To Surrender or Not to Surrender your Pet or Pets

As I am sure a number of you have fallen on hard times, and I am no different or free from the life of struggles.  Here lies the question. 

If we are at a point that we are not sure whether having a pet makes our life easier or not, we may need to make that decision; do I keep them or surrender them.  Pets can add a lot of joy to our lives and at times fill a void or relieve stress.  But there are times that they are the complete opposite and only add stress or make our lives unbearable, and we have to decide what is better for them and for us.

Do we keep our pets and starve ourselves to make sure they have food and health care?  Do we lose our homes only to have a car full of pets and no place to go?  Pets can be expensive not only for food and their primary care but for toys, beds, leashes, kitty litter and all the other things that go with pet ownership.  They can also become demanding and want more attention from us than what we have time to give them or even want to give them.  So we need to ask ourselves, would they be better off somewhere else?

Problem is all my pets are old and some are rescues.

Oh, I have been told, “You are all they have!” Yes, that is right, but do I have to deal with them everyday too?  Has my life become just dogs and cats?  Pretty much and I am not sure if I want to go down that road especially at this time in my life.  I want more than to clean up cat piss and shit and feed dogs and cats everyday. 

I recently lost a dog in January and since than my life has changed dramatically.  Not only for me personally but for my other dog to the point that I can’t deal with it.  He has become demanding of my time and attention.  I started taking him with me everyday which I thought would be good for both of us, but it is now becoming a problem. 

I sit at this cross-road and not sure what direction to go.  Take my pets to a shelter and sign them over, or deal with the day to day struggles and keep them?  Just like the pet sitting business; do I keep doing this or do I sell it?

It is very difficult for me at this time, because I am not sure where my joy went, but I have lost it and I don’t find it in my job or in my home with my pets anymore.  I hoping that time will improve things, but right now I am facing some hard decisions.  Just like a lot of other people in life and I am standing at the cross-road wondering what direction to go.

Burned out on Pet Sitting

Out in the cold, rain, and sleet. Trudging through slush and your feet are cold and your pants are wet and muddy. It’s great to be a pet sitter isn’t it.

Picking up dog poop and cleaning up cat gak or what did this client’s dog destroy today? Did they knock over the water dish again? Dog vomits in the car in your pocketbook. It’s just great being a pet sitter.

Cats in your face while you are trying to write a note or they want to play in the litter box after you already swept the floor. They throw-up what they just ate on the oriental carpet. It’s just great to be a pet sitter!

Clients that work in their offices are all nice and warm or others that are at some tropical destination: Florida, Mexico, California or Hawaii, but you haven’t had a vacation away from animals in over 5 years.

Go home to just more mess and demanding pets; your own. Picking up more cat gak and see if the dog peed or pooped in the house because you’ve been gone over 8 hours.

Dog wants out, wants back in again. Cats meowing and you can’t type an email because they have to sit on your lap. “Pay attention to me!” Is all they beg for. No cookies, treats or food satisfy that need they have or want.

It’s just great to be a pet sitter.

How many layers today? Three or four shirts should I wear? Two pairs of pants. Two pairs of socks and make sure one pair is wool. Grab your insulated hat. Is it windy? Make sure you have your “smurf” hood and don’t forget gloves! Grab your winter coat. Bring plenty to munch on for the day. Out the door you go and the sun hasn’t been up for an hour.

It’s just great to be a pet sitter.

Another day of cold and wind, but the sun is out. Well it will rain later in the day, but now it is snowing and the wind has picked up and it cuts through you like a serrated knife making your whole body feel raw. Your hands feel numb through your gloves as you walk dog after dog in the cut throat cold wind.  Your fingers are cracked open from the cold and from washing them. It doesn’t matter the amount of lotion, cream or goo you put on them, they won’t heal for weeks and they are sore to the touch.

It’s just great to be a pet sitter.

The day is almost over and than the phone rings. Late night at the office or dinner plans with friends. No rest for the weary. Your day is not over yet. One more walk, one more visit than you can go home.

Cold and dark you walk in your front door. No one is there to greet you with a warm dinner or a hug. You don’t even take your coat off and you get your dog out and go start a fire. You feed your animals and listen to the wind continue to blow as you haven’t changed your clothes yet and your feet ache and the muscles in your neck and shoulders hurt from the stress of the day.

