Many senior dogs come into shelters or rescues because their owners have become ill or have died. Some are simply cruelly discarded from the only home they have ever known because they have committed the sin of getting old, and their families can’t be bothered carrying through on the bargain all dog parents make, or should make, when taking on a canine companion, i.e. to care for them throughout their lives.
Maddie James is home on Daybreak Island for her grandmother’s funeral. Grandma’s death wasn’t unexpected, but she’s mourned by all who knew her. At the gravesite, Maddie sees an orange tabby cat, friendly enough but frightened as mourners approach to offer their condolence.
Daisy at nine and Charlie at six were owner turn-ins from the same home, though they are not related. The owner felt with family and work demands she could not give them enough attention, so she did the right thing and contacted Sunshine State Westie Rescue (SSWR).
The General, a Terrier mix, is only two years old and on the petite side weighing in at about eight pounds. Like most Terriers, he thinks of himself as a big dog and wants to be the alpha, but he is not aggressive.
A Dog's Purpose is a new movie based on the novel by W. Bruce Cameron. It is about a dog that is trying to find his purpose in life. He is reincarnated several times throughout the movie into various dogs and experiences life with new owners. The movie particularly focuses on his life as Bailey with a young boy named Ethan. He is a devoted dog to his owners in all of his lives and learns the meaning of life through his experiences where he helps his owners learn to love and find happiness.
When Toni got Riley from Westie rescue, she had been looking for a companion dog but, with her hectic work schedule, knew she didn’t want a puppy. Riley at eleven months old proved to be even more than she had hoped for.
Every once in a while a larger than life character crosses your path. This is as true in rescue as it is in any other walk of life. Joey, a seemingly insignificant little tan Chihuahua, is one of those whose stories I enjoy telling. Joey has certainly left his mark on my heart.
It is often easy to choose a puppy because he is cute or you like the look of the breed, but once you have your dog you may find they are hard to house train, are not good around your children, or tend to be too active for your lifestyle. This is because we choose the wrong puppy to fit our family. Each breed of dog has unique traits, health concerns and tendencies.
