The Mail Arrived Today

Okay, so today I stop and pick up the mail and I find I have been mailed Annie's intake paperwork. So, the first thing I notice is that she has been put into the shelter almost a year ago. Not six months ago, as I had originally thought. She was put into the shelter at the age of 1 year on March 12, 2009 (ironically, my Ginger the other JRT in my life's 14th Birthday). So, now things are starting to fall into place for me.

I have had dogs almost all of my life. I have NEVER seen behavior in dogs like the behavior this little dog exhibits. She has nightmares, waking up and growling at the nearest living thing, usually one of her doggy siblings who has no idea why she's mad.... if I put her in her pen she contantly nips at herself and tries to flea her coat where no fleas exist. I can't watch the dog whisperer anymore, yesterday she attacked the TV when she saw a large dog in a kennel barking.. she attacked the tv.. huh? What makes a dog do that? Well, I can only imagine that a large dog attacked her at some point in time. Did the people who promised her a forever home when she was a puppy think about this when they surrendered her to an animal shelter? I don't blame anyone, I'm sure they do their best but I'm also sure Animal Shelters are a low priority on a counties budget so they are probably under staffed and count on volunteers.. so volunteer people.. these pups need your help and your dollars. I think this little girl thinks she hit the lottery.

She doesn't know how to act which is absolutely sad. She watches her doggy siblings to see what she should be doing. She is potty trained, she knows how to sit so someone obviously spent some time with her, why did you give her up to a high kill shelter? People, if you need to give up a pet please find a NO KILL shelter... please.

I am so thankful to the people at the rescue that saved Annie. What a blessing they are in her life. She is damaged for sure, I have never seen a dog do the sad things she does but at least she has a second chance on life. And believe me, I'm committed to making sure her second chance will be a dream come true for her.

Annie's coming to be.. some background

What a Christmas present. A new puppy. Well, not so new.. she's a year and a half and she is a little rough coated Parson's Jack Russell Terrier. I have learned little about her history but what I know has been sad.

Six months ago, her family (if you can call them that) dropped her off on a Saturday at a high kill shelter and went on to the mall to spend the day. Her family never came back and I am sure this little girl ended up very scared and confused. The mix of anger and heartbreak that I feel over this just can't be put to words. We are civilized? So, after a very short time and probably a few very scary nights in jail, this loving trusting little Jack Russell was assigned a "PTS" date. Oh, you don't know what a PTS date is? I can help with this, it means "put to sleep date". Don't worry, I had no idea what that meant either.

So, the lonely and scared little JRT that had recently had her world turned upside down was now not only in jail but she was on DEATH ROW with literally days, maybe hours to live. Someone at the shelter sent out a notification (email..however they do it) to let people know about the animals on this KILL list. So, now she's waiting to die, to be KILLED.. and just earlier in the week, she'd been a loving and trusted member of a family running around and playing in the back yard, eating well, having a warm place to sleep and now.. she finds herself terrified, shaking and having to fight for food and water in a cold dirty cell somewhere in the county animal shelter. What had this poor little dog done in her short life (she was less than a year) to deserve such poor treatment? What did she do? Nothing, she had been dedicated to her family, loved them, watched out and protected them from bumps in the night or suspicious looking people. That's all. All she wanted was their love, nothing more. What has our society become that little animals can be tossed away like this?

So, back to Annie's story. The PUT TO SLEEP notification letter is sent out and an Angel of Mercy named Meredith (the director at Shih Tzu and Furbaby Rescue) sees the little Jack Russell's picture and bio. She makes the decision to rescue the little dog. Thank God for people like Meredith. These are the people that restore my faith in the humanity of man. So, this little dog is brought to a kennel where she spends the next six months of her life, alone. Attempts are made to foster but she never quite makes the list. At least her life has been saved, she has a safe place to eat and sleep and she is taking for three walks a day. Annie just waits and hopes for some loving family to come and adopt her. Someone to give her a forever home like she used to have.