Friday, October 8, 2010

Why we foster, Part two: Clyde


We picked up 6-8 year old Clyde, at a local pound in June of 2009. He had been placed in the night drop pen along with an older lab, no note, no tags, no goodbye to a long time friend. Until we picked him up, we did not even know that the shelters had outside pens where people could just drive up and drop an unwanted dog. Drive through dog disposal, the ultimate convenience for a disposable society. Clyde had been in a small pen, sleeping on concrete floors for seven days, our rescue had a hold on him but he had to wait for the required holding period in case someone changed their minds and claimed him. When we went in the pound, they just told us a pen number and pointed back to the confinement area, we found him in a small run. You can not believe the excitement he showed as he welcomed us and saw a leash. Because of crowding or because of his bad knee, Clyde was in a pen that did not allow him much room. When we walked him out the door we had to prop him up, his legs did not work from the lack of exercise in the small pen. Once he was lifted into the car, he placed his head on the seat rest where we could pet him on the way.  His tail beat constantly all the way to the veterinarian clinic for his checkup. His physical exam disclosed that he would need a knee operation for a torn ACL and he had an ear infection. We headed home with his tail beating like a drum on the back of our car seats. He walked into the house and past the cat without batting an eye, clearly he was familiar with cats. He went in and out of the dog door in minutes, he had used a dog door before. It was immediately clear that Clyde was a toy hound, he had been toy deprived for the ten days he spent in the doggie jail. When he came into our home, he found the toy bin and he emptied it day after day. He would take out toys, carry them, then drop them to go back and get a new one. He loved balls and would fetch like the professional he was. Within a week he was chasing balls and running again, not very far or fast because of his knee, but running none the less. His tail never stopped, he was a very happy boy.
No one knew what name he had before that fateful night. We tried to find his name, we called “here Rusty, here Red, here Fred, here Bill, here Rex, here Pete, here Max, and here Sam".  No matter what name we called, he came. You could call him Sally and he would come running. Finally the rescue decided he would be a “Clyde”.
Clyde was confused, he had done everything his owners asked. He sat when asked, he came when called, he walked nicely on a leash, he did not chase cats or tear up cushions. He went potty outside when told, no spots on the carpet with him. He knew the rules, he knew what they wanted from him. He knew how to be the perfect family best friend. He had done nothing wrong, he had brought so much love to his home and family. Then one evening he was taken for a car ride in the dark of night, at the other end of the ride he was placed in a empty drop pen at a dog pound, a click of a closing gate was his goodbye after years of service and love. He was such a wonderful companion that we knew someone had to be very desperate to drop him in a tiny cage in the dark of night without a goodbye note or a final assurance that he would be cared for. Maybe his family felt they could not afford the knee operation he would need before he could run again, maybe they had lost their home, maybe they just lost interest in their best friend of so many years. A disposable friend in a disposable society.
He was placed in a Forever Home in mid August. His new family knew how to spoil a Golden, they promised he would never again be locked up, he would be cared for and loved for the rest of his days. His new home had squirrels in the trees for him to chase, and there was a very nice Golden lady to be his companion. When we sent him to his new Forever Home, we sent along some of his favorite toys, a blue football and a few tennis balls, so he would never be without his most beloved toys again.  They were prepared to nurse him back to health after his knee operation. Clyde was home again. Have a great life, Clyde.
We have helped to rescue many different breeds of dogs, we have enjoyed being involved with them all. Labs, Poodles, St Bernards, Aussies, Shelties, and mixed. We were just asked to do a home inspection for a Rottie rescue. There are so many ways you can help in rescue. Volunteers transport, they do home inspections, they update web sites, they organize events, they review adoption applications, they walk kennel dogs, they take phone calls, they look for postings on bulletin boards of dogs that may be unwanted and they monitor local pounds for dogs that need assistance. There are so many ways you can help, we hope you will step forward and help your local rescue. Help dogs like Clyde and Mogley live to see another day, live to find another home.

This is why we volunteer to rescue.

Mogley G. Retriever

15 comments:

  1. You guys are awesome. I do so enjoy reading your blog and hearing about all the great dogs you foster. I love your photos, too. I have one on my desk of dogs enjoying your pool this summer. God bless you!
    Beth

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  2. Please furgive our pawings on this one bekhause my assistant is sitting here with tears running down her cheeks -

    Reskhue people rokhk -
    They get it -
    And hopefully, through postings like this, more will get it too -

    SO that one day, all of us have homes -

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra
    PeeEssWoo: And one day, we hope those that think we are disposable meet their own 'disposability' face to face

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  3. My eyes are leaking.

    I hope someone drops off his family with no note.

    I'm so glad he has a forever home now.

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  4. keep the stories coming, you are all fantastic.

    Hamish & Sophie

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  5. What a heart wrenching story. I only had one foster, and she was mine in 30 minutes. I knew I would never let her go. In the meantime old age crept up on me, and there is no fostering in my future. All I can do is stand on the sideline and cheer the ones on that still are able to take care of the ones in need. And I know the need is bottomless.

    You are blessed.

    Trudi, mommie of Earnhardt, Lady(senior), Sandy Paws and Oliver.

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  6. It's so sad for Clyde to lose his family, but if his family couldn't keep him for whatever reason, it was better to leave him at a doggie jail instead of dumping him beside the road as we see in our rural area all the time.
    For Clyde there is now a safe home and loving family, for a dog dumped on the roadside it is often death by starvation or being killed or injured by a vehicle.
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  7. Aw, Clyde looks so happy with all those toys. Iam sure you will be the perfect loving family he needs.

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  8. I found this blog about 18 months ago, and after we moved to Colorado this January, I became a volunteer transport driver for a retriever rescue group. This Thursday was my latest transport, bringing a chocolate Lab to his new foster home. We can't have a dog right now, so I love every minute I spend with the rescues. They've all been sweethearts, from the nine-week-old pups who wanted to snuggle in my lap to the seniors who sacked out on the back seat. So thanks, Mogley, for inspiring me with your adventures!

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  9. With tears falling I read your stories and know you are true angels!

    Wags N Kisses,
    Wrigley

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  10. Some day we want to foster. Not really living anywhere right now where we could have more than our dog and three cats but we think it would be so rewarding. Thanks for sharing your stories!

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  11. Ohhhhhhhhh! Leaky happy eyes. Such a sad thought to have a night drop... Love that Clyde found love and hearts so big, he will be very happy!!!!

    Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
    Sierra Rose

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  12. Clyde's story is very similar to Lady's. Not quite as cold as "a click of the gate goodbye", but humans get desperate and lose sight of the really important things in life. Lady jumped in our car for the ride home like she KNEW we were coming and she belonged to us!! We are so happy Clyde has a furever home. God bless his new family and all who rescue.

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  13. You are terrific, helping dogs like Clyde.

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  14. Mogley - you and your humans are such wonderful folks for helping doggies in need. With tears in my eyes,
    Nadine

    Woofs from Apples & Neeli

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  15. I didn't know they had night drops either :( These stories break my heart, but it makes me so happy that they end up with the good lives they deserve. Love you Clyde...

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