laughing and crying at work one day

I get a lot of calls here at Animal Aid (www.animalaidpdx.org) from folks needed a lot of very different kinds of help from re-homing pets, to spay and neuter questions, to looking for pet friendly housing, people on the streets looking for vaccinations for their pets, to emergency situations like cats poisoned or dogs hit by cars – you get the picture.

Today there were two calls from opposite ends of the spectrum that really got to me, one had me in tears and the other had me laughing out loud.

The first was a gentleman who’s 20 year old poodle had reached the end of his life. His story came out as we talked. The old dog (Freddy) had been blind for a number or years, mostly deaf, and now could no longer walk. The man was complete beside himself, lost. He lived alone but for his companion pets. This dog’s brother (Barnie) has passed on earlier this year. His third dog had been a parting gift from a friend from who had died last year. He had promised to look after this dog for the man when death took him away.

He didn’t know where to go. He wanted just one more day to say good-bye and then he knew the time had come for parting. I found him a place to do, non-profit veterinary hospital downtown that does euthanasia procedures gratis when a pet is suffering. He needed to be with Freddy when the time came. He needed to take his body home to burry him next to his canine brother Barnie. They would both share the yard with the gentleman’s wife’s ashes. He said they’ll all be together now.

The gentleman has been fighting against AIDS for ten years. He is wheel chair bound. He is on a limited income. He felt so deeply grateful for all this pets had done for him. “They give us so much, and ask so little. This last kindness, this parting gift of a gentle death is the hardest thing for us to give them but it is such a blessing when the time comes”, I told him. We wept together.

The other call had me crackling, just a hour or so latter. Their was a very harassed, tired sounding man slowly giving his name and contact information, including his mailing address; while all whole time in the background this cat is YOWLING! You know the kind of sound, a desperate cat in heat cry. The caller pauses now and again after a particularly loud scream and then starts again with a sign. At the end of his call he says, “I need help getting a cat spayed…”. It was beautiful. It could have been a radio ad for our organization or any other that promotes spaying and neutering to overcome pet over population.

I was glad of the second call. I have helped the cat owner set up and appointment to get Miss Kitty her surgery tomorrow.


Our organization got a short mention in our local paper today, down at the very bottom page two: http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/deb_wood/index.ssf?/base/living/1210024508125750.xml&coll=7


We are seeing a nasty upturn on pets abandoned in apartments when renters move on, and the owner surrender numbers have jumped since last year at all the local shelters.

HSUS acknowledges what is going on - foreclosures and financial crisis http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/foreclosure_pets_grant_fund.html
for renters http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/renting_with_pets_the_online_resource_for_rental_managers_and_pet_owners/opening_doors_and_minds_to_pets.html for for landlords http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/renting_with_pets_the_online_resource_for_rental_managers_and_pet_owners/index.html

Very interesting paper written relating to rentals that take pets and those that don't:
http://www.firepaw.org/CompanionAnimalRentersPetFriendly.pdf

I've been thinking that I need to put together some sort of packet for pet-owners as to how to make a pet resume and how to be a good pet-owning tenant...

Too many folks are losing their places and having an ugly time trying to get pet-friendly rentals.