Thursday, January 17, 2013

India


India is a foster dog staying with us temporarily until an adopter or more permanent foster home can be arranged.  She’s an eleven year old golden retriever who was taken to the shelter by her former owners because they got a new puppy and India ate the puppy’s food.  She was very stressed in the shelter, so my friend/co-worker Beth asked if she could spend a few days with us. 

I cannot think of many worse “reasons” for giving up a lifelong pet.  I know I shouldn’t judge, but I have them pegged as the villains (at least in my book) who view pets as possessions; India is registered and has papers, and they’ve had her since she was a puppy.  It sounds a lot like trading her in for a new model to me.

I just can’t begin to comprehend abandoning your dog after a decade of their companionship.  I’ve had Emma for over nine years, and I think about all of the life changes she has been though with me.  I couldn’t abandon her. 

India is proving to be a mostly agreeable houseguest; she’s house trained, doesn’t get on the furniture (even though we’ve invited her to) and is beyond patient with the quirky quartet of cats, even though Milo seems determined to find her breaking point.  Fortunately, she just walks away from him when he does things that would make more than a few dogs turn him into a snack!  Emma and India have a somewhat uneasy truce; they are both older dogs, set in their ways.  Their ways just happen to be different, but for the most part they seem to have agreed to live and let live. 

We have yet to make the leap into becoming full fledged foster parents.  We toss the idea around semi-regularly, though we just don’t seem to quite be there yet.  We have done some temporary fostering that has worked out well.  We are comfortable with that, and like to think it helps in some small way.  So India has been with us since Tuesday evening and will remain with us through the weekend. 

I have shared her story with nearly all of my rescue friends, many of whom have shared with their rescue friends, so we are very hopeful that the right person will hear about her soon.  I am truly amazed by the devotion and energy that some of these people have for helping pets (I keep saying I want to be like some of them when I grow up), so I am sure that her story will have a happy ending.  

18 comments:

  1. Oh, poor India! What a horrible reason for giving her up. That makes us sad and mad at the same time.

    THANK YOU for taking care of her, and for sharing about her. We have our fingers and paws crossed that she will find a loving forever home very soon. :)

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    1. I know what you mean about being sad and mad! Thanks for crossing your fingers and paws. I have high hopes for this girl.

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  2. I hope her story does have a happy ending and I just want to "shoot" her former owners. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?? Geesh, this makes me incredibly angry that they would toss out an animal like this under those circumstances; what I would consider a valued member of my family after those many years. Disgusting behavior on their part.

    It is nice you are taking her in and fostering her during this time for a bit.

    We had entertained the idea of getting another dog a few years earlier when Koda was at his prime so to speak but we moved and it didn't work out. Now at the age 8 years old, we realize it would be detrimental to bring another dog into the picture so to speak; he's set in his way, he's spoiled, etc. While I don't look forward to the day we have to say goodbye to him, I know we would have given him the best quality of life we could give to him. It is sad India's family didn't feel that commitment. Makes me sick.........

    betty

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    1. Betty, I totally agree with you. I just can't imagine abandoning a member of the family like that.

      We've toyed with the idea of getting adopting another dog, too, but aren't sure it would be good for Emma (like Koda, she's older, spoiled, and set in her ways); she usually seems happy to have a temporary playmate, but also seems really happy to be the only dog again when they leave.

      The rescue group that we're fostering India through is run by an amazing group of people, so I have a lot of faith in her getting her happy ending.

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  3. this is why people need to think long and hard before getting a pet--so sad---you guys are heroes in my book!

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    1. You are so right about thinking long and hard about the commitment involved before taking that cute puppy home.

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  4. Aw what a sweetie! Yall are great for being her temp home!

    I work in rescue and unfortunately we hear that quite a bit with people wanting to trade in their older animals. I can't imagine and to me they most definitely are the villains. My boy has been with me for going on 12 years now and I can't stand the thought of leaving him in his old age somewhere like that.

    What a lucky girl to have found all of yall who are willing to get her somewhere safe where she'll be treasured!

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    1. She is really sweet! It makes me sick that people who work in rescue hear about people doing that often. I just can't understand it!

      We are hoping her true furever home comes along soon.

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  5. I agree with Lynn: you and your husband are heroes!

    India looks like a sweetheart. :)

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    1. You guys are sweet! I think the real heroes are the people who do this often, and on a long-term basis.

      She really is a sweet girl.

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  6. That is so sad but that's humans for you. Out with the old, in the with new and shiny. Rescue is hard and fostering is hard. It can make you really start to despise the human race. You are very special people to open your home to this older girl. She looks just like my old Sam who lived until 16 and was happy to the very end.

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    1. I always say I like most pets better than I like most people! People like this just convince me I'm right.

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  7. PS you have every right to judge. I think the original owners are selfish, thoughtless people who shouldn't have pets at all.

    Also, is there a golden retriever rescue in your area that could help you rehome her? There is one in Massachusetts but that's a bit too far away for such an old girl to travel.

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    1. I agree with your assessment of them.

      There is a fairly local golden retriever rescue. My grandparents-in-law were actually very involved with it for many years. The shelter India ended up at is an amazing no-kill shelter. They do a fantastic job.

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  8. For crying out loud, what is wrong with some people. The dog had to go because he was eating the other dogs food? Move the food to another location and/or restrain the dog from eating the food(tying up for a short spell while the other dog eats). How hard is that?

    This is very disheartening. Reminds me of apartment rental tenants who move out when the lease is up and just leave their "pets" behind.

    Bless you for helping out.

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    1. I know! That is SUCH a fixable problem!

      It is so sad to see people leave pets behind like that.

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  9. Good for you, Danielle. I agree with Lynn that people should think long and hard before getting a pet.

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    1. You and Lynn are very right about that; getting a pet is not a decision to be made lightly.

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