Tales & Tails of New York

 

 

 

(Picture Above:  Paloma --waiting for someone to take a risk....)

 

 

"I just want to adopt or foster the dog who needs it most." The man told me over the phone the other day.

 

Such calls are indeed highly unusual and very welcomed.

 

The man, who identified himself as "Phil" then went on to tell me about his previous dog who had passed away a few months ago due to liver cancer.

 

"Jenny was a wonderful dog in every way." Phil told me in a very soft, reminiscent type of voice. "A Collie/Chow type. She was about 6-years-old when I offered to take her from neighbors who kept her chained up in the yard all of the time.  It seems when the kids grew up and moved on, the parents had no time for Jenny anymore.  I used to give her treats and occasionally walked her.  When I finally moved from the house, the people gave her to me and I was blessed to have her 7 years.  I just want to help the dog who needs it most in Jenny's honor."

 

I was quite touched and impressed by Phil's story.

 

Unfortunately, I know from experience, it is an all too common one with one exception: 

 

Most "yard" or "chained" dogs are never lucky enough to find a guy like Phil to free them from their lives of misery and neglect.

 

I told Phil I would call him about a dog he could help save from the shelter's Euth list.

 

"Sadly, there are many wonderful dogs who need rescue every day," I said.  "We will try to find a special one for you - in your dog's memory."

 

When I noted a particularly touching volunteer write-up on a dog named, "Paloma" on the Euth List of the Manhattan shelter the other day, I immediately thought of Phil and called the New Hope number to pull Paloma off the list.

 

Paloma (pictured above) was turned in by a family because the other female dog in the home, "Won't allow her in the house and constantly attacks Paloma."   The family added that they were keeping Paloma in the yard all of the time in order to protect her from attack from the other dog.

 

Paloma was, in essence, a "yard dog."

 

Phil agreed to meet me at the shelter yesterday.  Barring no major hindrances, he would take Paloma home as a trial foster/adoption.

 

Paloma was very much as described in her shelter write-up.

 

A sweet and gentle dog, but extremely timid.

 

Everything about Paloma's demeanor (including her confusion with stairs and still swollen teats from a previous litter) spoke to a dog who had probably spent most of her short, 3-year life in a flat yard with little stimulation, attention and interaction with people.

 

When walking the very shy dog in the yard in back of the shelter, I was secretly worried that the seemingly well educated and aristocratic man in his early 40's might not take to this ordinary "Heinz 57" mutt (with some obvious pitbull in her).  Would Phil deem the dog too skittish and scared?   Would he think her too big?  Or would he simply think Paloma too different from his previous and cherished, Collie/chow dog?

 

If Phil had any of those reservations, he did not express them to me or Jesse, the New Hope Coordinator.

 

It only took a few minutes for Phil to agree to take Paloma home with him.

 

Wow, what a relief! I thought gratefully.

 

The truth was, if Phil had said, "No," I had no other place to send Paloma after pulling her from the Euth list.

 

It was another "risk" that was somehow paying off.

 

Within an hour, I was seeing Paloma off in the back seat of Phil's car with a beautiful, expensive, soft quilt tucked neatly under her.  For the first time, Paloma had a happy, serene look on her face. Her soft eyes gleamed; her mouth opened widely in the (to me) familiar doggie smile I so associate with my dog, Tina.

 

Later last night, when walking Tina, I noticed a woman standing outside the 24-hour Duane Reed (probably waiting for someone inside) with a nice looking German Shepherd dog.

 

I was about to compliment the dog when the woman immediately spoke my name.

 

"Hi, Patty, it's so nice to see you!   Do you remember her? (stroking her dog)   You know, she's 14-years-old now."

 

"Oh my God, yes, it's Stormy!" I said, suddenly remembering the black and tan Shepherd from so many years before.  "She looks so good!" (though one could now see the changes in the dog's eyes that come with age).

 

Lee and I chatted for a few minutes, remembering back on that fateful day 13 years ago, when I took Stormy from the city pound where she was scheduled to be killed at the end of the day and on to the city streets of New York in desperate attempt to find an emergency foster home for her.

 

A friend and I stood on a chilly corner of 86th Street and Third Avenue for more than 4 hours (in pre-Internet days) begging someone to help save Stormy's life.

 

If unsuccessful in finding a foster for the young Shepherd I was to return her to the shelter for euthanasia by 7PM

 

It was after 6 PM, when a young woman walked down the street on her way home from work.

 

The last thing in the world Lee was thinking about was coming home with a dog.

 

But, she stopped to look at Stormy and inquire what we were doing -- and the rest is history.

 

Stormy went home with Lee as a foster 13 years ago -- and never left.

 

And wasn't it nice to see Stormy and her loving adopter again last night?

 

In those few moments, it occurred to me how many crazy and desperate "risks" we have taken over the years. Not all of them worked out as hoped, but the truth is, the overwhelming majority did.

 

"So how's it going for you now?" Lee asked.  "Are you still doing rescue?"

 

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact," I replied, wistfully. "I just sent a dog home today with a really nice foster person.  A dog, who like Tina and Stormy was on the Euth list. I guess you could say, 'The more things change, the more things stay the same.'"

 

And so they do.

 

So many animals always needing rescue. 

 

So many risks. 

 

But, for the lucky some, like Stormy, Paloma and so many others,

there are the special people -- like Lee and Phil -- willing to take a "risk" with them. -- PCA

 

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