Back to Harlan

Dog days don't get much fuller than this one was, and it ran pretty much the full gamut of good and bad in the rescue world.

Ever start your day off with a good cry?  I hadn't been sitting here long this morning after doing the round of morning food and medication when the phone rang.  It was a former adopter, the adopter of one of my favorite former fosters, Harlan.  He had been renamed Barth but I had called him Harlan, pulled from Emmylou Harris' cover the McGarrigle sisters' song, "Goin' back to Harlan."  Today was Harlan's last day.  He's been sick.  The guy was hoping against hope that I'd have an answer but of course I didn't although the illness sounds like one that is plaguing another former foster that I heard about yesterday. 

Hearing of a former foster's passing is always bittersweet.  I'm touched that some people feel compelled to call and let me know.  Sorrow shared is sorrow eased.  I'm sad, of course, but also happy and grateful that the dog had a good life after rescue.  Harlan is a gorgeous shepherd with a goofy side.  He would sleep on his back with all four legs in the air, often with the remnants of his stuffed bunny lying right beside him.  His adopter got into fostering himself and Harlan helped many other shepherds through the process.


Chloe, the black lab, had surgery yesterday to remove a growth on the inside of her eyelid.  At first I didn't think it was bothering her, but it soon became apparent that it was causing some infection in the eye so we had it taken off.  She's back home today, doing well, and tolerating the cone.  The surgery site looks good and I was even able to put the ointment on it today.


I took Max out for a walk in the pasture with just Vince and Patch.  It was a walk, not a run, because I had him on a short leash to keep him under control.  He fought the gentle leader a bit at first but soon came around and we had a nice walk.  Patch and Vince ran about but stuck with us pretty well.  Max started his Prozac today too. 

Patch had a bath indoors after the pasture time and he has now moved indoors, up to a crate in my office.  He seems pretty content.  He has surgery next Tuesday so he'll have a few days to get used to an indoor routine before the surgery.

He's not crazy about the bath,
but he was good about it.

Indoors, at last.

Patch, looking pretty happy romping through the pasture

Patch also had to come in so I could put Ochie back with the dog yard gang to vacate the kennel for this new girl who arrived today.  She was in a shelter and needed to move out sooner rather than later.  Pretty girl.  Very pretty girl (don't tell Gigi).  She's fine with the other fosters and with Maya so I don't expect a problem with anyone else.  She's underweight but she's got a very slender head and body anyway.  Tall girl but not very wide.