[Crabtree]

Ok. first let me tell you that we have been under a bit of stress lately. We are trying to move and relocate to another area.
2 years ago we lost our guy Tucker to liver cancer. We have always wanted to get another male but we decided that instead of going for a puppy we would wait and when the 'right' guy came along we would adopt/rescue him.
Today I had to go to town to get some ink for the fax machine and for some unknown reason I felt a strong urge to swing across town and go to the H/S. My feet just pointed me in the right direction and 'there he was' The most handsome man I've seen in years. He's got the face of an angle, but the back legs of a guy who looks like he's seen one too many days in a confined area. But the depths in his eyes went on forever and just getting down and talking to him was like I was talking to an old friend.
Yes, I think you are the one.

So, I asked if I could find out any info on him and this young guy walks in the cage and starts grabbing at this poor guys mouth. No "how are you, hello," of anything. This fellow could have bit him for all the stupid things he was trying to do. I asked, if he needed help the way he was trying to force the dogs mouth open. The guy would still gentle back away and raised his paw and 'almost' put it on him but didn't. What a gentle dog.
And the guy says, Well I can't tell because he's a difficult animal.WTF???????
So I asked, do you have an area where I can take him out in to get introduced. I wanted to see how he would react out of the 'pen' enviroment. I was told, in order to take him out, I would have to fill in a 50 question adoption form and have 2 references and wait till the file was reviewed and my credentials were checked.
I again tried to expain that I just wanted to have him out of the pen for a few minutes to see if we would 'mesh' before I went through all of the 'legal' formalities. But he said no, you can't take him out until all the paper work was done.!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, remember at the first of this I said I have been under stress lately? Well, I told him that I thought this was the most stupid way to work things and no wonder they have so much problems adopting. (Last week there was a story on the news about this particular shelter and how they wanted more people to adopt an older pet) I grabbed the form and headed out the door and with the full intentions of filling them out but my big mouth got in the way and I said,
It would be easier to bring a dog in from the states then to bother with you.
I'm so sorry I lost it. I cried all the way home. All I could think of was that beautiful boy and that said worried look on his face. I just want to bring him home.
To add insult to injury, when I first asked about the dog they had to go get this person and he wanted me to take him to the pen to physiclly see the dog. So we went back there and we are standing in front of the pen and he goes over to a chart and says, so your interested in a chocolate lab!!!! I had to show him in the file (that up to that moment I didn't know existed) where it said GSD and the info.
OK, I'm not going to rant anymore.
Someone, give me your comments on this, I still can't get that guys face out of my head. Could it be love?

 

[Crabtree]

OH, I did forget one thing. This is a kill shelter!

 

[DSudd]

Crabby what a horrible place. IMO if you think he is really the one that you have been looking for then you should go back and try to adopt him. Obviously he is in a horrible place and just needs a comfy warm place to call home.

 

[onyx'girl]

Your feet pointed you in that direction for a reason...Wish you the best in your decision, hopefully the boy will have a forever home soon!

 

[Crabtree]

Yes, I agree, he does need help.
I simply asked if he knew how old he was and he said he'd have to look in his mouth!!! I thought that was for horses!

 

[Guest]

I can understand how hurt you felt. I won't tell you what to do. Adopting a dog is of course a serious responsibilty I'm sure you're well aware of. I guess the only thing I can suggest is to think of who's suffering is greater and let that be your guide. Braving pain for the sake of those who suffer is quite empowering. One's head goes up, shoulders are set, and you find you can do more than you thought you could.

 

[Timber1]

I would adopt the dog and to H with that particular humane society.

 

[Crabtree]

I found him on line!
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11047771
My heart skipped when I saw his picture. How can I not try to fight for that beautiful face! Look at those eyes!

 

[Karin]

Oh, he is a handsome boy--and what expressive eyes!

I can see why you want him!

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

I can't believe how hard they make it to adopt! You shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to take him out of the pen and walk him around to see how he does.

He's beautiful! Are you going to go back and get him?

 

[Crabtree]

When I got home I talked to DH and he wants to go see him tomorrow. Just looking at him made me sit right down and start talking to him.
He had a squeeky toy that had fallen out of the pen so I handed it back to him. He took it so gently and put it down as if to say, "thank you, but right now I want to spend the time with you."
I felt so comfortable with him, I could have taken him home and curled up on the couch for a nap. It really was like we've known each other a long time. Odd, but wonderful feeling.

