Hour 20: This is why we’re here

by | Saturday | November 7, 2009 | 11 comments

Su (otherwise known as the woman who sampled an entire panoply of canned dog food live on the net) just sent me a link to a really cute guy named Punk Rock. He really takes the whole punk thing to a new level.

prd

Apparently Punk Rock felt he was not punk until he had piercings, so he found himself a porcupine to help him finish the look. (Sadly Dad didn’t let him keep the piercings.)

Punk Rock: living the dream. Rescued from the El Toro shelter in 2002.

Stories like this are why I’m sitting here with bleary eyes and cramped fingers, because every dollar you send, every bit we help, means that more people will get to experience these moments. The shelter is full of pets just waiting to be a heart dog or cat- and every time one is euthanized due to overcrowding or lack of resources of just not enough time, the world is a little bit sadder.

So here in the final stretch, I could use a little juice to help me to the end. Let’s hear about your shelter/rescue pets and how your life is better for having had them. I know I wouldn’t trade my time with Nuke, Apollo, Calypso, Emmett, or Mulan for the world.

Filed: Blogathon
  • http://www.biscuitsbylambchop.com Annette Frey

    The quills were removed right?? Poor Punk Rock!

    • http://www.pawcurious.com Dr. V

      Of course! :D Poor guy.

  • Lisa

    I adopted my cats, Buddy and Holly, from the shelter 2 months after I said goodbye to my 19-year-old heart cat (first pet I ever had — got her when I was in 8th grade –she made me a lifelong cat person!). They are 5 years old now and the light of my life! I thought I signed up for adults but at 6-months old they had plenty of kitten left… as my shredded draperies and claw-picked screens can attest. Thankfully they don’t race around the apartment like maniacs anymore. But they still provide endless entertainment, by following me around, asking for bellyrubs and head scratches, meowing to me when I’m in the shower or outside the door or anytime I’m audible yet out of sight, licking me and occasionally each other, wrestling, stretching and yawning most adorably, batting golf balls across the floor, cleaning up my ice cream and yogurt bowls, chattering at birds on the balcony, rubbing against my legs (even when the food bowl is not empty), and just lying around looking cute. Sometimes I even think I should increase my fun by 50% and get a third cat, but I haven’t yet, because I know introducing a new one could be tricky. But if I did, I would go right back to the Hawaiian Humane Society for another shelter pet.

  • http://profile.to/susanelmersmith nasuSremlE

    Earl said, “I took him to vet and they had to sedate him and they still had issues getting some out.” I will always remember the chapter in “The Incredible Journey” by Sheila Burnford where the dog got porcupined. Ouch!

  • http://lab-mom.blogspot.com/ Elizabeth

    Two of my three Labradors are rescues. But Raider my Addisonian boy has changed my life. It started when he was 5 months old, the night my husband and I stole.. errr I mean rescued him from an outdoor pen with no shelter in cold November rain in Nova Scotia… I gave him back the next day and the owners changed their minds and would not call the police on me… I really wanted them too.. He was then put in a 3X3 pen in a basement where he spent the winter… I used to sneak over and look in on him when no one was home and he was laying in his own mess, he could not get out of it. My heart broke yet the authorities would not do anything.
    Because of him I found my voice. from the night I stole..err rescued him it took me 7 more months to get him away from them. He was in terrible condition and he probably had undiagnosed Addison’s at that point. We Vetted him and tried to fatten him up to no avail. When he crashed and I was told he had Addison’s and he could be treated I cried with joy. His Addison’s has been a blessing, I have met many wonderful people with Addisonian dogs, people who have become very good friends… All because of one little rescue who captured my heart..

  • http://twitter.com/geekaren karen

    Nearly all of my pets over the years have been rescues. My current pets are:
    * Nick =^..^= (marmalade cat) was adopted from a no-kill shelter. He’s a sweetie and always first to make friends when a new cat joins the household.
    * Lucy =^..^= (maine coon) adopted from the Connecticut Humane Society 9/2005. She is a little fluffball and despite being the smallest, she rules the roost! She is best pals with my new dog Jack.
    * Hubert =^..^= was rescued from life on the street after being abandoned by neighbors. I discovered him on a cold November New England day, crying. He’s an independent little guy but friendly to everyone.
    * Jack ^..^ (toy poodle) was adopted from Connecticut Humane Society a few weeks ago. I’d wanted a dog, so adopting Jack fulfilled a “bucket list” item for me. Jack is the sweetest little guy and despite having had some recent health problems, is doing great! He is 6 pounds but thinks he’s a big dog.

    It is so gratifying giving a pet a second chance, and they give so much back in fun and affection. For that reason, I especially like to adopt adult pets. Another benefit of adopting from a shelter is that you have a better idea about personality/temperament, which is pretty critical if you already have pets. :-)

  • Lisa W

    So you know about my beautiful Bailey. Rescue groups weren’t really around when I brought her home, but as her litter was unintended I’m happy to say that I got her before she ended up in the pound.

