Sally..

.. Sally is a millers dog who needs to come in after her last litter of 8 she was rescued.. but I don't have room at the present time.. She deserves so much more than she has lived..Its just not fair..

A Rescuers Answering Machine

.. This was shared with me today.. I thought it interesting and could relate on some levels..
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Hello: You have reached ___-____, Tender Hearts Rescue. Due to the
high volume of calls we have been receiving, please listen closely to
the following options and choose the one that best describes you or
your situation:

Press 1 if you have a 10-year-old dog and your 15-year-old son has
suddenly become allergic and you need to find the dog a new home
right away.

Press 2 if you are moving today and need to immediately place your
150 pound, 8-year-old dog.

Press 3 if you have three dogs, had a baby and want to get rid of
your dogs because you are the only person in the world to have a
baby and dogs at the same time.

Press 4 if you just got a brand new puppy and your old dog is having
problems adjusting so you want to get rid of the old one right away.

Press 5 if your little puppy has grown up and is no longer small and
cute and you want to trade it in for a new model.

Press 6 if you want an unpaid volunteer to come to your home TODAY
and pick up the dog you no longer want.

Press 7 if you have been feeding and caring for a "stray" for the
last three years, are moving and suddenly determine it's not your
dog.

Press 8 if your dog is sick and needs a vet but you need the money
for your vacation.

Press 9 if you are elderly and want to adopt a cute puppy who is not
active and is going to outlive you.

Press 10 if your relative has died and you don't want to care for
their elderly dog because it doesn't fit your lifestyle.

Press 14 if you are calling at 6 a.m. to make sure you wake me up
before I have to go to work so you can drop a dog off on your way
to work.

Press 15 to leave us an anonymous garbled message, letting us know
you have left a dog in our yard in the middle of January, which is
in fact, better than just leaving the dog with no message.

Press 16 if you are going to get angry because we are not going to
take your dog that you have had for fifteen years, because it is
not our responsibility.

Press 17 if you are going to threaten to take your ten year old dog
to be euthanized because I won't take it.

Press 18 if you're going to get angry because the volunteers had the
audacity to go on vacation and leave the dogs in care of a trusted
volunteer who is not authorized to take your personal pet.

Press 19 if you want one of our PERFECTLY trained, housebroken, kid
and cat friendly purebred dogs that we have an abundance of.

Press 20 if you want us to take your dog that has a slight
aggression problem, i.e. has only bitten a few people and killed your
neighbor's cats.

Press 21 if you have already called once and been told we don't take
personal surrenders but thought you would get a different person this
time with a different answer.

Press 22 if you want us to use space that would go to a stray to
board your personal dog while you are on vacation, free of charge,
of course.

Press 23 if it is Christmas Eve or Easter morning and you want me to
deliver an eight week old puppy to your house by 6:30 am before
your kids wake up.

Press 24 if you have bought your children a duckling, chick or baby
bunny for Easter and it is now Christmas and no longer cute.

Press 25 if you want us to take your female dog who has already had
ten litters, but we can't spay her because she is pregnant again and
it is against your religion.

Press 26 if you're lying to make one of our younger volunteers feel
bad and take your personal pet off your hands.

Press 27 if your cat is biting and not using the litter box because
it is declawed, but you are not willing to accept the responsibility
that the cat's behavior is altered because of your nice furniture.

Press 28 if your two year old male dog is marking all over your house
but you just haven't gotten around to having him neutered.

Press 29 if you previously had an outdoor only dog and are calling
because she is suddenly pregnant.

Press 30 if you have done "everything" to housebreak your dog and
have had no success but you don't want to crate the dog because it
is cruel.

Press 31 if you didn't listen to the message asking for an evening
phone number and you left your work number when all volunteers are
also working and you are angry because no one called you back.

Press 32 if you need a puppy immediately and cannot wait because
today is your daughter's birthday and you forgot when she was born.

Press 33 if your dog's coat doesn't match your new furniture and you
need a different color or breed.

Press 34 if your new love doesn't like your dog and you are too
stupid to get rid of the new friend (who will dump you in the next
month anyway) instead of the dog.

Press 35 if you went through all these 'options' and didn't hear
enough. This press will connect you to the sounds of tears being
shed by one of our volunteers who is holding a discarded old dog
while the vet mercifully frees him from the grief of missing his
family.

Please Help Me Get Bassets Out.. Help by Fostering..

