Well … it may not be Forever after all …

 By Merritt

Yeah, that’s right – you heard me!  I’ve been doing some more research on the good ol’ internet and have decided that my being here, at this place - with these people and other BC’s – for forever, probably just isn’t gonna cut it.

You see, adoption (which is a very important issue to me) is the process of taking guardianship of, and responsibility for, another living being whose previous people have abandoned or gave up to a shelter or rescue outfit[i] (like the good ol’ ABCR).

Dogs are given up for many reasons (some understandable, some not so much - and some are just downright inexcusable!):

• Dogs that have been abused or neglected and have been taken away from the asshole people that had ‘em;

• Backyard breeders who lead to over population because they usually produce more dogs than they can sell and often produce animals that don’t even meet the breed standards;

• Their people die and no one in the family wants to (or can) keep the dog (dad has already taken care of this issue!);

• Their financial/living arrangements change drastically and people feel they can no longer provide an appropriate home for the dog;

• Dogs purchased on the spur of the moment or as a gift for somebody else.  They often discover that caring for a dog is much more work than expected, or requires more space or exercise than they are prepared to give;

• Some dogs simply wander off and can’t find their way back, and they have no identification tags or microchip.  The people do not succeed in finding them (or make no, or little, attempt to do so);

• The people experience severe health problems that make it impossible to care for the dog.  Or the dog is diagnosed with a medical condition that the people are not prepared/able or willing to address;

• Dogs that are abandoned when a couple separates, or when a human baby comes along and they no longer have the time or inclination to care for their dog.

The biggest culprit (and problem) is probably Unwanted Dogs!  People deal with their unwanted dogs in many ways.  Some people have the dog euthanized.  Other people simply release their dog into the wild or otherwise dump it out somewhere, with the expectation that it will be able to take care of itself or that it will be found and adopted.  Most often, these dogs die from hunger, weather, traffic, or common and treatable health problems.  Responsible people will take the dog to a shelter, or call a rescue organization, where it will be cared for properly until a home can be found.  Homes cannot always be found, however, and euthanasia is often used for the excess dogs to make room for newer dogs, unless the place has a no-kill policy.  The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the US because of a lack of homes.  Animal protection advocates campaign for adoption instead of buying dogs in order to reduce the number of dogs who have to be euthanized.  Many shelters and animal rescues encourage the education of spaying or neutering (all of us around this place have “been there, done that” – isn’t that right Bubba!?) a dog in order to reduce the number of dogs euthanized in shelters and to help control the dog population.

The central issue in adoption is whether a new person can provide a safe, secure, permanent home for the dog.  Responsible shelters, pounds, and rescue organizations refuse to supply dogs to people whom they judge unable to supply the dog with a suitable home.  Sometimes, a new person may face training or behavioral challenges with a dog who has been neglected, abused, or left untrained.  In the vast majority of cases, patience, training, and consistency of care will help the dog overcome its past (just give a good dog enough time and he will train his people on what they are supposed to do!).

You see, a forever home is the home of an adopter who agrees to be responsible for the dog for its entire life …  

So, when I started this article, I got confused in the spelling between “forever” and “for ever” – I questioned Gall (she just told me to ‘look it up’ – Bubba and Annie were snoozing) - so I had to do some more research.  You know that I, like all BC’s, am a stickler for the details and getting the job done correctly – so, I wanted to make sure that my grammatical structure and spelling was right!  I discovered that while most folks use these two words interchangeably – and we most often use “forever” in the good ol' U.S. of A.; I found that the Brits typically use “for ever”.  Though small, there is a distinction between the two.  I found the following explanation that I liked (and there are A LOT of opinions out there):

In British usage, for ever means for eternity; while, forever means continually.  Yanks simply combine the two definitions and compress it to one word.

While both will fit – if you read last week’s article, you will learn that around here, it is for ETERNITY, brother!  Once you’re a Buppy on this place … you’re always a BUPPY!!!  Plus, since I am trying to be a proper girl now, I'll side with the uppity Brits (since they did invent this silly language and all!)!

I also ran across this Biblical reference:  “Forever is a measurement of time.  And for ever is beyond time.”  This fits the way that I think about the people and BC’s on this place (and that’s how they think of me) – yep, Forever and For Ever!!!  Amen!!!!

Adopt your next Bupp!

May God Bless You and Yours!

Merritt

PS:  Also, in my research, I found that one problem that shelters are fighting to overcome is what they term "Big Black Dog syndrome".  This concerned me since big black dogs (BBDs) are consistently the hardest dogs to place — even if they’re friendly, well trained, and in perfect health.  This may be due to a number of factors, including the fear stigma against certain breed types, the fact that black dogs often do not photograph as well as lighter coated ones, and the fact that black dogs are often portrayed as aggressive in film and television.  I’m glad that they haven’t uncovered a “FHMBD Syndrome” (that would be Freakishly Huge Mostly Black Dog Syndrome) – I worry about my Bubba most of the time!  I do Love me some Bubba though!

PPS:  Also, don’t forget that National Dog Day (NDD) is tomorrow – August 26 (it’s on August 26th EVERY year folks)!!!  NDD celebrates all breeds, pure and mixed, and serves to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, either from public shelters, rescues, and pure breed rescues.  For more info, check out:  http://www.nationaldogday.com/

PPSS:  In my research, and in my personal experience, I have soooo much love and respect for the loving, kind and generous souls that are called Animal Rescuers!  Here’s a tribute to all of my friends (this is MY Thank You letter to God for the Angels (ABCR) that he sent to help ME!):

I Am An Animal Rescuer.

I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand.

I have hugged the vicious and afraid.

I have fallen in love a thousand times.

My work is never done,

my home is never quiet,

my wallet is always empty,

but my heart is always full.

Rescuing one animal may not change the world,

but for that one animal, the world will be changed forever.

Doing what you love is freedom.

Loving what you do is happiness!

These are all Special People and I love them all!

With a Special Thanks to GiGi and all the wonderful folks at All Border Collie Rescue!