It's Peanut, Butter, and Jelly Time!

When I first met Peanut, Butter, and Jelly...I knew I could not keep them. I knew that I would have a hard time finding them homes, and I knew that I would need help placing these tiny babies with a rescue and/or permanent homes.

Before I accepted them, I called a good friend who is very seasoned with this sort of thing (and this breed!) and she agreed that we could take them on.

During their stay with me, Butter was adopted and promptly returned. (See the initial PB&J blog entry.) Butter remained with me, and her sisters for another week. On Wednesday, a tragedy happened. Something so horrible that we, as dog owners and lovers, NEVER want to happen...let alone witness.

One of my co-workers recently adopted her first dog from another co-worker. He was an older dog, had been found by her after being hit by a car. He was never claimed, and so the dog was vaccinated, neutered, microchipped...the whole 9 yards. During this time, the co-worker (who ended up adopting him) wanted to foster him because she adored him. Things were set in motion, and Oswald went to live with her. A few weeks had passed and they'd placed him in puppy training classes (even though he is already an adult dog) and then she also had another trainer enlisted to help Oswald learn perimeters. He was notorious for clearing fences and getting to the road; hence why he was likely hit by a car earlier before he was found. Minutes before his second training session, Oswald was in the front yard (leashed) doing his business. Something caught his eye, and he broke free. Long story short, he was hit...again. Only this time, for good. We fought hard to save him, but we were unsuccessful.

The co-worker (both, honestly) were devastated. It was her first dog. Her first dog that was her sole responsibility. It was truly a horrible situation and she is suffering so.

Her mother advised adopting one of the puppies. Not to replace Oswald, but to keep her busy and in time, perhaps bond with a puppy as she had with Oswald. I recommended they take the puppies home for a weekend. Just try them out, play with them, even if they aren't interested in adopting, they would at least have some good puppy therapy to recover from their recent loss.

Jelly, Peanut, Jack, & Butter

The puppies settled in nicely over the course of the weekend. They met many farm animals, other dogs, all kinds of new people. They were pretty tired by nightfall.

The first puppy the family decided on keeping was Peanut. They loved how cuddly she was and of course, she IS adorable.

Why stop at one?! They also decided to keep Jelly, too. They loved that she was going to be MASSIVE and that she was a total personality. So personable and also ridiculously adorable, though I may be a bit biased. ;)

Once their final decision was made, I headed out to pick up the remaining puppy, Butter.

I felt bad for Butter. She was the first to go, the one everyone said they wanted when they saw the litter, but here she is again...returned. It sounds like I'm condemning my co-worker's choices, I'm totally not.

I am thankful that they were able and willing to adopt two puppies. I think they'll be pleased with their pair and this also means we'll get to keep up with them as they grow.

Peanut & Jelly

Once I had Butter back, I called to my rescue-friend. She was happy that she was only getting one puppy, too. We always like to hear of positive adoptions! By this time, Butter's life has spun in a crazy criss-cross-circle thing, and she had some stress vomiting on Saturday. By Sunday evening, that was gone, but she still had some stress diarrhea. The rescue-friend was okay with this, and I explained that Butter was covered as far as costs, thanks to her support group on Tad's page. (Seriously, thank you guys for everything...seriously.)

When we arrived with Butter, she met a few new puppies, but they were a bit much for her right away. It's best to let Butter acclimate to the new foster parents first. We set Butter up with a nice big happy kennel that would be all her own, and went over a few important things before saying our good-byes and heading out.

I got word yesterday evening that Butter made a new best friend, a little white pibble puppy about her size, and that she was doing well.

So, what happens to Butter? Butter is STILL available for adoption through me. However, she still doesn't have a permanent home. We are working towards getting baby Butter in with a rescue group either here in Texas or farther North to get her better exposure and a better guarantee on her life-long care.

I am sad for her, I am. Her whole world has just gone crazy. But, I know that in the end she will have a great home and all this stress on her and on us will be worth it.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in adopting Butter, please have them contact me and I will get you in touch with her new foster mom, who is WAY better at finding suitable homes than I am. tiffanydieringer@gmail.com

In case you forgot, this one is Butter... 

Butter, after being returned the first time.

Meet Little Orphan Annie-Arnold

We have a very good client at the clinic who we have developed quite a relationship with. He and his wife are amazing people and such an inspiration.

To give you a taste, they feed cats in the woods. He was turned the mower on, and ran over a kitten (hold on...it's not too bad, keep reading...) even after checking to ensure the mower was clear as usual. The tiny kitten was rushed in, and we saved her leg. He kept this wild hellion of a feral kitten contained while she went through her treatments for her broken bones. She is now a 'house cat'. He found a kitten in the woods surrounding their home that had been picked up by a hungry bird. He rushed her in. Unfortunately, she could not be saved. But, we peacefully comforted her until the end. He found another cat that had been hit by a car. He couldn't leave the cat, but knew he couldn't 'own' the cat with all the ferals they try to maintain.This cat needed almost immediate surgery and a leg amputation. They paid for half of the amputation, even after we accepted the kitten into our adoption program at the clinic. Then, they felt so terrible about how much of the money we'd be out (which we ALWAYS are with these types of 'rescues'). They came and adopted him a few weeks after healing.

