeth and all. We started the process to health.
Heartworms first as nothing else could be fixed until that. We listed him on the website and about that time, the drug that kills heartworms became unavailable so we chose the slow kill, better anyway because of his age. Bruce took his monthly Triheart pill like a champ. It took almost 2 years, but in February 2012 Bruce tested negative for the first time. Hurdle one over!
Hurdle two was the funds for a dental. It took some time but in January of 2013 (thank you Beth Horsley!) we finally took Bruce in for a dental. At this point, almost 3 years on our website without even a nibble, it did not occur to me that I was fixing him up for a family. I was fixing him up because he needed fixing. Bruce had moved out of the kennel and into the senior sanctuary I have at home and was firmly entrenched, 2nd crate from the left, in between Rocky and Little Bear. He had a song and a name and a soft bed and friends. Life was good and I fully assumed that he would stay with me forever.
I was wrong.
Last Saturday, I saw the meet and greet come through with Bruce's name on it. Okay, they wanted small and he was small and we had other small. I figured the family had read the age wrong. Yet when the retired couple arrived and I introduced other toy poodles, they asked again specifically for Bruce. He reminded them so much of the dog they lost .We chatted a bit and I explained how he lived with me and really had a home and he was old and blind and he could still mark and…surely they didn't want Bruce?
So they met some more dogs and then asked to meet him again. Just to see……just to see.
When Bruce came into the room, happy and bumping into things with his wiggle walk, he was scooped up high into the husband's arms and snuggled close. I left them alone for a bit and when I came back, she was cozying a little red apricot toy and he was still holding Bruce while their senior black toy poodle girl sat in between and agreed this would work.
I am always touched when others see the love and affection and old dog can give. They may not have as many years to give, but they will make what they have as special as they can for you. Thank you Maryann and Dennis for loving a little, old dog.
On a special note, our adopters Saturday deserve the "most dedicated" of the year award. Snow fell heavy and hard on our farm Saturday afternoon but that did not deter and 5 brave souls made the trek despite the weather looking for, and finding, forever friends.
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| Snow at Dreamweaver Farms |
New dogs
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| Papi |
Our newest is a very special little boy named Papi. Papi's owner is facing surgery and cannot care for him anymore. Sometime in the past, Papi suffered a fall and as a result, he has some neurological issues. He occasionally will spin and spin and then back into a wall and get stuck there. These things don't occur all the time but only occasionally. He otherwise is quiet and seems content. He is living with our senior dogs as he does not play, but prefers to be carried around. We're setting Papi up for an assessment with our vet to see what can be done.
Getting them better
Every week we head to a vet somewhere. Last week was no exception. Tuesday was spay/neuter day with 11 new dogs going up for necessary vetting. After a short recovery period, these will be going up for adoption. We have some cuties!
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| Buttons |
The big news was surgery on little Buttons, a tiny pocket poodle puppy who came to us because he could not pee - literally. The opening where his penis should come out was just a tiny spot on his little bitty belly. Surgeons went in last Monday and were able create the proper space and just a day after surgery, little Buttons was already going outside on his own. The doctors also removed several urine crystals that had already formed where the urine was going into his body. Without surgery, his body would have poisoned itself and he would have died very early. Thanks so much to all the supporters who made this surgery possible. Buttons will be up for adoption in about a week.
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| Brandy now |
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| Brandy at intake to CPR |
At the farm
Our kennel spruce up continues! Maintenance Mike has completed the painting of the grooming room and laundry room and we moved back in to those areas. Our new washing machine also arrived and we're already trying to wear it. We do approximately 27 loads of laundry per day - our three machines stay busy. The stain and sealer for the kennel floor has been ordered! Our new look - violet and gray - is soothing and looks easier to keep clean. I can't wait to get the stain and sealer down on the big dog side and start on our little's side. Thank you to our benefactor who has made the dream of new floors come true.
We're fixing them up, keeping them safe and finding them homes. Thank you for your donations and your support. Without it none of this would be possible.
China Ezzell and Tanya, a future adoptable dog, playing in the snow.
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