My human carer was at an event last night, and a lovely lady came up to her and asked if I had died! Apparently her children were most concerned that because my Blog had been taken off the website, I might have come to an untimely end.
Not at all, I am very much alive and well, and have only been lacking the typing services of my carer, who seemed to think that sorting out issues in her life took some sort of ludicrous precedence over my dictation requirements. However, she was mortified to think of distressed youngsters worrying about me, and as a result, my blog is back.
Not that I have been resting for the past year - far from it! Many little foster Schnauzers have taken up my time and energy as they have passed through my home, and my friend Janet's home, and have gone on to fantastic lives, and I have done my best to teach them all they need to know.
Some came and went very quickly, but many of you reading this will already have read about my long-term project, Amy (or Mini-Me as I liked to call her). Little Amy arrived at my place last October, blind, terrified and neglected. Oh, she so reminded me of my past horrid life. I could work on her fears, but it needed MY Consultant, Mr Fraser of Abingdon, to work on her eyes, but oh dear, the expense. How would DBARC afford this in these straightened times?
Well, many generous people dipped deeply into their pockets, and after two costly but invaluable operations, Amy was given the miracle of sight that I now enjoy so much. OK, she is binocular while I have only one eye, but we can both see the love shining from the humans and animals that surround us now. Nothing like the dark and fearful misery we both endured for years. Thank goodness there are people who put the needs of little dogs like us before their own affluence and help us out. There are not words enough to say what this means to us, and to the other little Schnauzer friends who have similarly benefited from this miracle, and that includes brave little Binny, her gorgeous "sisters" Ruby and Polly, and of course perhaps the saddest case you ever did see, the adorable Whisp who truly emerged from desolate terror into love and joy.
Sometimes, however, being able to see their cruel abusers who have imprisoned dogs prior to rescue is almost more than some little dogs can bear, and if you had met some of these dogs in their early days of their freedom, your heart would have broken. But with time and love, and wonderful understanding new owners, even these damaged souls can heal, and here I am thinking especially of my other long term house guest Gallo, now happily in his new home, and Janet's little black Schnauzer girl Betsy, who has gone to live in another exceptional home, bless her.
But back to Amy: she had so many people caring about her, but the right home seemed to be just an impossible dream, until suddenly last week, along came Linda! It is still early days, and Amy is still settling in, but she has truly fallen on her four little paws as she is with people who love and understand her. It is a difficult transition from secure foster home, but worth it for all concerned. It just takes time, love and patience.
All rescue dogs (in fact, all animals really) need and DESERVE time, love and patience, so I just can't understand the people who take on a dog then give up on him or her for truly incomprehensible reasons. Because their teenage child doesn't like the dog's friendly attentions??!! Wow, that is a CHILD needing a behaviourist, not the dog!! Because they are not willing to work with their dog to settle a confused little soul into a new home?? Because the dog gets out under the fence and they are not willing to put in a bit of DIY to prevent this, or keep the dog company in the garden so that she doesn't want to find someone more interesting?? What do these people really want? Should they have really gone to Toys R Us for one of those dogs on wheels, or perhaps found a virtual dog online? Can you imagine how frustrated the DBARC folk get when people seem to see animals as a temporary possession? Can't these people see that any relationship takes time and effort?
And equally frustrating are people who come and choose an animal, then CHANGE THEIR MINDS. This is very selfish because that animal may have missed out on a genuine home offer, and with so many animals out there that need to come into DBARC for their chance of a new life, every wasted day deprives those animals of life itself, and an innocent soul pays the ultimate price for the selfish act of a human.
Thank goodness there are many wonderful people who take the time with their new friend, sometimes a very great deal of time. But for these people there will always be the rewarding knowledge that they have saved a life, enriched their own life too, and that is what rescue is all about.
My human carer says that the extent to which I have enriched her life is truly beyond measure (although she seems to quite like my other housemates too) and that she is eternally grateful that I share her life. Well, I say - so she should be! And since all I ask is my home comforts, a regular wrestling appointment at Paws at Penny's to keep me looking smart and to keep Penny feeling stressed, and a bit of help typing up my Blog, I will be making sure she fulfils her part of the bargain that is our life of joy.
