Category Archives: animal advocacy

humans suck some days

Posted on by
(Photos courtesy of Pennsylvania, SPCA)

This post from the Pennsylvania SPCA had the following verbiage on Facebook :

Her name is Tangi.

Yesterday, she was found outside our shelter, sealed inside a taped-up box in the freezing morning air.

When we opened it, scared eyes looked up at us. She was shaking and so stressed that she was hypersalivating, clearly overwhelmed by everything around her. And yet, the moment a hand reached toward her, she leaned in, gentle and searching for comfort despite everything she had been through.

Throughout the day, during medical testing, behavioral exams, and every check we needed to do, Tangi just wanted to be near someone. She followed staff closely, rested her head against anyone who knelt beside her, and cried when she was left alone. All she wanted was to feel safe.

We are incredibly grateful someone spotted that box when they did. It was less than 30 degrees outside when she was abandoned. We truly sympathize with the circumstances her previous owner may have been facing, but we also want everyone, including pets, to remain safe. If you ever need help with a pet, please reach out to us, or any shelter or rescue in the area. And if you must surrender an animal urgently, please come inside and speak with someone.

Tangi is currently on a stray hold in case an owner comes forward. If no one does, she will be made available for adoption, and we know she’ll steal hearts quickly.

For now, she is safe, and so, so loved.

⬇️ to see Tangi.

I would like to know what in the hell is wrong with people? You’ve all these people in all these stupid social media groups wanting to get their Joey and Jill a puppy for Christmas. Well half of those puppies will end up in rescue after Christmas and I’ve said it before that’s how I got one of my best dogs. He was a Christmas puppy years ago who held no interest after a couple of months.

Then you have these people that are just dumping puppies. Case in point is a puppy that was posted to Ludwig‘s Corner Veterinary Hospital.

The post was updated to say no owner was NOT located and the dog is probably going into an already overcrowded rescue system.

Who dumps a puppy at Christmas?

Who tapes a dog up in a box and leaves it in bitter cold weather outside a shelter, where the box was almost missed?

And then they’re all the dogs that Main Line Animal Rescue has been posting that seemed to have been dumped in Lancaster City and other parts of Lancaster County.

I just can’t with this. It’s bad enough when dogs end up in rescue because their humans die and there’s no one to take them, but I just don’t understand people dumping their dogs.

Dogs give us unconditional love and so much joy. And people irresponsibly get dogs and then they just dump them.

It’s not just around here or PA in general. It’s like an epidemic all over the country. Our animal companions, much like human beings are not just disposable.

And then there are the people who assume if something happens to them, that certain people in their families or in their lives in general will take their pets. You can’t assume that you need to have a conversation.

All of these rescues are short on funds and often supplies. So if you want to do something meaningful this Christmas, don’t just shove a cute puppy under the Christmas tree that your kids may or may not really want. Adopt a rescue instead and meet your furever friend that way.

I’m sorry but human beings in 2025 have shown themselves in a lot of cases to just be assholes , whether it’s politics or pets.

Rant over. We need to be better humans.

really devon? y’all are (or were?) running puppy what exactly at the devon fall classic?

Posted on by

I can’t even begin to explain how this hit me when I saw these photos from the Devon Fall Classic. I mean seriously, what in the Sam Hell, Devon?

If you put the number on the sign into social media and Google, this is what comes up:

Ok so now that this is sinking in I respectfully ask Easttown Township and Devon Horse Show to explain. People are saying puppies may also have been being sold along with the snuggles being sold? And it’s not a rescue in there, it’s this rando breeder? Puppies are standing on wire mesh in crates? For real? You know that hurts their little paws? And this has been happening the entire fall classic?

People said shih tzus and mini poodles on Thursday? Friday also had miniature dachshunds? Today and Saturday a bunch of breeds? They keep the blinds closed and this woman stands in the door collecting the money so you really have to pay to play?

Seriously what IS going on? Are pet shops allowed as boutiques now?

Shame on you and are you that in need or desperate of filling the selling / retail huts?

I am sure there are people thinking I am making this up. Please see photos received this morning:

Oh and now more and more people are commenting (just sharing a couple of comments because they were all kind of similar:

I also pulled the vendors that Devon advertised, and can you find puppy anything? So this was a last minute addition? WHO MADE THIS DECISION?

