Special Needs - Part 1

Some of the most difficult dogs to adopt out in rescue are those with special needs.  Special needs can mean alot of things.  I can mean an animal needs a special diet or medication, maybe they have a physical disablility like blindness, deafness or maybe they only have three legs or maybe worse they have an illness that is terminal, cancer or a degenerative condition.  These dogs are often passed over and it breaks my heart.  I want to talk about a few of those dogs, some in my care, some not and try to have you understand that these dogs not only need you more then healthy dogs, but they also give more.

Lets start out with Hank.  Hank is a two year old boxer with Diabetes Insipidus.  He requires daily injections, 12 hours apart.  The cost of his medication, which he will need for life, is $30 a week.  But Hank has been with our rescue for 5 months now.  With his DI under control, he is a perfectly normal dog, but people can't get past the fact he has this condition.  He is the apple of his foster mom's eye, loves other dogs and kids, you probably couldn't ask for a better boy, yet he waits.

Now I'll talk about my Devon.  Devon has been diagnosed with mild to moderate hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and epilepsy.  Her prognosis is unknown, every day is a blessing.  Because of these conditions she has suffered brain damage and is very slow to learn.  She may never learn to go to the bathroom outside or sit or give paw.  Before she started her medication, the only way to comfort this dog, was to hold her close to you.  Needless to say, the bond between her and I was almost instant.  The normal response to this is 'poor thing' and my response is YEAH RIGHT!!  I wish I could show them my videos of her running around the yard with the other dogs and just being her tazmanian devil self! 

There are lots of things Devon can't do, but we don't focus on those, we focus on what she can do.  Devon knows her name and she comes when called, better then any of our other dogs I might say.  She knows where her food is and when it is dinnertime, she also knows where her pills and peanut butter are kept and when it is time for that.  She learned to go out the door and is getting really good at walking on the leash.  Devon goes to daycare three days a week and plays with other dogs of sizes and shapes!

Now everything is not always flowers, having to watch this beautiful creature go through seizures is devastating.  Each time she has one, I just want to hold her forever; I'd do anything to make them go away.  She's been with us for 3 months and we've had her to the E-vet twice.  She needs to get bloodwork often to check her medication levels.  I spend alot of time on the phone with her neurologist making sure her dosages are right; there is alot of work involved in a dog like Devon.  But man, when she learns something new or I see her playing like a normal puppy, my heart just swells with joy and sometimes I even start to cry with so much joy in my heart.  Many dogs like Devon never get a chance to live life at all, I am happy she is here, I love her with such intensity, it is difficult to even describe. 

All that being said, I realize that not everyone could deal with the type of demands having a dog like Devon would place on them.  There was a time when my mom and I couldn't even foster because of my grandmother's condition, so I do understand that there are things in life that prohibit people from being able to care of a special needs dog like Devon, but I know there are people out there who simply wouldn't want the burden and how sad for them. 

There is nothing special about my mom and I that allows us to care for Devon.  We love animals and we took Devon in and we love who she is no matter what.  Even when it is sad and frustrating and we want to throw in the towel (and believe me, there are days) we step back and watch her.  She doesn't know she is brain damaged, she is just being who she is and you have to smile.  She is a gift, everyday, a little gift to remind us what true love is.

Have a look at one of the most recent videos of Devon trying to get Mork, one of our other dogs to play.  Be happy for her!



Be Sad, Be Angry

I never know how or where to start, but today a rescue friend of mine did that for me:

"A note about my late pen pal Shawn, not proof read, not rewritten. Just a note about Shawn and our very limited time spent together.

Shawn was stressed at the shelter, a very typical reaction to the chaotic and unnerving environment that surrounds about 150 dogs.

But once out of the kennel was a sweet, kind, and gentle dog. Something I'm not really used to frankly. I'm used to working with the more 'behaviorally challenged' types with loads of pent up energy. Shawn was different... He was great on leash walks and really enjoyed walking around the premises. Especially today, since the sun was out and the day was warm.

It seemed ironic that it was such a beautiful day outside. Because I knew that this was going to be Shawn's last. He didn't know that though, he was happy as could be on his walk. He stopped and rolled around in the bushes outside of acct to scratch his back. He was especially happy today.

Dogs were pouring into the shelter at a steady pace today. So many dogs, so little space. Stress and tension was super high within those shelter walls. But not where we were, outside in the sunshine. Watching all the craziness from a distance.

I loaded him up in my car so I could take him out for his last meal, a good junky one. I forgot to put his 'save my cage' card in his kennel...why bother, I thought. But I did it anyway. When I returned to the car after several minutes, Shawn was soundly snoozing in the backseat, probably thinking...finally, a quiet place to rest.

We went for a car ride (which he was excellent for) and i got him a hamburger and chicken and he happily ate it all. We sat there for a little while and just enjoyed the fresh air coming into the car with all the windows down.

I returned to acct but did not yet have the guts to bring him in, we were having a really good day. I sat there in the back seat with him and petted his head, which he gently laid on my lap. It was quiet and peaceful.

Time to go in.

As I'm walking him in, I'm finding myself getting more and more emotional. Finally we reached the door and he stopped in his tracks and was sniffing the ground. It was then I realized this is the last time he will ever sniff the ground again and feel the sunshine on his face. It's like he knew and was trying to take in one last good whiff.

I felt awful for him. I kept on reminding myself that he didn't know. Ok so I lost it a little... And still am 8 hours later which is why I feel compelled to write about it.

He was a good boy, I know he was. He just didn't have the opportunity to get out and show the world. The shelter environment was just too much for my dear Shawn to handle.

I'm not writing this to make anyone else sad, but just so I can release some of these emotions to keep my own sanity. This is one that really hit me hard. And I want to remember Shawn and the great day I had with him today. RIP Shawn, I hope there is a rainbow bridge. I hope there is an afterlife where you are running free without any pain, suffering, or stress. I hope wherever you are that you know you were loved in this life and will not be soon forgotten. <3"


I am sad and I am angered and I want to make a difference.  So I start this blog, in rememberance of Shawn who deserved much more.