Tales & Tails of New York

 

 

 

 

We had a pretty decent weekend.

 

"Minnie," the lovely Chow mix rescued a couple of weeks back was adopted to a wonderful, dog loving couple from New Jersey.  And Fluffy, a shy, but sweet and lively longhaired cat rescued last July was finally adopted to a very personable, 30-something woman with an outstanding record of committed cat care and ownership.

 

It was definitely one of those, "the glass is half full" times that potentially opens up opportunity for us to rescue new animals.

 

Yesterday, I called Najia at the Brooklyn shelter to inquire about a dog I had been sent a Rescue Alert about.

 

"Zoe" (pictured above) was dropped off to the shelter from a family who claimed the beautiful Chow/Collie was "snapping."

 

But, contrary to the negative owner profile, volunteers and staffers at the shelter found Zoe to be extremely cooperative, gentle and affectionate.

 

Why the disparity?

 

I requested Najia to call the former owners to try and obtain more information.

 

 

A few minutes later, Najia called back.

 

"The husband told me Zoe is only partially housebroken.  When he'd smack her with a newspaper for housebreaking mistakes, she was starting to snap at him -- fight back."

 

"Did you ask how often they walked the dog?" I asked.

 

"Yes. Once a day." Najia answered.

 

"You should have asked this jerk if he could hold his pee for 24 hours!" I joked.

 

"Well, I would have liked to ask him that, but I can't," Najia laughed.  "I have to be nice in order to get the information."

 

"Oh, I realize that. It's just a shame we can't ask the obvious!"

 

Najia further informed me that Zoe had been adopted by the family from the shelter two years earlier and then returned. They indicated Zoe was good with children and cats.

 

"That was when we were doing open adoptions," she added. "We now screen people.  Obviously, this wasn't a good placement. Imagine only walking a dog once a day and then beating her for mistakes!"

 

"Well, we need to do screenings, that's for sure." I agreed.  "Some people should never have an animal."

 

I told Najia that we should have a dog foster opening in a couple of days and that we could take Zoe later in the week. (Sheba, our Shepherd is due to be adopted on Friday).

 

Although having one dog adoption this past weekend, Zack, the foster person is already fostering another dog.

 

I might have to put Zoe at my vet for a couple of days if she ends up on the Euth list before Friday or the shelter simply runs out of space to keep her.

 

But, in any event we are committed to taking Zoe and as always, will figure something out.

 

Right now, the perennial glass if half full -- and its not too often we can say that. -- PCA

 

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