I have to ask did any of the other vendors there say anything? How can anyone think this is OK?

This is the link to Devon leadership: https://www.devonhorseshow.net/about/leadership/

If I had to hazard a guess since quite a few of the names are familiar with me, most did not know this puppy thing was happening. However, the chair is all over the events all of the time, so what does he know? Will he address it? And there are TWO show managers listed on Devon’s website, and one would think they had knowledge? Will they address this? And who was on the volunteer committee putting this together this year? I mean if you have worked on volunteer committees, and I have, aren’t you kind of told what is going on and who is going where?

How can ANY of these people have thought it was OK? This is NOT OK!!!

#puppiesarenotproducts

Devon Horse Show thought this was OK? Who brought these people in? This is so not OK in my opinion. Puppies in crates for random people to paw and even possibly buy? Like they are a plastic souvenir from the event?

Seeing these photos took me back to 2010 when the state dog law people busted the guy with puppies at the then Zerns Market which used to be in Gilbertsville. Zerns closed a few years back. And I actually saw the puppies there at Zerns which were essentially on display in things that looked like aquariums. For real. And back then the puppies were stressed and suffering from the unbearable heat in the place and their containers. That was actually one of the only couple of times I went to Zerns because the place always had a creepy vibe. My one friend and I went there only because there was a dealer who sold Minnetonka moccasins.

Pet shop owner guilty of animal cruelty
One article from the fall of 2010. There were a few at the time

All I know is seeing things like this makes me sad and wish for the Devon a lot of us knew as kids. Where did that organization go? The organization that recognized the value in adopt don’t shop?

Even Radnor Hunt stopped having rescue dogs at their events many many years ago because it’s stressful for them to be at large events like this didn’t they?

So I guess the Devon Fall Classic is literally almost over for 2025 as I publish. That however, does not negate the fact that Devon and the Chair and the Fall Classic committee have explaining to do. And apologies to make. I also wonder if anyone went to them even when the show started about this? I mean did they think people would all just look the other way?

My sources tell me area rescues are not happy about any of this and can you blame them?

Another source told me that the puppy booth as they called it appears to have been shut down. I have no other information – they just happened to be there – they were visiting some other business with one of those other booth/huts at the show. And for those giving me a hard time about how it was my job to call the SPCA about this a couple of points to note including the fact that the SPCA can’t do anything here. It’s the dog law enforcement people and well are they still awake and active?

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pda/animals/bureau-of-dog-law-enforcement

But Devon leadership and the Fall Classic committee? You have explaining to do and PUBLIC apologies to make in my humble opinion. Of course my other opinion is this is another reason why maybe it is time for new leadership at Devon?

I would like to hope Devon is worth saving, but when crap like this happens, it makes you wonder. But when you seem to focus on adult beverages a lot at these family friendly events, who knows? If Devon goes forward into the future it would be nice if they gave rescues a table or something near the shops and food where rescues could rotate in and out with volunteers and literature (not animals.)

Very sad turn of events. And I am sure Devon doesn’t care for my opinions and the opinions of others, but they really shouldn’t just try to ignore this and hope it goes away, yes?

can we talk about puppies being sold illegally on the streets of west chester borough?

Posted on by

These photos were like yesterday or last night in front of Jaco Taco and Juice Bar in West Chester Borough. 8 West Gay Street, right ? So does this business have a security cameras? If so, they need to turn the footage over to police.

At first given all the online chatter people were rather frustrated with West Chester Borough Police.

Whoever this person is needs to have his ass thrown in jail for putting puppies in a cage in freaking August and trying to sell them on the streets of West Chester Borough.

This is horrible, it is actually illegal, and it’s animal cruelty. I’m going show you all the screenshots I have collected and a little video. if you see this person selling dogs on the street do not approach. Just call the police and record them. Clear photos would be helpful here.

I will note, based upon what I have seen online, it seems like West Chester Borough was a little slow to act here.

Police need to catch this guy because otherwise we all know what will probably happen, right? Dead puppies somewhere right?

Whoever this is, they’re just as bad as a puppy mill, and who knows maybe they’re from a puppy mill?

And just out of curiosity when this fighting was going on in the middle of the street, where were West Chester Police?

This is ridiculous that this is even happening.

