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savingdogs
Queen Filksinger
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For those of you not familiar with my journal, I like to tell the story of my different foster dogs. This one was from about five years ago:
Skip it if you are just here for the photos!
The Story of Joey
While I was coordinating the fosters for the all breed group, I was alerted that an older poodle needed to come back into our organization. He had a wonderful adopter, but she said she could not handle his medical issues. His name was Joey and he was a miniature poodle, all white. The adopter said that her vet told her that Joey needed to be put to sleep and she just could not do it. I told her to bring the dog over to where I worked (a vet) and I would take responsibility, because she had only adopted the dog a few months prior and I felt our group should help this person.
When Joey arrived and she bade him a tearful goodbye, I saw right away he was blind from cataracts. He had a friendly and loving demeanor and was not overly bothered by his blindness. As we prepared a euthanasia appointment, the veterinarian in charge looked over the records brought by the owner. She started muttering her disagreements with how his care had been handled. She finally looked up at me and said, "I'm not killing this dog. He has never had the right medicine." I was quite surprised but happy to give him another chance, so I took Joey home with the right meds. She also said that given a special expensive surgery, his blindness could be corrected.
The doctor was right. Joey improved with stronger antibiotics(chronic bladder infections). He immediately amazed us, however, at how a blind dog can get around. He would map out a room by going in circles and bumping into things. He would memorize where things were and would remember after that and have a sort of radar about objects. We had to not move the furniture! He hated to be picked up and carried because then he would not know where he was and he would have to begin his radar-bouncing-discovery thing again in the new space.
Joey was sweet, but crusty too. He did not care for other dogs and we laughed that they brought out the "evil Joey". He was so small that we managed to keep him under control however. I decided that since there was no rush to find him a home, I would wait for an owner who would repair his eyesight. It took a few months, and during this time, we came to love and respect poodles. It was a breed we had never known much before or even liked, but Joey won us over. I have never seen such intelligence as he showed. The fur I thought so ugly is actually so easy care, I like it now.
In any event, Joey finally found his family. A wonderful couple came forward and adopted him and had the appointment lined up with the eye specialist in the area. We were so excited! But on the day of the surgery, the specialist decided that the eyes had degenerated to much, and the surgery would not help after all. So Joey remained blind. The couple said they did not mind, he had adjusted well anyway.
A short year later, I recieved a note from the family. Joey had died! Apparently there had been a further reason for the original bladder infection, he had cancer in that area. I felt terrible that I had not euthanized him that first day, that I put this wonderful family through this ordeal, one year with a beloved dog and then to have him die.
However they wrote me a most wonderful letter which I wish had not been lost on my crashed computer. But what it said was this...that they had never had a dog that made them so happy as Joey had. They felt inspired by him in a way they never had before. They were considering dedicating their pet life to rescuing white poodles, especially special needs ones, either by fostering or adopting.
A few months later I found a wonderful HEALTHY white poodle mix pup that needed a home and I contacted them, hoping this puppy would fill the hole in their heart that Joey left. But they surprised me and answered no.....they were fostering two elderly white poodles they had acquired from the humane. One needed a home and the other they thought unadoptable due to an incurable health condition, but they would keep it anyway. They were doing it in Joey's honor and said they were going to "always" do that, they felt inspired by my husband and my devotion and caring for Joey and wanted to do the same for other poodles, exclusively white ones. While our family has inspired many other folks to try rescue, this was the one that really knocked my socks off because the very issue that I was worried about....that Joey died so soon...was the same issue they were looking for in their rescues, that they were unadoptable ones whom no one would want. So God had me give the dog to the right people after all.
I myself do not pick those kinds to rescue when given the choice!
I sure wish I had his picture still.....
In any event, that is the story of Joey, one of our most special.
Skip it if you are just here for the photos!
The Story of Joey
While I was coordinating the fosters for the all breed group, I was alerted that an older poodle needed to come back into our organization. He had a wonderful adopter, but she said she could not handle his medical issues. His name was Joey and he was a miniature poodle, all white. The adopter said that her vet told her that Joey needed to be put to sleep and she just could not do it. I told her to bring the dog over to where I worked (a vet) and I would take responsibility, because she had only adopted the dog a few months prior and I felt our group should help this person.
When Joey arrived and she bade him a tearful goodbye, I saw right away he was blind from cataracts. He had a friendly and loving demeanor and was not overly bothered by his blindness. As we prepared a euthanasia appointment, the veterinarian in charge looked over the records brought by the owner. She started muttering her disagreements with how his care had been handled. She finally looked up at me and said, "I'm not killing this dog. He has never had the right medicine." I was quite surprised but happy to give him another chance, so I took Joey home with the right meds. She also said that given a special expensive surgery, his blindness could be corrected.
The doctor was right. Joey improved with stronger antibiotics(chronic bladder infections). He immediately amazed us, however, at how a blind dog can get around. He would map out a room by going in circles and bumping into things. He would memorize where things were and would remember after that and have a sort of radar about objects. We had to not move the furniture! He hated to be picked up and carried because then he would not know where he was and he would have to begin his radar-bouncing-discovery thing again in the new space.
Joey was sweet, but crusty too. He did not care for other dogs and we laughed that they brought out the "evil Joey". He was so small that we managed to keep him under control however. I decided that since there was no rush to find him a home, I would wait for an owner who would repair his eyesight. It took a few months, and during this time, we came to love and respect poodles. It was a breed we had never known much before or even liked, but Joey won us over. I have never seen such intelligence as he showed. The fur I thought so ugly is actually so easy care, I like it now.
In any event, Joey finally found his family. A wonderful couple came forward and adopted him and had the appointment lined up with the eye specialist in the area. We were so excited! But on the day of the surgery, the specialist decided that the eyes had degenerated to much, and the surgery would not help after all. So Joey remained blind. The couple said they did not mind, he had adjusted well anyway.
A short year later, I recieved a note from the family. Joey had died! Apparently there had been a further reason for the original bladder infection, he had cancer in that area. I felt terrible that I had not euthanized him that first day, that I put this wonderful family through this ordeal, one year with a beloved dog and then to have him die.
However they wrote me a most wonderful letter which I wish had not been lost on my crashed computer. But what it said was this...that they had never had a dog that made them so happy as Joey had. They felt inspired by him in a way they never had before. They were considering dedicating their pet life to rescuing white poodles, especially special needs ones, either by fostering or adopting.
A few months later I found a wonderful HEALTHY white poodle mix pup that needed a home and I contacted them, hoping this puppy would fill the hole in their heart that Joey left. But they surprised me and answered no.....they were fostering two elderly white poodles they had acquired from the humane. One needed a home and the other they thought unadoptable due to an incurable health condition, but they would keep it anyway. They were doing it in Joey's honor and said they were going to "always" do that, they felt inspired by my husband and my devotion and caring for Joey and wanted to do the same for other poodles, exclusively white ones. While our family has inspired many other folks to try rescue, this was the one that really knocked my socks off because the very issue that I was worried about....that Joey died so soon...was the same issue they were looking for in their rescues, that they were unadoptable ones whom no one would want. So God had me give the dog to the right people after all.
I myself do not pick those kinds to rescue when given the choice!
I sure wish I had his picture still.....
In any event, that is the story of Joey, one of our most special.
Stan, the pug we have now, has some cataract issues but he still sees pretty well. He's as deaf as a stone, but he can see.
