Love Hate Relationship with People

Small little blip about the hard side of spca. As a walker I see so many dogs that were not taken care of. Whether it was not getting vet care or just not caring enough to be a GOOD owner. To me, dogs and cats are family members, actually any pet I've ever had as been family. (even the lovebird that copied the phone ring and would repeat it at 5am) While talking to my manager today about some of the dogs I've seen she said 'wow that must be really hard.'

Yea it is. If people could stop being so horrible to animals, that would be great. In the meantime, we have the BCSPCA. So yes, as many stories make you hate, loath and generally make you want to hunt down and 'harm' these people. Remember there are the GOOD owners, GOOD people at the BCSPCA that are working hard to make the lives of these animals better. There are the volunteers that walk dogs in rainy monsoons, collect fruit tree branches for bunnies and snuggle kitty cats.

On one side we have the horrible owners and on the other is EVERYONE ELSE. We will win.

Go Volunteers!

Today was a rainy rainy RAINY walk. The nicest thing about tonight was that so many VOLUNTEERS. The Victoria SPCA has the smallest amount of dogs I have ever seen in my 4 months. Tonight there was a volunteer for every dog. As I walked Bauer through monsoon weather, hoping that I didnt have to go back out even though I would. Got Bauer back to the SPCA to find all the dogs were out! Some walkers were coming back as I toweled off Bauer. Bauer loves getting toweled off. Also on a side note, Bauer is no longer coughing. Yay! Me -on the other hand, I was wearing rain gear and I was still damp. But at least not soaked through like other nights.

With the SPCA having so few dogs- it feels like as soon as tomorrow, we will be slammed with more dogs. The BCSPCA kinda seems to do that. When one shelter gets low or has a run of adoptions, the shelters that are full or not having such luck with adoptions send dogs to another shelter. Makes sense.

Sad but Happy

I walked 2 dogs today. Winston and Storm! Winston being a dog that has been posted on before. Great over all family dog, needs training but very smart. He also was very 'humpy' last week but wasn't this week, which is so GOOD!! Haha!! He had been fixed last week but only a few days before. He gets excited and happy when been taken out for a walk, gets a little mouthy. NOT bite but he will put your hand in his mouth and lick. Gross but at least it wasn't biting. He walks wonderful and every dog is his friend. I enjoyed walking him so much, but he went and got ADOPTED today!!! YAY!! But boo. Totally selfish to want a dog to stay at the spca when they can get a home, I'm completely aware. I'm happy he has a home tonight and hope it stays his whole life. He was fun. I'm sure there will be another dog soon that will pull my heart strings just as much. Actually I can 100% bloody guarantee that there will be another dog. :)

Storm, little poodle cross. I don't have background on him, I know he has been at the spca a few weeks. Another volunteer said to me while walking how much better he is looking. He was a great little walker. Walks with a mission. Although the photos I have of him don't show it, he has a great little face with nice chocolate eyes under all that fuzzy fur. He greeted me with a happy wiggle when getting into his kennel. Everytime I bent down to pet him, he snuggled me. While walking he would look up at me with a kinda 'we are going this way? okay!' then walk.

Today was a day with wind, rain, a house boat mashed into the bridge and I loved walking with the dogs every freakin' minute.

Dog Happy

I walked 2 dogs today. Bauer and Winston. My first hour is with 'my' dog Bauer. Everyone at the spca keep calling Bauer 'my dog' as I was looking into getting him last month. I walked him and it was nice but he is getting more agressive towards other dogs. This happens with dogs that have been there too long. Also poor Bauer has gotten kennel cough. Poor little (big) man. The SPCA has a few cases of kennel cough. A few days before Christmas the Victoria SPCA received 30 dogs. All smaller breeds from a puppy mill. They came in with kennel cough. Got meds, got adopted. Kennel cough is a tricky and annoying thing. One dog gets it and within a week a couple dogs will have it, then several etc etc. So as the original dogs that had it are healthy and gone, the remaining dogs are coming down with it. Poor puppies.

Winston. He was a wiggly dog in the kennel near the door. I walked by him a few times. He would wiggle and whine for some attention. After walking Bauer, I looked to see who else needed out. Winston was the only dog left, he had been out for 40 min which isnt long enough for a shelter dog. I grabbed a leash and out we went. He is missing most his fur!!! Poor guy. I dont know his background, his 'owners' (using that loosely because whoever does that to their dog isn't an owner) just dumped him at the SPCA. Regardless of his background, Winston is so HAPPY!!!