File under law and disorder and illegal puppy sales in West Chester Borough.

unhappy cat tale: get the cat back, acct philly.

Posted on by

OK this all started with someone contacting my blog’s Facebook page. This woman’s friend’s daughter, whom I assume is of adult age has a cat and was fostering a cat. Long story short apparently, ACCT Philly was told to pick up the daughter’s foster cat when she was out of town on a family emergency and ACCT picked up the WRONG cat. They were supposed to take a cat that the woman was fostering named Garfield, but instead they took the woman’s few year-old cat Simba, who she has had for a few years.

It seems like there was a cat sitter involved as well ?

However, not to be judgmental but WHY would you leave responsibility for the right cat getting picked up with someone else? That is something that this young woman probably should’ve handled herself or waited until she got back home.

Nevertheless, the unthinkable seems to have happened, and we’ve heard of it happening before because cases like this have made the local news. ACCT Philly which I personally feel is a train wreck of an organization, took the woman’s cat by mistake and adopted it out and isn’t that horrible? And I have to ask they are a rescue and they know how to scan for microchips so why didn’t they, because this woman’s cat is chipped and the foster cat as well?

Now what is making this worse is I have found reference to this cat on social media posts and where the mother seems to be posting on Reddit, and there are no names so it seems like a scam/spam post.

I said to the woman who contacted me if we don’t know who the person is who lost their cat it’s not particularly helpful. And then the mother is posting from out of state and apparently lives in New England or something, and one of the posts I found is from a friend of hers on Facebook? I don’t get what they don’t get that they need to humanize this and put a face to the young woman suffering because of this, and why can’t this young woman step forward and say hey this rescue took my cat by accident instead of picking up the foster cat?

I am sharing all the screenshots I have found. I think ACCT Philly if they have to, needs to go to the house of the people who have the wrong cat with an animal control officer and get it back. And if these people who adopted the wrong cat purely because of the shelter, making a huge mistake, supposedly now know they were given someone’s pet in error, why haven’t they returned the cat yet?

Anyway, this is what I found and I think it really honestly is something that deserves a little media attention because if rescues tell people to get pets microchipped so they can easily be returned if lost, etc., etc. , why didn’t this work? Why didn’t they scan the cat they picked up when they got to the shelter to at least make sure they had checked back into the system, and the right cat prior to adoption?

ACCT Philly needs to get its act together or get out of the rescue business.

That young woman deserves her cat back. And if the people who adopted her cat won’t return it, should they really be allowed to adopt the foster cat when all is said and done?

Anyway, I’m throwing this out there. These are the screenshots I found I have maintained the message I received. I’m not making this up, I don’t think these people are making it up but again as I said at the opening of this post, the cat owner who was wronged needs to step forward. And I’m saying that because I think it will help.

And my last thought is the past few months there has been horror story after horror story of dumped animals, abandoned animals, problems with shelters, and so on. It’s heartbreaking.

humans should do better.

Posted on by

It’s brutally cold out right now. No pets should just be out roaming around. And we live in a time where people just seem to dump dogs and cats, and even things like hamsters and rabbits without blinking an eye.

And now you have puppy mills overfilling rescues with dogs they can’t sell. They now are using rescues as an outlet to get rid of their excess product so to speak because they’re not viewing these dogs as pets, these dogs are like ears of corn, they’re a product.

Puppy mills give legitimate breeders a bad name. Yet people keep buying from them and then you have lots of big shelters with issues like the Montgomery County SPCA, which really needs a lot more happening than is currently happening, and then you saw what happened to the Delaware County SPCA years ago? That’s how it became Providence because the old Delco SPCA was finally shut down. It was so problematic. And now Providence is a much better place.

The Chester County SPCA also was rife with issues a few years ago and I don’t know what’s going on there today they’ve rebranded they’re now the Brandywine Valley SPCA.

All of these bigger rescue organizations participate in these clear the shelter events or “mega adoption events.” The problem I have with those events is pretty simple. They pretty much just let whomever adopt to literally just clear out the shelter cages and then a few months later you have a lot of those animals coming back into rescues. Ask any of the smaller rescues, especially ones that handle cats and they will tell you about all the kittens that get adopted during clear the shelter events…. and then dumped as young adult cats. And I especially have an issue with holiday mega adoption events and remember the good old days when rescues paused at Christmas because so many Christmas pets end up back in rescue after the holiday glow has worn off? One of my favorite rescues was an ooopsies Christmas pet.

