Rescue Journal

imagine....

Carol  ·  Nov. 29, 2008

being 75 yrs old and without a reliable family, imagine getting older and stiff and sore and looking unkempt and uncared for.

imagine being picked up and whisked into a chinese speaking jail with 3x6 cells. imagine how that cold cement, the draughty room, the fear and anxiety and not knowing what was going on, and staying there week after week, with other frightened people screaming in terror or rage or wanting or frustration, all around you......imagine what that would do to you.

your stiffness and soreness would escalate into outright, unbearable pain. your mind might begin to wander and play tricks on you just because you are so afraid. you might stop eating or withdraw, or start lashing out or you might just scream your heart out like everyone else.

imagine if your jailors saw your suffering getting worse and worse each day and felt pity and decided to help you find peace by helping you to pass finally away.

it would freaking well suck.

old dogs don't do well in shelters...their arthritis gets worse due to immobility and coldness and stress. their minds start to go because they just can't deal with the pain and the fear. sticking a very old dog in a shelter kennel is just plain mean and it might be a death sentence too.

as a society we need to understand that senior animals, like senior humans have unique and specialized age related needs. our treatment of them needs to encompass this knowledge so they stand a decent chance of surviving the attempt at being saved.

updates....

star is eating well, star likes my bed very much. star is even cuter without her cone which i take off for a bit here and there.

merlin is eating well, merlin was busy today switching beds, merlin looked pretty bright and perky when i just checked him so that is a really good thing.

oka is eating well but oka is not well today. i am very worried about oka and asked the vet to come prepared in case oka decides that his life is becoming too much of an effort and burden by monday.

gideon has only 8 teeth left, sparkles teeth are just beginning to fall out, they both tolerated their dental well and mo stayed with them to make sure they were ok ( i was working but really it was a very well planned chicken out!)

Comments

Emma

Last weekend Merlin was chasing the laser pointer even though he was wobbly! I don't get the chance to come out there very often but I do like to spend time in that room. I was quite taken with Louisa!