Here is what I mean.. Click Its just not fair.. lets get some " Home For The Holidays "


Its just not fair..

Folks I Really Need Fosters

.. I have 5 bassets come in that need fosters.. So if you have any room in your heart and home PLEASE be in touch..

Tis The Season..

Two More Bassets Arrive

.. This girl is Pokey she is three.. her owners left the country and her... She certainly is a sweetie..

Then there is Mya.. a two year old also sweet but shy for a basset.. mind you when their lives are turned upside down its expected... tomorrow she will be vetted and spayed.. as per usual..



Two lovely girls..

3 Bassets Coming In

.. Well what can I say 3 bassets surrendered need new Forever Homes besides the ones I already have.. They will arrive Dec. 6th. I'm not sure how much vetting they will need but that will be done.. Here they are..



Bruno



Katie



Dodger

I will need fosters for them.. so PLEASE if you have room email me..

Thank You..

Christmas Pet Fair December 5th.

.. Once again BHRQ will be at the Hudson Community Center in Hudson for the pet adoption/pet fair.. Included will be The Blessing Of The Pets.. as well as some surprises.. It will be on from 11:00 to 3:00 .. Why not drop by and say hello.. I'd love to see you.. we can swap basset stories..

Millie Gets Her New Home With Caduc

Caduc left.. Millie right

.. I am never happier than when I place a basset with another one.. Millie has just that.. she is just 13 months and her new buddy is a year and half.. Since her placement sunday I've already heard that they are doing great together playing ectra.. Yahoo.. I love these endings..

The Two Walker Sister's Get A Home

.. Well I must say that the Universe came through once again.. Sassy and Mimi have their forever home with a wonderful family.. who I know will love and take great care of them.. I admit I miss them but thats all a part of being a rescue.. cannot let your feelings get in the way.. However the family promised to keep me updated on their progress.. I can't ask for more..

Max & Ginny & Oscar Jelly Beans

Ginny



Max

These two are a bonded pair of sweethearts really.. they tragically were the victims of a divorce .. but they are a resilient pair and have settled in well here and are playing all the time.. They will make fine additions to anyones home.. its so much easier with adult bassets they are past all the "puppy" craziness.. they are just pleasent to have around.. no muss no fuss..

Then there is Oscar Jelly Beans.. he is just 6 months old and full of beans hense the name.. but sweet none the less.. he is a little clingy as he is the victim of abandonment and shuffling around.. so he needs stability in his life and will be a fine companion ..

Sister's Have Their Forever Home..

.. Well BHRQ has been Graced again with a couple of wonderful folks that are adopting the two sisters ( walker hounds ) together.. That was my wish I did't want to separate them I couldn't be happier for these two..



Thank You

Day In The Life Of a Shelter Volunteer

.. Hello Readers.. I received this from a friend who works in a kill shelter.. these are NOT like rescue centers as you will read.. So PLEASE sign this petition

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/987653849



Hello Everyone,

As many of you may have heard, I walked out of the ACC last week for good.

I spent six extremely frustrating, heartbreaking weeks working in the shelter environment; which was not what I agreed to when I was offered the job -- my job ended up being nothing like it was supposed to be, and not a good use of my time and effort... I could save far more pets if allowed to do what I was hired for.

I have seen and heard things that I will never forget; I believe I have post traumatic stress disorder because I keep seeing the faces of dogs that I promised homes to --only to find out they were in the freezer when I had finally found a home.



Every day it is like playing BEAT THE CLOCK WITH LIFE AND DEATH AND ALMOST ALWAYS LOSING! How many times can a heart break like that? I reached my limit, probably faster than most, but I believe that happens when you love animals as deeply as I do.

The need for people to get out adopt and foster is dire! There are NO words to describe what these animals endure - shelter life is hell on earth. Not because of anything intentionally done, but just because it is what it is... HELL before heaven --- either heaven in the form of a home, or heaven in the form of the Rainbow Bridge .

I truly feel like I have been to hell.

These poor pets don't have much chance once they enter those shelter doors because so few people actually go to the shelter to seek out a pet and only a small amount of adoptable pets are actually shown to the public because of limited space in the adoptions rooms.



There are so many desperate dogs and cats behind doors that the public has no access to, so no one knows they are there and opportunities are repeatedly missed for both adopters and the pets! The lucky ones are the ones that the New HOPE Girls and Maggie O'Neil get out... but they can only do so much and try so hard!!!