So back to the impetus for this post: loose dogs. Dogs get out even if they are a beloved family pet and sometimes they just want to go on walk about. Sometimes it is because a human is not paying attention.

Yesterday on in Willistown off Paoli Pike, and I guess around Cedar Hollow Road a woman walking her smaller dog, was attacked by a pit bull mix. I don’t know what the end result is, but I was told last night by someone I know that people weren’t sure if the dog was going to make it because it was pretty badly attacked, and that the dogs human also had wounds.

I just drove past a disturbing scene on Paoli Pike. It appeared that a Pit Bull was loose and was mauling another dog and a woman. Police were on the scene and had just pulled the dog off of the person and dog who were lying on the ground. I hope everyone was ok, but by the sounds of the screams, I don’t think so.

Now I will honestly say that the owner of this dog did show up in local social media groups and apologize. That’s a good start, but….its not all that needs to happen.

I would like to apologize to the malvern, Paoli and surrounding residents for the accidental incident that took place earlier today. I am the owner of this rescue pitmix, XXXXX. She escaped out of her reinforced enclosure while I was gone from home. My dogs are up to date on their shots. I am so sorry to the owner of the other dog and will pay the vet bills. I will take even further precautions so this does not happen again. The safety of my community members is of utmost priority to me. Thank you to the Williston Police department for promptly showing up and separating the dogs and help contain XXXXX. I really hope the other dog is ok and not too badly injured. I just wanted to clear the air because I see a lot of posts going around speculating their own stories from me being a terrible owner to someone dumped a dog on Paoli Pike. My sister called me while I was driving panicking because Honey escaped and I told my sister to call 911 ASAP. I rescued this dog and I am responsible, I will not dump her at the spca and let them deal with this issue as they already have a lot to deal with. XXXXX is not human aggressive. She is very loving towards humans so I am not sure if she deserves to be put down, she has never had an incident with aggression towards humans. I will be reinforcing her enclosure further to make sure this does not happen again. Thank you.

But we don’t know how that poor woman is or her dog are today do we?

The fact that the owner publicly owned up to what happened and said sorry is a help, but it’s not the solution. It’s only part of a potential solution.

Twice in my lifetime I had dogs of mine attacked while we were walking on a leash. One time was just walking down a public sidewalk and the other time was on the nature trail at Haverford College.

One of the dogs that attacked one of my dogs back then was a golden retriever. I had to push for the owner to get a $50 fine and he continued to walk his dogs off lead, and the dog continued to go after other dogs on leashes. That particular dog caused thousands of dollars in vet bills to my dog because the golden retriever was a big dog and it ruptured a disc in the back of my dog, which was just your average sized field dog. It was a springer spaniel, a breed not prone to back issues.

The second time it happened it was another spaniel at another point in time and we were walking the nature trail at Haverford College. We were attacked in front of lots of people by two black labs off leash the owner and the black labs took off and my dog got rushed to the vet and it’s neck had been bitten / ripped open.

So I actually know what this feels like and for those of you who assumed I would say it was because it was a pitbull doing the attacking, I would not. I also had an old neighbor once upon a time that was at a dog park in Gladwyne, who was attacked by a much smaller dog and had its whole underbelly ripped open.

But if this dog has gotten out before and has done things like this before, or even if this was just the first time, that dog needs to be professionally evaluated, especially if it drew blood on a human as well as attacking a dog. What if that had been somebody’s kid walking their family pet?

I am not trying to deprive someone of their dog at Christmas. But what happened was horrible.

This dog that went after the other dog could have leash aggression. It’s an actual thing, but it’s something that has to be dealt with.

And I just feel for the woman and her dog who were attacked. I have experienced it.

I rarely write about animal issues any longer because so many lack reading comprehension and we in the age of social media just shoot from the hip.

But I am going to give a shout out to the people trying to save the Montgomery County PA SPCA and the animals. They are doing God’s work. (https://share.inquirer.com/0ZyV4v ) Again, the Montgomery County PA SPCA needs to have what happened to the Delco SPCA – it needs to be shut down, clean house and start again. I am told there are lots of good people in lower levels who work or volunteer for the Montco SPCA but leadership and the board? Not so good.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/montgomery-county-spca-kill-shelter-dogs-cats-20240919.html

Our pets deserve our best and this past year has seen an increase in dumped, lost, stray, loose animals. Accidents happen, no one disputes that. But we as the humans? We have to do better for them.

