Timing

Chandler
from the Charlottesville SPCA

It's about two weeks before our vacation, which is NOT the time to be taking in any new dogs.  But I took in Gallagher from the Fluvanna SPCA this week.  He's a nice guy and I have no regrets; he's been an easy mix with the other fosters.  On Wednesday I got an email from the Orange County shelter about a senior female shepherd, Lady.  She's nine years old, painfully thin, very weak and wobbly rear end, and she's got heartworms.  And then today came an email from the Charlottesville SPCA about another female shepherd.  If my hair was long enough to pull out, I would have been doing so.  Instead I just did the silent scream and cursed the local populace that breeds and dumps dogs on a whim. 

Lady, from the Orange County shelter

I drove up to Orange on Friday afternoon when I should have been working to meet Lady.  I was pretty much expecting to find a dog on her last legs and was assuming that I'd be recommending euthanasia, or that I'd pull her from the shelter just to give her a few good final days.   The only pictures I had seen of her were taken through the wire door on her run, so I didn't have much of a sense about what she looked like. 

Lady has Emmylou's coloring, markings, and
her long, slender build.

She was a "field surrender", which means the owners called the county ACOs (animal control officers), to come and pick up their own dog. The gutless fucktards didn't have the decency to take her to a vet to be euthanized, or even to bring her to the shelter themselves.

Lady meeting Gigi, no problems. 
Gigi wanted to play with her but Lady isn't up to that.

When they brought her out I was immediately struck, not by her terrible condition, but by how much she looked like our late Emmylou.  I knew instantly that I'd be bringing her home today, and I did.  I'm not sure what we can do for her, but she had some dog yard time, met Gigi, had a good meal with some meds, and got some eye drops for an infection.  She's very thin, but her rear couldn't support much more weight than she has anyway.  She tried climbing the stairs up to my office but needed some help.  She made it, however, and she's asleep in a crate behind my desk right now.  I'll get her to the vet next week and we'll take it from there.


The Charlottesville shepherd is named Chandler, and she's a beauty (see pic, top left).  I'm going to meet her on Saturday and I think I've got a foster home lined up for her.  This is a beautiful dog and she came in as a stray.  She was wearing a collar but no tags, and a flea collar.  And they tell me that she has already been spayed.  Now can anyone tell me why the asshole owners never came looking for this dog?


After I got Lady fed, I took the Gang of Four out to the pasture for some mowing and romping.  I missed getting them out yesterday, but they made up for it today.  Those dogs really run. 

Another blurry pic, and a butt shot, but I love this one.
Hank and Cooper, on the run.

The Gang of Four during this evening's pasture mow.