Also, another killer for me was seeing the betrayal on the faces of the pets whose owners surrendered them --- So many times I wanted to jump up from my desk and scream at these people who take the easy way out without ever thinking of what life will be like for their pet once they drive away.



Then there were the people who would round up the litters of kittens in their yards or the friendly cat that made the mistake of saying hello to them --- they would put them carriers and dumped off at the ACC as a stray!!! It infuriated me to watch their reactions when told that these pets could face euthanasia --- most just shrugged their shoulders. I will never get it or forget it!!!

The other daily tear-jerker for me was hearing the non-stop desperate cries, wails and barks of dogs who are anxious, scared, heartbroken and bored out of their minds. This is torture to an animal lover like me.....

Oh, and the cats and kittens!!!! Watching them decline each day was devastating.



I'd see them go from being happy and greeting me in the morning to depressed and so sick with upper respiratory infections that they were sneezing like crazy and had bubbles coming out of their noses. They looked and felt miserable, needed to be loved and treated with tons of care in a quiet place, but instead, they were stuck in cages without any love or real care.

Being exposed to these things day after day, took a toll on me. I felt tormented at the end of each day and cried through almost every dinner for the last six weeks ----- my poor boyfriend!!!

I have not had one good night's sleep in weeks... there are certain images that are deeply embedded in my mind!!!



My last heartbreak was a ten year old black cocker spaniel -- this dog visits me, or rather haunts me, every night at 2am. She was an owner surrender because of personal problems. She was scared to death and to top it off, she was blind.



I spent about ten minutes talking to this poor old dog with tears she couldn't see, flowing down my face. At that age, and being blind, a kill shelter was the last place on earth she deserved to end up or spend her last few days. I made her a promise I would find her a home... I got distracted and a few hours later I tried to pull up her kennel card so I could get all her information to send out one of my "famous emails" begging you all to help.... she was in the FREEZER already....I was too late, again!

My heart sank, I felt like I was kicked in the stomach and my eyes once again filled with tears.... To this little black cocker I say this, "I loved you and wanted to help you, but I was too late. I am so very sorry, but at least you are not terrified anymore by the sounds you could hear and the sights you couldn't see!"

I felt like I failed this poor little lady. I felt like I should have done more, acted quicker or thrown myself in front of her when they came to bring her to her moment of death. Oh how I am haunted by this poor thing. I guess I am too soft... so many others working in the shelter are NOT affected by this, perhaps they are used to the daily death, but daily death of innocent pets is something I can never get used to and if I did, then I couldn't live with myself!

Thanks much to everyone who read my desperate emails, forwarded them to family and friends and tried so hard to help me save as many as I could! I appreciated the support!



Remember, ALWAYS CONSIDER ADOPTING OR FOSTERING A SHELTER PET instead of PURCHASING!! ! THE NEED IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE -- unless you spend a week in the shelter, you really have NO IDEA what the shelter life is like. I got an unforgettable education!



I am not saying that they have any other options there, they don't because they are contracted to take in everything surrendered.



I am saying that things could be done differently in terms of spectacular events and making the NEED known... and being more proactive in terms of letting adopters know that there are so many other pets behind the next set of doors that NEED homes...



My feeling is that no adopter should ever walk out of the shelter empty handed and without being asked, "what were you looking for, can I show you some more pets before you go?"

Yesterday, I heard on 1010Wins that the ACC was making it public that they were adopting out all cats over age one for free, and that they had not put any pets to sleep for space during the last three months!



To 1010Wins news I say this. "Space" is an interesting term.



Maybe it is not called "space" when you euthanize a dog or cat that has caught an UPPER RESPIRATORY OR KENNEL COUGH, or when you decide to change their behavior from mild or no concern to moderate or severe...(some valid, many not) but it is still death. And all these SICK animals or behavior issue animals are put to sleep to make space... so the wording is really interesting, and when did URI's and Kennel Cough become illnesses that couldn't be cured???



In my humble opinion, a dead animal is a dead animal and they should ALL COUNT!



If they came in alive, and leave dead, they should count as dead. Does anyone else agree?

Way too many leave in frozen in black bags. If things were done differently --- and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what is wrong, or to make the changes necessary ---- they would need fewer black bags!

I plan on continuing to do what I do best - saving them through adoption events and arranging for foster care. Because of my soft heart, I believe that I am better at a distance.

Us rescues up here transport from the USA all over to help workers/volunteers in kill shelters.. Its an everyday list sadly.. but we can only do what we can.. So please sign