That’s all.

philly mayor cherelle parker is a one woman wrecking ball of nature: save the meadows at fdr park

Posted on by

The City of Filthadelphia is destroying a gem: the meadows at FDR Park in South Philadelphia are being destroyed for turf fields. The irony is, of course, the City of Philadelphia can’t even take care of the parks they have, but they’re going to add very expensive turf fields. Turf fields contain forever chemicals. Nature is being destroyed for that? Animals and birds are losing their refuge and what about the natural water sources?

This needs to be STOPPED.

You know, everybody thought Mayor Cherelle Parker was going to be like the second coming of Christ. Except I thought was she’s a Wiley Coyote of a politician who’s going to play everyone. How am I doing so far?

https://www.inquirer.com/news/fdr-park-heritage-trees-philadelphia-20240504.html

https://www.inquirer.com/news/fdr-park-orphans-court-renovation-lawsuit-20240502.html

More large trees cut down at South Philly’s FDR Park

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2024/03/27/fdr-park-renovation-neighbors/

https://wapo.st/4bldXRO (Click to read article about turf fields and forever chemicals.)

dear willistown, if someone dumped strange chemicals on my property, can guarantee happiness wouldn’t abound

Posted on by

So does anyone recognize that broad side of a barn or the logo on that tractor thing?

Well, apparently, if it’s something weird that will happen, it will happen in Willistown Township.

A friend has come to me asking if I recognized anything about this tractor like the logo and she knows it’s grainy because it’s from a security camera. Here is the tiny video. The video was taken May 3, 2023 at 9:50 AM. This video was taken on their property on Creek Road. They think that this vehicle came from Wildwood Drive.

The homeowners here were not home. They were out of town. They had not contracted with anyone for any sort of work on the property. And as far as they have been able to ascertain neither have their neighbors.

They went to the Willistown Police Department via phone because they were out of town when the security camera went off. They filed a police report right then, but right or wrong, recounted to me that they didn’t feel taken seriously, or the person taking the report didn’t understand how bad this could actually be.

Not only was their lawn completely turfed, and I have photos to post next, there is this smell emanating from where whoever this was dumped whatever it was and people need to know what the chemicals are! And yes the smell is still there! And it’s now days later!!

Now my friend does appreciate that Willistown sent an officer to check it out, however, this is something that is kind of a big deal potentially. Like many of us they are on a well. Like many of us, they have pets that could be potentially fatally sickened from whatever was tossed on their property. The officer who responded did not seem to get out of their vehicle?

This dumping event is SO not OK. Not only does this person not know what chemicals were dumped, but whoever the company is and employee totally ruined her lawn. She and her husband feel utterly VIOLATED and environmentally conscious Willistown Township needs to get on the stick here.

If you have any information, leave a comment, and or message any other kind of proof to this blog’s Facebook page. I will pass it along to the homeowner. If you saw the truck carrying this weird little tractor thing and Bubba in his big blue suit, also helpful information.

Illegal dumping is actually a crime. And this counts is illegal because they didn’t authorize any work or anything.

If you are media, and you would like to be connected to this person, you can similarly contact me and I will pass your information along to them.

We have enough environmental hazards on a daily basis without some thing that is intentionally bad news like this.

for the love of dogs: loss

Posted on by
Boo Boo Schnitzel 2012-2022

A few short days ago, I introduced you to my dog (see this post.)

Today we said good-bye to him at VRC in Malvern. The grief has been hiding at the edges since we took him in last week. Now it’s here. The tears are running so fast, I can’t see some moments. But writing has always been my catharsis, so I have to write it out. I need to tell a little of his story. A beautiful rescue dog who will forever, remain in my heart.

He is one of the happiest dogs we have ever had. Always wanted to play, always wanted to bring you a toy. Or greet you with a leaf he picked up off of the ground. A fearless chaser of squirrels, chipmunks, deer.

He came to us at six months old when he was dumped with his sibling on the streets of Philadelphia. I can’t find his first photo when I first met him. I have it somewhere.

