This post is a continuation of Monday’s post, Lost Dog on My Doorstep.
At the end of that post, I indicated that we could not keep Gracie at our home while we search for her owners, as well as search for a new loving home if her owners cannot be found. Well, we couldn’t find anyone else to foster her at that time, so we decided to board her temporarily so that she would be safe. Being boarded isn’t the most pleasant thing in the world, but it’s still better than what she’d be experiencing at the city shelter.
We thought before that Gracie might be a Rhodesian Ridgeback/Pit Bull mix. The vet went with Rhodesian Ridgeback/Boxer mix. Well, we were close… and I think our guesses have equal merit. Gracie is just an interesting-looking dog. I also knew she was young, but the vet estimated her to be about nine months. Even younger than I thought! At 46 pounds, she is also heavier than I thought, but I admit to not being good at judging the weights of larger dogs because even though I love larger dogs, I’ve never had any of my own.
As mentioned in the first post, we have already paid for her to have all of her shots, a heartworm test, a fecal exam, and a dewormer. She was heartworm negative, by the way. The fecal test was going to be sent off, so we didn’t get to hear the results of that immediately. On Thursday (tomorrow), she will be spayed. Yes, we’re footing for that too. On Saturday, space willing, she will be shown for adoption at a local PetCo.
We’ve still had no bites on any of her “Found” ads. At this point, it’s looking like a rehoming situation, so that’s what we’re focused on. But we are keeping our eyes and ears open, so to speak, and would be happy to reunite her with her owners. But not without some negotiations, to be honest. They might be pleased that we’ve taken care of her vaccinations, etc., but not so pleased that we’ve had her spayed. That’s too bad. A stray that isn’t spayed/neutered creates more strays, sending more animals to the shelter, causing more animals to be euthanized. Spaying her saves more lives.
I won’t lie to you. Paying for all of her shots, tests, spay, and boarding for four days isn’t cheap. And we are not made of money… we’re just not… not by any remote stretch of the imagination. But we are, through and through, dog people. And we could not call ourselves that in good conscience without doing everything we can to reunite or rehome Gracie.
Throughout this whole (hopefully short) journey to save this one stray dog, my husband has been just as devoted to saving Gracie as I have. In fact, he made two strong statements that have stuck with me.
When I was just about to surrender to the idea of sending her to the city shelter, he said:
“If we can’t do better for her than that, then we don’t deserve the dogs we have.”
When talking about concerns over how much money we’re spending (and will spend) during this process, he said something else that hit me hard:
“I’ve seen too much bad in the world. Sometimes people need to TRY to do something good… something right…”
I often forget what a great person I’m married to. Experiences like these remind me why my husband would still be one of my favorite people in the world even if we weren’t married.
Truthfully, we’re not worried about the money. What good is money if you can’t spend it on something meaningful? Also, we know exactly where it’s going. We have no problem donating to animal welfare organizations, rescues, etc., and we don’t even get to see where that money goes. It could go to fundraising, to administrative costs, etc. This way, we know the money we’re spending really is going to help a dog.
The story continues. Read the third part HERE. I will continue these posts until Gracie has found her new family.
She found the right place at your home. That is so wonderful of you to do that for her! We would end up keeping her, Mom would get too attached.
Yeah, it’s really probably best that she’s in boarding right now and not with us. We were already getting attached just in the short time she was around here. We believe that we have found a foster for her, though, so she won’t have to be boarded much longer. More on that in my next post.
Wow! She has to be one of the luckiest strays on the planet. You and your husband are Gracie’s heroes and your husband has become one of my favorite people too based on those quotes alone!
We are just trying to do what we can. The real heroes are those that are out there doing it every day. I am working with a rescue rep that is going to list Gracie as a courtesy with their rescue (meaning they’re not technically taking her on… at least not yet) and that rep has been working in dog rescue for many years and has thirteen dogs in her care right now. Thirteen! I can’t imagine fostering so many dogs. Those people are heroes. We’re just regular people trying to do the right thing.
I can’t believe the rescues can’t chip in some money to help this dog. Good for you for helping her. I hope she finds a home.
We don’t mind that they’re not. Many rescues are often asking for donations (understandably, because dog rescue involves a lot of expensive veterinary care) and this way we’re just helping a dog by paying for things ourselves.
Wow, this is amazing. I so agree with what your (wonderful) husband said. Of course you are also saying those things! She is so sweet. Thank you for committing to her! Also, your blog looks fantastic! I’m so impressed.
