It was the coldest night of the year in February 2013 — just a couple of nights before the Academy Awards — and the temperature had dipped below freezing in Lancaster, Calif., just north of Los Angeles.
A man in a suit walked into the animal shelter, placed a small cardboard box on the counter and said, “I’m turning this dog in because he’s old and can’t walk anymore.” The man turned away without further explanation and walked out the door, as his pug’s sad, gray, little face peered out from the box.
The poor dog was a mess — paralyzed back legs, sores on his hindquarters from sitting in his own urine and feces, infested with fleas, raging bladder infection, ear mites, and more health problems than one dog should ever have to suffer. It was apparent that his owner had let the dog’s health deteriorate for months — probably years — and done nothing to get medical attention for his canine.
But it wasn’t this dog’s night to die — not that evening. A kind soul at the shelter alerted Lori Zech-Shaw at Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles, who promptly dispatched one of their rescuers to get him out of there. The rescuer took the dog straight to their vet, who issued a cautious prognosis. It wasn’t at all clear whether this pug could be saved or not.
His skin was so ulcerated with urine burns and flea infestations, it was uncertain if his sores could heal. His urinary infection was so bad that they might have to amputate his little penis. The dog had been neglected for a very long time, and now, at 13 years of age, it wasn’t at all clear whether the paraplegic pug could recover — and if he did, what his quality of life would be.
Top Comments
Does anyone have experience fostering dogs?
My son would love a dog, and maybe these school holidays we could foster.
Because we rent, I don't want to make a full commitment to owning a dog as our next house may not be pet friendly (most rentals are anti-pets) and I could never give up a member of our family. (We have a cat, but I just don't tell landlords as she is toilet trained to go outside...sshh!)
I am considering fostering but what happens to the dog afterwards? I would feel terrible if it had to go back to the pound. Is fostering for a while fair on the animal?
As a fellow renter and a dog owner, I have a smidge of advice for you on pets and rentals.
I used to look for rental properties like this:
* call agent / landlord before inspecting to ask if a small house-trained dog was allowed. A lot of the time I got flat out no, with sometimes 'put it on the application for consideration'. No chance to meet me or see my stats.
Now, I have flipped it. Unless a rental ad specifies 'no pets':
* I inspect a property and then apply noting my small, house-trained dog on the form (including references if need be for us both from my current landlord).
I've found when an agent or landlord meets me at the inspection, and then has the chance to read my stats and rental & work histories I'm such an appealing tenant that my dog is a footnote and far more likely to be green-lighted. They can see I am reliable and responsible.
I can attest to this. As a property manager and owner of a small and adorable dog, the most important thing is if the dog has 'good references'. Obviously, some landlords really don't want the property to be rented to tenants with pets, or some houses really can't accommodate most types of pets, but for the most part if everything checks out, we don't worry too much about trained dogs and landlords are okay with it.
Please, please, please, don't forget the greyhounds. Google greyhound adoption or rescue in your state. I can't even get my head around the 'wastage' of these beautiful animals. PETS NOT BETS. You will never regret making a grey part of your family! * gets off soapbox*