Boo Boo came to us unexpectedly. We weren’t looking for him. I had (back then) recently said good-bye to his predecessors, Iggy and Mr. Peanut. Iggy we had lost at 8 to canine lymphoma. As I was finishing my radiation for breast cancer, Iggy was starting chemotherapy.

Anyway, one day a few months after losing first one then the other, I got a phone call at the office from Bill Smith, then at Main Line Animal Rescue. There was a puppy. He and his sister had been dumped on the streets of Philadelphia. A PSPCA volunteer was taking his sister. “Did I want him?” my friend Betsy asked (she was also on the call.) She knew it was soon, and we had just said good bye to Iggy and Mr. Peanut a couple of months before. Then they texted me a photo. It was all over. He came home. He was, as they say, a foster fail. He never left.

Keeping watch for squirrels and foxes and deer and chipmunks.

Ten years have gone by in a flash. I wish I could find the amazing words like John Grogan or James Herriot, but right now I feel, well, gutted. I can see him on the very first day we bought him home and so many moments in between.

He was almost Clarence, but then he was just a Boo Boo.

The kaleidoscope of memories includes him marching back and forth on top of the old logs in the woods, daring a chipmunk to pop up, chasing a deer out of my garden beds, investigating Christmas presents under the tree, rolling in deer poop (yes really, he was Captain Deer Poop), racing through the snow to chase who knows what, barking barking barking (boy loved to bark), curled up on someone’s lap, the grand poobah of the bed, begging food, under my feet like a trip hazard in the kitchen while I cooked, giving us kisses, and chasing the hose.

Oh that dog chasing the hose and water. I could garden up until watering time, and then I had to put him in the house. Then he would sit inside and whine. He just loved chasing the water.

Boo Boo also had a group of ladies. My friends. They would come over and he would sit in their laps making eyes at them.

Puppy dreams as a puppy.

This was a dog who was just happy, so very happy. He loved and was so loved in return.

Then last Tuesday, his world fell apart. It was like he couldn’t control his limbs. We called our regular vet Dr. Hahn at Main Line Vet in Malvern. “Take him to VRC.” Was he sure? Yes he was sure. We went to VRC.

At first they thought it was Myasthenia gravis. Then that test was negative, and so was the extra large tick borne disease panel. Yesterday they did an MRI. The only thing left was something brain related. We almost lost him going under anesthesia to go through the MRI machine. His heart rate dropped dramatically. They stabilized him, he went into the MRI on a ventilator, and he did really well with the test.

Dr. Tracy our neurologist called as he was coming out of anesthesia. We finally had what it was: something kind of rare. Immune mediated meningitis – not environmental. With a lot of dogs the recovery rate can be up to 85%. They treat it with steroids and something cytosar, which is a chemotherapy drug. His brain stem was inflamed, brain swollen.

Deep breath. Here we were again with a dog with a chemotherapy drug. Boo Boo was already on steroids, but they started the infusion yesterday afternoon, and we were ALL hopeful. This time yesterday, I was making plans to bring him home.

At a little before 9:00 AM the phone rang. It was Dr. Tracy. Boo Boo was worse, could we come in. Basically, we were out of options, and we needed to come back for his final time on earth.

We got to VRC and the parking lot was jammed. So many people, so many dogs. They took us back to ICU. We could see his time had come. VRC tried so hard. It was just simply too late when we finally figured it out. In the ICU with Boo Boo was that Bernese Mountain dog that got stuck in the mud on the banks of the Schuylkill River for 13 days until some kayakers saw her. She seems to be holding her own.

We weren’t so lucky. Boo Boo wasn’t so lucky. I am glad for that dog’s humans, but I selfishly wish my boy was in his bed under my desk as I write. Just like he has been for the past decade.

We went to the good bye room and waited for them to disconnect him from his IVs. My friend’s daughter is a nurse at VRC and she bought him to us, which was another blessing in the midst of this raw sadness and grief I am feeling. She is also a magnificent human being like Dr. Tracy, and has that soul of true kindness just like her mama.

We all held him, and in true Boo Boo fashion, he tried to rally because his humans were with him. He wagged his tail some, and gave us all a lot of kisses. That almost broke me then and there, because he had not been able to do that really for a week.

Boo Boo loved the snow.