Terry and Matilda
MatildasJourney.com
We are happy to commit to finding Gracie a permanent home. We wish that we could foster her ourselves, but we’re just not experienced enough with young, high-energy, large breed dogs and don’t think we could manage having her in with the wieners. Luckily, I think we’ve found a good foster for her. More on that in the next post.
Ha! The blog’s a mess. It’s kind of… uhhh… cluttered ;). I hope to clean it up and make it more organized soon when I get a chance. But thank you!
Also, it’s great to hear from you again! Lost touch for a while.
That’s so great and generous of you guys to do all that for her! Seriously – you are not allowed to buy my books. When the new book is out I’ll send you signed copies of each. Just a wee little thank you for doing what’s right for Gracie!
Your hubs sounds like a keeper! (And it is nice to see your charitable dollars doing actual real good. Sometimes it’s really hard to know if the places you send donations to are doing “the right thing” with them.)
Oh Jackie, I’m happy to pay for your books, especially since you’re going to sign them for me. I only ask for there to be some sharp Jackie wit in with your sig.
We’re happy to be doing what’s right for Gracie. I know that there are thousands and thousands of stray dogs/homeless dogs/dogs in shelters, and it kills us not to be able to help them all. But this one showed up on our doorstep and planted herself firmly here. We had to do the right thing for her.
She definitely turned up on the right doorstep!
I don’t know if we were the right doorstep, but we’re doing the best we can for her since it was our doorstep. I suppose she could’ve made it to someone who might’ve taken her in and taken good care of her themselves, but she also could’ve made it someone who would’ve called animal control immediately or worse, shot her or something. You never know. I wish that all people were dog lovers, but unfortunately, we all know that some people just see stray dogs as a nuisance… not as homeless and helpless sweeties.
Maybe she showed up on your door steps for a reason. Whatever it may be the fact is she is cared for and safe. When we sell a husky puppy part of the agreement is that if they can’t take care of it at any point it is to come back to us, not to a shelter, not let loose, and not to anyone else without our consent. The last thing this world needs is more strays so that was good of you guys to get her fixed. You guys are superstars, if only everyone would follow your lead 🙂
That’s really good to hear that you make it a clear point for people to bring a dog back to you if they can no longer care for it for any reason. Sometimes I think that if people are willing to spend quite a bit of money to purchase a “papered” dog from a champion breeder, that they would take great care not to turn that dog out on the streets. But it isn’t the case, because very healthy purebred dogs wind up in shelters every day. They likely did come from a professional breeder at some point.
We are not superstars. The folks that work in rescue every day… those are the superstars!
Gracie is a very lucky girl…. and, based on your husband’s comments, so are you 🙂
I just hope that she can be lucky enough to find a great forever home quickly! That’s the whole goal.
Heh… yeah… I guess I’m pretty lucky. And I do forget a lot. My husband didn’t even know he was a dog person until we adopted our first dog together (it was his first dog, but I grew up with dogs). Now he’s just as dog-crazy as I am.
Respect you and your hubby a lot. You are doing awesome job and I adore you. I know there are very few wonderful people like you who are kind and provide shelter to pets as you did for Gracie, She is lucky to have you. There are many people who don’t even bother and I hate those who leave pets alone just for sake of convenience, why at first place they get the pets.
We are just doing what we can. We actually wish we could do more, but what we are doing we will see through until Gracie finds her forever home.
So nice of you people that you are taking care of Gracie. I hope she will find a new home early
Thanks! We really hope so too!
I love this and I love what you are doing! I’m in awe that there are such good people in this world.
I bet she finds her home fast, she’s a beautiful dog.
Pshaw… I know that you’d do the same thing. Actually, you’d probably have just kept Gracie as your own and wouldn’t be all in this mess of rehoming ;). Don’t be “in awe of good people” because I bet you’re probably up a rung or two from us in that respect.
You guys are just awesome for doing everything you’ve done for her. Really, really awesome. I hope she finds a home soon, or her family mysteriously turns up. 🙂
We’re trying. She’s getting ready to go to some adoption outings soon, so I hope some great folks come along and make her a part of their family.
I’m just catching up, so I already know that she’s resting comfortably in a loving foster home, but I have to say how much I admire you for taking such good care of her. How wonderful of you to pay all those vet bills. You’re good people.
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She was so lucky that she was found by you. And I like her.
Aww you guys are so great to take her in! I don’t know what I would do in that situation. Hopefully she can find a great home soon!
Lucky girl! In general, most pets should have a complete physical check-up at least once per year. Always remember about this routine maintenance for your pet friends 🙂