 

[middleofnowhere]

"fight"???? Just fill out the paperwork and get a move on it. You already know you want the dog. You've got the forms, just fill them out. That's what I would do - and after doing much as you did - mouthing off with a lot of disrespect and, well, let's be polite and call it frustration. You don't have to "fight" for anything - just fill out the forms.

 

[tracyc]

Fill out the forms and go get him. The frustration with the a-hole at the shelter will be forgotten quickly. Don't deny yourself or this dog happiness just to prove something. My granddad would call that "cutting off your nose to spite your face."

Good luck.

 

[CertainlySpoiled]

I would fill out those forms ASAP and get him out of that kill h/s.
Don't worry about that dumb man, he'll get over it and forget about it! As DF would say "Don't cut off your nose inspite of your face!" He definitly has a will to live, you can see it clearly in his eyes. He was meant for you, or you would not have been directed to him. Goodluck!!

 

[Crabtree]

OK guys. Speaking of cutting my nose off... I would love to just grab this guy up and take him home. But I have a couple of senior cats at home. This is one of the reasons I wanted to have the time to check him out one on one. I realize I can't tell from a visit how he would be with cats but at least I could get a feel as to how he would be with commands, and directions. He might be a whole different fellow when those bars are gone.
Also this HS does have cats, it wouldn't be a far stretch to see how he reacts to exposure to them. I think he is a great dog. But how fair would it be if I didn't find out first that he might harm my 14yo cats at home.
It's not the form so much as it's the attitude they have. I can't understand why I have to fill in a form then wait to have them check my references in order for me to take him out of the pen to see if we can work.
This to me is wrong. IF I take him out and things go great and I decide to move forward with adoption THEN I should be filling out the forms.
The way they have this is not to my way of thinking in the best interest of the dog. It frustrates people and they are more likely to just walk away. IMO even a stranger coming to walk him would be some sort of stimulus in his day instead of sitting behind those bars waiting.
When I asked why I had to fill it out first I was told it would prevent the spread of desiese (???????) I'm sorry, I read through the form and it doesn't have anything on there about desiese so I have no idea what he was talking about.
This is not a user friendly system. No wonder they have such a high kill rate.

 

[Qyn]

If this is a kill shelter too many (and sometimes any) rejection or loss of interest often means a death sentence.

Really, if you are not prepared to accomodate possible incompatibility with your senior cats and any potential dog, you really should not be looking at all. There are always "what-ifs" even with long owned animals and (with some planning and minor inconvenience) they can be accomodated, so .... it need not be an either "all or not at all".

Please do not think you have to only consider your present animals as, while they do have priority and should not have their lives risked unnecessarily - careful planning and introductions will minimise complications.

All the best ... but... please revisit (and hopefully adopt) this dog as soon as possible.

 

[Betty]

Annabelle seriously wanted my cat dead when she first came here. We worked our way through it.

Dogs and cats are very workable with some diligence. My dogs are high drive and I swear to God my cat has a death wish at times.

I'm kind of confused on why you are focusing so much on the shelter's attitude/paperwork? Agree with you that is sounds counterproductive but maybe that would be a fight best left for another day? Right now I would only be focusing on the dog.

 

[chruby]

Oh, what a gorgeous guy.

I think you need to stick it out and deal with this shelter. Good luck and of course, keep us posted!!

 

[Annemarie]

Hey, we all let our mouths get in the way at times!!!

Put your tail between your legs and fill out the forms, go get this beauty or you will regret it for the rest of your life.

We all know dogs and cats can get along it may just take a little work.

 

[arycrest]

Many years ago I went to a shelter in MD to check out a WGSD who needed a home.

While I was there, a big, black, flop-eared, mouthy GSD who looked exactly like a negative of my Yukon, including the BIG mouth, was in a cage by himself. I fell in love with him, he was so frightened but wouldn't let anyone know he was, he wanted out of there so badly.

I didn't get him because I had a lot of "what if's" and to this day have always regretted my decision, I've always felt guilty I didn't adopt him.

I'm sure if I had gotten him, there would have been problems to have been worked out, but I think he would have made a wonderful addition to my canine family. Of course that's something I'll never know.

FWIW - I found someone who adopted the WGSD. I never found out what happened to the black boy.

IMHO you should go with your gut feeling a get the boy.