I told him I loved him and always would. They came back with the drugs. I held him as he passed. He quietly slipped away and I felt his last beat of his little and huge dog heart. Dr. Tracy was with us the entire time. I am forever grateful for his care and for genuinely caring about our dog.

We are not bringing his ashes home. He is in every corner of our home and forever in our hearts. He is being donated to Penn Vet for science. Maybe then someday, other families will have answers more quickly and not go through what we are going through. Veterinary medicine, like human medicine is constantly evolving. I daresay, even a decade ago, we would not have even had this last week with him.

Now all we will have left after the sadness and grief recedes, are memories. Memories of a dog whom I loved fiercely (even when he decided to pee on the edge of a cabinet, or door, or something he wasn’t supposed to), and who loved all of us just as fiercely in return. It will be a long time before I stop thinking I see him running through the back yard into the woods, or running OVER a squirrel to chase the one beyond that particular squirrel. At night I will continue to hear the bark bark bark of his nightly routine and woods patrol for a long time.

Dogs give us that unconditional love. In return, we have to do what’s right when it’s time. And that is the hardest part, setting them free of what is ailing them. We want to keep them close, but then we have to say good bye, because it’s the terribly hard and right thing to do.

Well that is the abbreviated story of 10 years of a glorious dog life. How lucky we were to have him.

Chase those heavenly squirrels now my darling Boo. Run free forever. The bad stuff is over.

Me? I wish I could be brave and have the proverbial stiff upper lip. But I just can’t. My heart aches. These magnificent creatures are in our lives for such short periods of time. There is never enough time. Then they live forever in our hearts and memories.

Run free my darling dog. The bad things are over.

for the love of dogs.

Posted on by

Dogs. The canine hearts of our lives. They make us crazy, then they make us laugh. They give us the unconditional love that no human being, especially in today’s world is even capable of.

I have one that is suddenly very ill and I don’t even know how to process it in my head. I want to be positive and know that he’s going to come home and I’ll be able to love him for a few more years, but I am equally parts terrified he just won’t.

He is one of the happiest dogs we have ever had. Always wants to play, always wants to bring you a toy. Or greet you with a leaf he picked up off of the ground. A fearless chaser of squirrels, chipmunks, deer.

He came to us at six months old when he was dumped with his sibling on the streets of Philadelphia. He is now 10. And right now he’s at VRC in Malvern as they try to fix what’s wrong.

And save his life.

Literally a couple of days ago it’s like he lost all control of like his motor functions. In other words imagine trying to tell your arms and legs and head and tongue and throat to move only they’re not. He has been initially diagnosed with a rare disease called myasthenia gravis…they think.

Myasthenia gravis is nasty disease…in humans and dogs. Myasthenia gravis is a disease in which there is a malfunction in the transmission of signals between the nerves and muscles. Dogs with myasthenia gravis exhibit extreme weakness and excessive fatigue. Sometimes dogs are born with it, but mostly they acquire it.

My dog appears to have the acquired version. He’s gone from being a dog who literally bounces, to one yesterday who was like a limp rag doll when he went back to VRC for the second time within 24 hours.

When they initially took him in they thought they’d be able to send him home with steroids pending the outcome of the rest of the tests. And of course this is a disorder that literally maybe has like one lab in the entire United States to analyze it.

Terrifyingly he had a few good minutes yesterday and then the rest of the day was a roller coaster for me….and him. He ate 3 tablespoons of canned food. He didn’t take in any water. He was having difficulty swallowing too. And then when I took his temperature twice he had a very weird temperature reading, so back he went to VRC.

More about the disease:

Some dogs diagnosed with myasthenia gravis require treatment in the hospital until their medication dose is stabilized. These dogs are treated with a class of medication that inhibits a nervous system enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. Anti-acetylcholinesterase medications will be required for the rest of the dog’s life. Because of their compromised ability to swallow, some dogs will actually inhale food, liquid, or vomit, resulting in aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia is extremely serious and often requires aggressive intensive care including oxygen therapy, antibiotics, IV fluid therapy, and supportive care. If the dog is unable to eat or drink without regurgitation, a feeding tube may be needed until the dog’s medication doses are stabilized.

