Lemons to Lemonade

One of my passions in life is being an animal advocate and giving a voice to those who don't have one. I know how fortunate I am to be able to help them day to day and have a job that I enjoy instead of the daily grind that some people face.

I am also fortunate to have the companionship of several rescue animals. All of them might have began with what some might have called "lemons." Lady was thrown from an overpass by teenagers. She suffered two broken hips and two broken legs. She had some arthritis the next winter, but after that she never looked back. She loves children and is still excited to take trips to the dog park. She is like a cat that has nine lives and just keeps on surprising us despite a heart that could give out at any minute. Tim fell in love with Lady the moment he met her and has taken special care of her ever since.

Lady and Timber cuddling in the morning. I adore how much the enjoy each other.

Next came Timber, a dog who was going to be euthanized at a young age because the primary owner didn't care for her anymore. I immediately recognized the intelligence in her eyes and it didn't take long before she became my little shadow. She has shown me a loyalty I didn't know was possible.

Lola was a stray cat in heat that figured out in three days that if I could boss around two big dogs so could she. Her nickname is evil princess because she can be the sweetest thing when she likes, or change into a total cranky pants.

 Lola being sweet.

Charcoal was found in a laundry mat and crawled into my sister's lap despite a broken leg. Now he is my second little shadow around the house and loves to cuddle with me anytime I decide to take a nap or get ready for bed. Like Lady, Charcoal also loves children and even spent Halloween night with me at the front door while I passed out candy.

Charcoal napping on Tim's lap.

It gives me piece of mind to know that in a nation where 3 million to 4 million animals that go to shelters are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats)*, I can provide an a home to a few of the companion animals that might have become part of that statistic. Sure it takes time, a fair amount of money, and lots of patience. But the return is more than worth it.

Since becoming a pet owner I have become a healthier person. A yard is not enough for the most dogs. They need walks, socialization with other dogs and people, and places to sniff. A begging look and a wagging tail can be all it takes to get Tim and I out of the house even when we are not in the mood. Most of our best conversations have been with a leash in hand and a dog leading the way. It has also provided a great opportunity to meet the neighborhood and get to know the area we live in. Being a dog owner has giving me the chance to become active in the community by attending town meetings and volunteering in cleaning up and maintenance of the local dog park. It also provides a chance to teach the neighborhood children about properly caring for animals and meeting their needs (things like don't get a puppy if you aren't willing to pick up every single poop it does!) The cats and dogs all give Tim and I an unwavering affection and unconditional love. Knowing that I can return that love and give them my very best until the last of their days is gratifying. Unfortunately, we know that our dogs are getting old and their days are getting numbered.

 We recently had the opportunity to take in another "lemon." A golden retriever puppy named Gretchen that was unsellable and needed a home where the owners could have her heart checked frequently. We carefully weighed the pros and cons and came to the conclusion that she had found the perfect home. She is a sweet, submissive pup that we hope will grow into the perfect family dog. Golden retrievers are known for their kind temperaments and being good with children.There will be a lot of work ahead of us including several puppy training classes so that Gretchen can achieve a Canine Good Citizen status and possibly even become a therapy dog. There will be a year or two of puppy behavior and all the growing pains that come with it (house training, mat training, chewing and learning appropriate toys to gnaw on, socialization,and budgeting money to take care of a puppy and get her fixed.) We know that if she doesn't grow into a well behaved dog that it will most likely be our fault. Turning a puppy into a good dog takes an investment of time and money and Tim and I decided that now is the time to attempted it before children come along and need our time and money. We couldn't be happier about our promising future with our first puppy, Gretchen, and the opportunity to take a "lemon" and make more "lemonade."

 

Gretchen the first day I met her.

Twila, Gretchen's sister.

The sisters sleeping.

 

Cuddling together in their crate.

 

Flying nun ears on Twila. We are baby-sitting her for the weekend when she will be ready to go to her new home.

 

Working on puppy training and socialization. Lucky for us the clinic we got Gretchen from already began training (she can sit, is getting the idea of what it means to go potty outside, and has been well socialized with people and dogs.)

*Statics came from the ASPCA.