You look at tomorrow’s schedule and it’s a repeat of today. Check the forecast and that is no different either. You remove your shoes, put on slippers, fill the wood stove and you think to yourself, “it’s just great to be a pet sitter.” And you realize you can’t do it anymore.

Summer is Now Over!

Yes, it has been many months since I wrote a blog, and now that I have actually some free time to write I thought I would start with a recap of my summer.

It is now 4:30 in the morning and I am up, that is about an hour later than some of my days have started in the last 60+ days.  I will give you a snapshot of my summer and you can tell me if you want to be a pet sitter.

The sun isn’t even up and most people are still deep in REM I am up early, dogs everywhere in my house; two cats in my spare bedroom for boarding and one cat in quarantine in the other bedroom and one cat in prison in the basement and the last 2 are out in the yard somewhere.  Say Good Morning to Everyone and I open the back door and let the dogs out.  Check crates for accidents during the night than go start coffee.

Thundering of multiple feet coming through the door as they know I am in the kitchen and they are hoping for breakfast, but it is coffee I have on my mind at this time of day, they can all wait.  Too early for breakfast.

Check emails.  Log onto Facebook.  Answer emails.  Drink some more coffee and smoke a cigarette as I tell myself I need to quit.

There are dogs at my feet while I sit at the dining room table, stepping over toys and dogs of all sizes scrambling from the living room and than through the living room and out the back door.  It’s Romper Room. 

Smoke a cigarette and get some more coffee.  It still isn’t light out and I begin the regiment of feedings.  Who gets what and how much.  Limit the number of dogs in the kitchen as I begin the feedings.  Two or three at a time making sure no one eats someone else’s food and that there are no disagreements while feedings start.  Who gets a cookie or doesn’t.  Treats can’t be distributed in “general population”, run the risk of fights.

Feedings for the dogs are now done, time to feed the cats.  Clean boxes, gather up food dishes, wash food dishes and begin distributing cat food to everyone.  Vacuum the cat room, clean boxes, check water and back to my coffee.

Take a quick shower get dressed.

Who just pissed on the floor?!  Thank God I wear slippers.  Grab paper towels and cleaner and clean that up.

Get dressed.  Crate those that need it.  Leave the back door open.  Feed the parakeet.  Check water in the muck bucket outside and the water dish inside.  Pack my lunch bag and head out.  The sun is now just coming up.

Out the door I go to start my day.  Check my schedule; where do I have to be first?  It’s going to be a long day.

Start my route, traffic is light.  It is going to a scorcher today and I am prepared with multiple bottles of water and snacks, but I am still working on my coffee.

Stop at house one, feed the cats, drive. Walk this dog, drive.  Walk that dog, drive.  Walk these dogs, drive.  Let these dogs out, drive. Go to post office, drive.  Go let those dogs out, drive. Feed those cats, drive.  Walk that dog, drive. Drive some more.  Make some phone calls.  Back home, check on dogs and make sure I still have a house. Check water, distribute treats and than back in the car.  Drive some more.  Last couple of jobs to do and than I can go home.  Can’t wait?  Or can I?

On a good day I was home by 4 PM, and some days a bit earlier.  But some days I was out more than I was home and I had some very nice friends helping me with managing dogs at my house. 

Ah I can sit and relax.  Yeah right.

Don’t pee on that!  Don’t take the toys out in the yard!  Stop humping him!  I came home for this?  Don’t eat that!

Feedings to start.  Check on the cats.  Again, who gets what and how much. 

I have lost my mind!  It’s a wonder I don’t drink more. Time to feed myself.  You would think I am serving myself steak.  The dogs are at the baby gate leading to the kitchen crying and whining and pawing at it.  My personal sanctuary; the kitchen, now that is sad.

Sit outside in the fresh air to eat.

Dogs at my feet.  Getting sneezed on and pawed at.  Drool on my legs.  This is my life I think.  If I could only get this much attention from the opposite sex! 

OMG, I am eating a salad!  Didn’t matter to them; the dogs, think it has to be something better than what they just ate.

Finished eating, back inside the house.  Ok who just shit on the floor?!  Clean that up.  Say a couple of 4-letter words.  Besides WTF!