Ancillary treatment of myasthenia gravis is as important as determining appropriate medication doses. In cases where there is a thymoma, it must be removed surgically. Food and water dishes should be elevated, and these dogs often do best with smaller, more frequent meals of a high-quality, high-calorie food. There is no single “best” nutritional formulation for dogs with myasthenia gravis. It is important to assess what works best for the individual dog.

Most dogs with myasthenia gravis will limit their own activity based on the severity of their muscle weakness…..improved muscle strength is an obvious barometer of response to therapy. In addition, chest radiographs (X-rays) are evaluated every 4-6 weeks for resolution of megaesophagus. Finally, acetylcholine receptor antibody levels are evaluated every 8-12 weeks, and should decrease into the normal range with remission.

~ from VCA animal hospitals website.

I am going to be honest I don’t know where to go in my head with this. I cry when no one’s around. To watch a dog that is so joyful suddenly be like a limp washcloth is just horrible.

This begs the age old question of how long do we keep trying and if it doesn’t work when do we say goodbye?

I lost a dog to cancer who was going through chemotherapy when I was going through radiation treatment. I made a decision back then I would never do that again. At the end of the day I feel like I should have let him go, versus what I put him through. So in a way I’m faced with that decision again.

I’m not making any decisions today, but I have to keep in mind as we try to go through this what is in the best interest of my dog. If he wants to try, I will try. I figure that’s the best approach I can have. I have a friend who had a cat with this who lived a few more years after diagnosis with a great quality of life. I’m hoping for that. But right now I’m just scared.

I have not heard anything since my husband took him back to VRC last night. I am sending up prayers to St. Francis like a house on fire to send my boy home with some quality of life.

This will probably be a very odd post for a lot of my readers to read, but it goes back to why I write a lot of the time anyway. I write for me. It’s part of my process. And I’m sure the people who love to hate me although they’ve never met me or had a conversation with me will be cheering that something horrible has happened in my life. I can’t control that. That’s on them for being miserable human beings.

But for those of you who are animal lovers, if you have a minute send up a prayer to St. Francis for my boy.

Thanks for stopping by.

more stupid human tricks

Posted on by

74214095_2777230435623223_4714144769670905856_n

Canadian Geese.  We have a love hate relationship with them.  They can be dirty birds and they will defend their nests and CAN pick odd unexpected places to nest.

BUT.

They are wildlife. You can read about them on the Pennsylvania Game Commission Website.

Canadian Geese mate for life. In Pennsylvania we have migratory and non-migratory populations.

58922_157217640957862_2520117_nPeople get all pissy about them on their properties.  So they buy those metal predator cut-outs. And wonder why they don’t work. Ummm maybe they should occasionaly MOVE them around?  I see these cut-outs at Immaculata and they have never moved since they were put up…which is why you can see the geese right next to them.

Today on NextDoor a thread popped up.  About geese and they are off and running (only sharing this much):

BYBH6841

They are talking about East Goshen Township in this thread.  Yes this stuff – goose birth control – exists.  But if the wrong or grossly uneducated try to use this do you all think it will affect JUST geese?  If this were an alternative it would have to be very specifically administered, not just tossed out onto fields by crews cutting fields in parks.

But because it is NextDoor and most of the people on NextDoor seem to think no one else sees their crazy (which is why I blotted out the names of those commenting), these comments popped up:

InkedFEQD4991_LIInkedBRDW0664_LI

Ok can I be horrified now? First the whole Vaseline of it all, and oh hell you deserve to be pecked and attacked if you do that.  Secondly the profoundly disturbing pronouncement of someone witnessing “township officials” pour oil on wild goose eggs at some spot at Route 3 and 252.  This is cruel and inhumane on ALL counts.

If this is true at Route 3 and 252, which municipality is this?  Marple? And would they REALLY do that?  I actually e-mailed the township to ask.  Don’t know that they will reply. But I am hoping this is just some thing that DOESN’T actually happen.

59982_157218167624476_6635753_n

An easy way to manage them is to let humans who train field dogs clear the fields of geese.  They used to do that down at Haverford College years ago. And plenty of places employ the services of those who remove the poop.

No solution is perfect but hey don’t we live in Chester County at least partially for the nature? Open space (what’s left of it) etc?

Anyway, the cruelty of humans combined with stupidity is always a dangerous combination, isn’t it?

 

134599_182934258386200_1869868_o