Walking him, full of beans, was fun. When he wasn't trying to hump me. The SPCA had him fixed earlier on in the week. When he is happy, he tries to hump, when he doesn't want you to leave the kennel, he tries to hump you again. He is a lab cross shar pei. Has funny little ears and wrinkly skin. But lab nose and lab tail. He was a sweetheart to walk. I sat in his kennel for half an hour, where he laid on top of me and fell asleep as I rubbed his ears and face. People walking by would stop and tell me how I'm such a dog person, one with Bauer and two with Winston. I really do need to win the lottery so I can buy a place for my future dogs, oh and my boyfriend.

Lottery

I need to win the lottery so I can adopt the blind rotti and the old, arthritis fill american bulldog. Why do I fall for 'defective' dogs? Heaven forbid a blind, one eyed, three legged, senior dog comes in. haha I joke but I know it's 100% true!

Senior Dogs

Today I walked my Favourite Blind-ish Rotti, Bauer. But I also walked a new dog, Mufasa. An american bulldog, 12 years old. No idea why he was brought in, our info book was MIA this evening. What I could see was an old dog who was a little fat, has arthritis, nails were too long and was unhappy at being in a shelter. My heart broke a little. Our whiteboard* in the volunteer room it says 3 walks x 30min due to arthritis. Normally dogs get an hour or more walk in the morning and again at night. So I decided this sad looking pup needs out. I grabbed a leash and got him. Arthritis! This dog dragged me for 4 blocks, downhill and uphill. He relaxed a bit after 15 minutes of dragging me around like a rag doll. He would sneek in a smile, not long but it was there. He randomly he would pull me into bushes or across the street. He is a great dog so it KILLED ME as soon as he realized we were headed back to the shelter he would stop walking. Suddenly this 50 pound, 12 year old, senior dog was like a 300 pound elephant. Not moving. I talked to him, tried to bribe with treats. Na-da. So I ran him around. He was running and it was okay. I got him back in his kennel. Sitting on the ground of his kennel, I didnt want to leave, he looked at me and went to the door. He did not like being there. Not angry, just old and should be in a warm home. I'm not really sure if he ever had a warm home or normal walks. Senior dogs should be in a warm home, be fed, get cuddles.

Please adopt senior dogs whenever you can. I know I will be.

MeL

*Whiteboard in the volunteer room, two whiteboards that are sectioned into the kennel numbers, what dogs are in them, if they are housetrained, Level 1 or 2 or have any other issues. Issues like 'dont like other dogs' or 'arthritis' or 'at vet.'

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to my sister, Alisha!! Again so sorry you got sick after dog walking in the rain.

Volunteer Guilt

Even though I volunteer, normally several hours per week. I feel so SO so guilty when I don't make it in. Just saying 'make it in' makes me go blah. I havent been in a week. Guilty. I've taken time to myself, how dare I. haha But seriously, before writing this I checked the spca webpage to see how many dogs were there. Why I havent gone is, I needed to catch up on sleep. Lame I know. Starting a new location for work and I dont want to be sick. Getting rest, eating normal health food etc etc walked my Mom's dog etc. Last time I went walking, the rain went sideways. Soaked through 5 layers of clothing & jackets. Poor sister, who came with me, is still sick. (Happy Birthday Alisha and sorry you got sick)

I've talked to other volunteers, us 'regulars' seem to all feel 'the guilt'

Does the guilt make us better walkers? better volunteers?

Don't You Want to Take Them All Home?

Simple answer. No.

Yes they can look sad in their kennels with their big puppy eyes. Remember most of these dogs have it better being in a kennel than what their lives were before. Yes it would be the best thing EVER if all the dogs would have ideal homes. Kennel pups get regular food and water. They get 2 walks a day. They get toys, beds, blankets, training, cuddles, vet visits, meds, brushing and baths. So as much as I love the dogs, they do have it pretty good.

There will always be a dog or two that I want to take home. ALWAYS.

Hey There ;)

This is Bauer, 75% blind rotti. He is a BIG SUCK and is a typical rotti. He has a genetic eye problem. He has lenses that shift and creates cataracts. His Left eye is completely blind, his right is about 50/50. This does not set him back. He is a couch potato and lap dog at 75 pounds.

So it begins...

Afternoon! This blog is going to be based on my walks with the shelter dogs. Right now I have walked over 51 hours since Oct 22nd 2011. I'll be posting photos and profiles of the dogs. Talk soon!