They are..amazing. They can't save them all. They can't do it all. But, they do everything they can...and that is enough.

Fast forward to about a week to a week and a half ago. He comes running into the clinic with a barely 3 week old kitten screaming bloody murder. He said he just found her in his wheel well at Wal-mart. Now, their luck with cats/kittens...mama cat could have known a softie when she saw one and placed the kitten there at Wal-mart...or the kitten had been placed their by mama cat at his house and the kitten made it all the way to Wal-mart. Either is likely, is possible, and has happened before.

Either way, we accepted the baby into our program. I bottle fed her every few hours, but was scared to introduce her formerly to the group. Kittens are tricky little critters. Fading Kitten Syndrome is hard and it's so heartbreaking. I wanted to ensure that she would have the best possible chance before introducing her to you guys.

She's been thriving. Playing, running, eating dry food now (does not like canned...period.). So, meet Little Orphan Annie/Arnold.

What's with her name, you ask? Well, the thing about kittens is that as they grow...so do their parts...obviously. When she first came in as an itty bitty baby, we believed she was a boy. Then we felt like she was a girl for a few days...and so on and so forth. We feel like with a name of 'Little Oprhan Annie-Arnold'...you can't really go wrong?

Peanut, Butter, and Jelly

Peanut - Day found, after one meal.

Before I begin, I want to tell you how these puppies came to be. (I realized I haven't yet posted them here on the blog. I must remind you...Tad's FB really is the BEST way to keep up with the daily happenings of all that is Tad and his friends.)

Three weeks ago, a woman entered the clinic with three pibble puppies in her arms. She explained that they were trying to eat her goose eggs in her cow pasture. They were starving. You could see their little bones...it just wasn't fair for the babies.

What a crappy start, you know?

I took them in. I called up a good trustworthy rescue friend who offered to help me with placing the babies. I told her that I could hang onto them for a bit, but because of Tad...it wasn't ideal.

For two weeks, we kept the Itty Bitty Pittie Committee at the clinic. We treated them for various parasites, started their puppy shots, and putting weight on them. We took them out in public a few times. We even took to them to a pet store in a shopping cart where they were held by every single person who walked into the little shop. They were ADORED. We knew we wouldn't have a hard time finding them a home. For as many against-pibble people, there are exactly as many for-pibble people.

We didn't have to wait long for the first baby to go. Little Butter, she was adorable. She was sweet, playful, and super cuddly. The woman interested in adopting her has her own dog training business, and explained that she would like Butter to be an 'advocate for her breed'. She wanted her to be at social events and to be a spokes-doggy. We thought this was an exceptional placement. We were super excited. I mean, there couldn't have been a better sounding home.

Side note: Do not ask for this person's business name. I will not share it. This is not about that. This is about the puppies.

Butter - Two weeks after being found.

The woman seemed to be in love. Butter seemed to be just what she'd been searching for. We had no reason to believe this would not work out. We'd heard good things about her previously from trusted sources.

She paid Butter's adoption fee (non-refundable). But, then she never showed back up for Butter. No calls, no show until the next afternoon. She explained what had happened that it was an honest mistake, and we sent Butter to her new home. It was bittersweet.

A week later, we received a call that it just wasn't going to work. She explained that Butter cries all the time. She said that she has anxiety in the car and that she's taken her on 15 different social events/outings. We were told Butter pees all over herself and is just way too timid and shy for what she wants.

Can we first remember that we are discussing a 10 week old puppy? A puppy who was previously dumped in a cow pasture and starving to death three weeks ago. A puppy that has NEVER been without her litter mates. A puppy who has no idea who you are or what you want her to be. A puppy who is a normal abandoned puppy.

I wanted to believe that she had legitimately tried. But, in 7 days, that is not enough. You didn't try. You threw a dog into the lifestyle you wanted it to live and it doesn't work that way. We were told that 'within a couple of days you can tell a dog's temperament' when we explained that she is just a puppy and all of this trainable. Nothing is permanent in a 10 week old puppy. NOTHING.

I am angry, of course. I mean...what kind of 'training' situation, causes a puppy to pee all over itself when it's NEVER done that before. But, I must also remember that I don't know 'every single detail'. Therefore, if I did not witness it with my own eyes or hear it with my own ears, I will keep details and my personal opinion of this situation aside to the best of my ability. All that matters is that Butter is back with her sisters, and is available for adoption...again.

She did not fail her first home. It failed her.

Oh, and because I didn't include a picture of Jelly...can't leave out the Queen Bee. ;)

Jelly - Two weeks after being found.