I tell myself, this is what I do. 

More running back and forth, but this time it’s the dogs in my house. Thank God for the split screen on the slider. The weights on the bottom have now been torn off.  Buy a new one once all the madness of dogs in my house is over in a couple of months. Pick up toys.  Put the cushions back on the sofa and look at the dog nose art on my windows.  Don’t bother cleaning that until the madness is over in a couple of months.

Air conditioner running while the back door is open, and all I could think of is my Dad saying to us when we were kids, “What are you doing leaving the door open the air conditioner is on?!”  Well Dad, this is different.

Back outside to smoke a cigarette and try to relax.  What’s that? Relax.  A day off hasn’t happened in months.  I love the summer I tell myself. 

The warmth, the early sunrises I see and the sunsets that keep me focused.  I witness a great deal of beauty everyday.  Cleaning up animal excrement isn’t one of them, but that is small to what I get to see everyday with the hours I keep.

It’s starting to get dark.  Time to get to bed. But it doesn’t mean I am going to sleep.  I am either reading or watching some TV while using my listening skills to keep an ear on what the dogs are doing in the other room.

Oh, what will tomorrow bring. 

Thank God I wear slippers in my house.

Summer is now over and my schedule has lessened some, but I am still up early so I can do what I have to do.

Would I trade it for anything?  No.  I have a great tan!

Enjoy your day Everyone! 

Love Your Pets!  They Will Always Love You Back!

Time to Get Out and EXERCISE!!!

The weather is finally to the point that most people are sporting shorts and T-shirts and their thoughts turn to the beach – bikini time!  But I am not talking about You humans, I am talking about you and your dog!

No, your dog won’t be sporting a bikini this season, unless you are one of those owners that think dressing your dog up for no apparent reason and even than, I don’t think you will be taking them to the beach dressed like that.

Exercise and your pet are a very important factor of their daily life.  Keeping your dog active helps them throughout stages of their lives.  By doing a daily routine of walking or playing or better, both, will keep your pet from becoming obese and alleviate joint problems.

Speaking from experience of having two dogs; one which had both his knees operated on in less than a 6 week time span and one who has hip dysplasia, I have found doing a daily 15 to 30 minute walk has helped both of them a great deal.

I know that a number of you may have a senior dog, over the age of 8 and are thinking that they don’t need to be walked or are too old for this activity.  You are wrong.  Keeping your senior dog active is very important and does help with joint problems and weight.

I don’t take my dogs hiking or out running anymore, but because I have gotten them into a regular walk, even just a 15 minute walk on some days, has helped both my dogs a great deal. 

Casey my 12 year old lab is showing signs of better mobility even just in the house.  Sherlock who had both his knees done because of torn ACL’s last year is now more agile and almost able to do some activities that he hasn’t since the surgeries.

Dogs and cats are becoming obese and it is the number one concern among veterinarians and by doing a daily exercise routine it will help keep your pet at an ideal weight and help you at the same time.

By doing a daily routine of exercise, especially walking can also avoid certain joint problems too, which I learned when Sherlock tore his first ACL.  The first question I was asked was, “Do you walk him daily?” and by my answer his physical therapist told me that I could of possibly avoided this injury if I walked him regularly and not just taking him to the dog park for exercise.

Yes my dogs are on supplements to help them with arthritis and their joint issues, but keeping them active with their regular walks has improved their mobility more than dropping a pill or two in their food.

By taking your pet walking, it also provides them with stimulation.  It can become a social activity especially if you live in an active neighborhood that has other dogs being walked.  Keep in mind, if you have dogs that are not “sure” of other dogs, always take proper precautions when out with your pet.

Pay attention to the weather when walking also.  Never walk your dog that may have health issues in the height of afternoon when the temperatures may be at its highest.  Early morning walks, late afternoon or early evenings are the best time to walk your dogs.  If your schedule doesn’t allow for you to walk your dog at these best times, you can hire a pet sitter/dog walker to come in and walk your dog, or even better, get up a little earlier to get them out for a morning stroll.

