MOVING ON

I have been avoiding writing anything in a blog lately. I want to make it clear that this blog is my observations, my perspective and my blog. I am not airing dirty laundry in public I am simply telling others the life and times in a rescue. Unfortunately the Rescue becomes about some volunteers personal agenda and not the dogs. I wish this were not part of it but it is. Right now we have a good group of people to build on and a group that cares about the dogs and not about who said what and who did what.

Since For Hope began we have saved and adopted out over 40 dogs. That is not bad for the size we are. There were only 18 of those I would consider small puppies. We have helped dogs that were heartworm positive, had Lyme’s, Addison’s, taken a dog who is blind and has diabetes, cancer, a dog who had fluid on the brain, broken bones that need to be repaired and the worst of all abuse and neglect. We have watched as a dog who does not know what love is come out of the shadows to be petted. We have seen dogs who forgot how to play suddenly begin to feel comfortable enough to be silly again. We saw one special dog, Lovey, come to us ready to die and now is eating and enjoying a live of love and compassion. Lovey has a long battle ahead, she is high Heartworm positive. With Kelly and Ernie’s help she will make it. They have taken her in as a foster and she is thriving.

We now get calls from all over to please help a dog. As I was told, For Hope is known to take the dogs no one else will take. I am so proud of that. There has been only one we could not safe. Chester was his name, he was too old and had ear infection so bad his ears were swollen shut, he was blind from cataracts and no guarantee even with surgery he would see again. He also had a very large tumor on his back leg that needed to be removed and possible cancer. I made the decision not to put him thru all the surgeries and all the pain, he had had enough. We said good-bye to Chester this month. We also said good-bye to Cassidy this month who had heart issues due to badly neglected and infected teeth.

We have taken on a dog from KY who has mange so bad he has very little hair. His name is Chance because he needs the chance. He is such a happy little boy even with all the pain, itching and isolation he has to go through. We will also be getting in a Husky from AL whose kidneys are failing. He needs tests and possibly surgery to help him on his path. We also took in a beautiful Golden Retriever who came from a family who drank a lot. He is so nervous and frightened he will do something wrong. Last night was the first night in a week he actually slept for more than 45 minutes at a time.

I guess the bottom line to all this rescue work For Hope does is I would not change a single thing I have done or been accused of doing. I am passionate about helping these dogs and will remain that way. They have so much to offer and are not here for us to get praise and glory for but to help move on to that wonderful forever home. We (I) must be doing something right, we are helping so many. I am working on a new web-site design and the quote I found for the first page is perfect “A dog is not "almost human" and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such.” ~John Holmes