    We rescued Sophie, a Golden/Shepherd (we think)/something mix, when Bailey was 10 and had spent her entire life as an only child. Bailey was great with her at first, but then she realized that the pesky newcomer wasn’t going anywhere and we had a rough couple of months. But Sophie adored Bailey and they had a great relationship after that initial period. And Sophie was a lifesaver after I lost Bailey. The house felt so bereft as it was that I can’t imagine how I would have coped if Sophie hadn’t been around. She’s more of a “dog dog” as opposed to a “people dog” like Bailey was, but she’s very sweet and smart. I love her dearly, but she’s not a heart dog candidate.

    My little Oscar, who is a 4-month-old Great Pyr/Golden mix, is a pure joy despite being such a, well, puppy. He is very people-oriented, has the sweetest eyes, and gives great puppy kisses. I know in my heart that Bailey helped me select him, because he wasn’t the one I was originally leaning toward. He was rescued at the age of one week, with his parents, siblings, and 27 (yes 27) other dogs. They were all living in a trailer with a hoarder. Potential to be my heart boy, maybe, if I’m lucky. No one will ever be like Bailey but for some reason I feel more attached to him than Sophie. (That sounds terrible, doesn’t it?)

  • Valerie

    I have 3 rescue dogs and they have changed my life in more ways than can I possibly count. Even more importantly they have changed my husband and all for the better. He’s an orthopaedic surgeon and pre-puppy he tried to maintain a nearly surgical level of order and cleanliness to his entire life, which generally led to more tension than satisfaction.
    3 rambunctious puppies later, he has gone from being the guy who came home stressed out from surgery and went grumbling about the house eyeing every dust mote like a personal insult to a baby (or puppy) talking sap whose first action on entering the door is to sit on the floor in suit and tie so the dogs can mob him at face level, muddy paws, slobbery kisses and all.
    Words can’t express the love and happiness and light these three furry gifts have brought into our lives.
    You’re doing a wonderful thing, Dr V. and the world is a better place for having people like you in it. Your patients and their owners are very fortunate to have someone like you to care for them. Thanks so much!

  • Sophie

    Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I think what youre doing is so great. I would love to donate but a) i dont have a credit card and b) i am a (poor) university student, lol. I adopted two cats from the shelter last year because they were going to be euthanized because the shelter had no more room to take in other pets. I could not let that happen and scratched together every spare dollar I had to pay the adoption fee… One month later I found a kitten in the snow bank in front of our apartment that I took in and could not bear to give up after the long recovery. My boyfriend says that these cats are the reson I am so poor, lol. Because I take them to the vet and pay for Advantage even if I probably should spend the money elsewhare. I have never regretted adopting these cats and I really hope that sharing this story will help you get through your next few hours :) .

  • Kristie

    My Sebastian was my very first grown-up very own kitty. I was in grad school and finally living in a place that would allow me to have a kitty (albeit for a $500 deposit!) I went to the Humane Society knowing that I wanted an older kitty since I’d heard they tend to be harder to adopt. I fell in love with Sebby and with his story. He’d lived with the same family since he was a kitten. He was 11 years old when they had a kid. Cat began urinating inappropriately. They locked him in the garage for the better part of a year before they finally got rid of him. He was an underweight neurotic basketcase. The poor guy was literally afraid of the dark after being locked in the garage–he would start howling and would literally howl himself hoarse. I forgot to leave the light on one evening and could hear his hoarse howls from down the stairwell of my apartment building. This got better over time. He was a total snugglebug and, until the day he died, slept between the pillows on my bed. All he wanted was people. He had to be in the room with people; he’d just hang out quietly near the door, but he had to be able to see you. After a couple of vet visits in his first few months, we figured out that he had a hyperthyroid condition, which had probably caused the inappropriate urination his former owners had experienced. The poor guy put up with me shoving pills down his throat twice a day for the next five years until he passed away from lymphoma at the age of 16. He’s still sitting on our bookshelf in the living room, a spot where there will always be plenty of people around for him to hang out with so that he’s not alone. I miss my Seb-bug.

  • Cheryl

    We had been waiting to purchase our first house before adopting a dog. I was looking on PetFinder and thought he was perfect. He is a mix; everyone has a different guess though, so who really knows. He’s one of a kind! People just love him, he has such a unique look and I get stopped to ask what kind of dog he is all the time.

    He came to me with dry crusty-tipped ears and some ear medications and benadryl; I inquired about it and was assured it was just a temporary thing. I came to find out that he had allergies…to almost EVERYTHING. It took a long time (and many, many vets) to get to them to where they are somewhat manageable. I am biased (of course), but he is one of the greatest dogs I have ever met. I would take 20 more exactly like him, allergies and all.