A pet is a lifetime commitment.  Taking 15 to 30 minutes of your day to show some love, create that bonding time and most important, to give your dog some activity is part of that commitment and responsibility.   Make it a daily family activity.  It is a known fact that “city” dogs get more exercise than “country” dogs.  Why, because pet owners that live in the city have to take their dogs out to relieve themselves and those that live in the suburbs or more rural areas just let their dogs out, and don’t give them that daily activity.

No matter what, get out and walk!  Your dog will be happier and healthier and so will you.  I walk dogs everyday because that is my job, and when I get home I still take the time to walk my dogs.  Now as soon as I walk in the door, my dog Sherlock is so excited because he knows we are going for a walk.

Have a Wonderful Pet Day Everyone! 

It is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, visit your local shelter or rescue and open your home to a new kitty.  Many senior cats need homes too, not just kittens. .

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A 5000 Card Campaign of Encouragement

I know this is not my typical blog that I post or write about, but I was asked by a friend to do a favor for a local family.

A local family’s son is in the hospital, not your typical hospital stay.  He is in Dupont Medical Center in Delaware, not just for a couple days or a week, but for a year.  A Full Year!  Could you imagine spending a year in the hospital?  Most people don’t like going to visit at the hospital let alone staying there for year.

This young man has had multiple surgeries, and with each surgery there have been complications; from having a feeding tube inserted to surgeries on his heart.

His name is Wesley and he is 20 years old.

This is a Card Campaign of Encouragement. 

Below you can view the request I received written by an unknown person, but obviously someone that knows him personally.  Read the note and take the time today and pick up a card of encouragement, of inspiration and mail it to this young man who is struggling for his life. 

I ask that you forward this to all that you know and help reach the goal of 5000 cards for Wesley.  Every little bit helps.
Wesley Schneeberger is a twenty year old young man who has been battling for his life for the past thirteen weeks at Dupont Medical Center in Delaware. He has had multiple surgeries on his heart, a feeding tube inserted to his stomach, and many complications with each of these surgeries. Wesley has had a tracheotomy to help him breathe. Therefore, he must use a typing device to communicate. Wesley has recently become agitated and angry, understandably so, for he can’t go home and has to spend at least a year in a hospital facility. All of this while waiting for a new heart.

Wesley loves rap music. He graduated H.S. from Coatesville, PA He loves the water, Stan’s boat and his dog Maddie. He is just the sweetest guy and has an awesome sense of humor! (I had him blinking signs..(and yes he told me i was a crazy lady in the first few minutes of us meeting!!)…Right now he is mad that he has been in DuPont for such a long time…(10weeks) he does not know that his stay is long term…He is very proud of the fact that we started selling tee-shirts for him….(he has one in his unit)….He is simple one cool kid.Can you please help Wesley by giving him some inspiration? He sure does need it now. You can do this by sending cards to him at:

Wesley Schneeberger

A I DuPont Children 

1600 Rocland Road  

Wilmington, DE 19803 

CICU Room 2302

Thank you for doing this.   It means so much to this young man’s family and hopefully will bring a smile to young man’s face.

Visiting the Vets’ Office

We know that some pets enjoy going to the vet and many humans don’t.  But than you have the pets that know they are going for a ride, but as soon as they walk through that door, they know the place they are at is not going to be fun.

In the past 6 weeks I have been at some vets at least 4 times for my pets.  While I was there I observed the people just as much as the pets that they brought in with them.

There were the cute little puppies there for their first set of shots and the elderly dogs for their check-ups and every type of dog breed and cat carriers with meowing and the much panting from dogs.  The dogs with growths the size of small soccer balls on the side of the bodies, ailing and aging dogs with joint problems and partially blind, dog with digestive problems either with running poo or no pee!  Cats meowing loudly while confined in their carrier.  All of them; cats or dogs, were very unhappy to be there no matter what the reason.

It was the people I looked and observed. 

Some of the owners were relaxed awaiting their turn, and others had as much anxiety on their face as their dog.  You could see the worry on their face as they sat their quietly waiting to talk to the vet either because their pet was severely ill or it had a sudden change in their health that was unexpected, all making small talk to the others waiting their turn.  First question that most pet owners asked of those waiting was, “What kind of dog is that?”  Small talk helped rid us of some worry and desperation we all must have shown on our face.  But it didn’t remove the worry or the thoughts racing through our minds.

You could overhear the conversations between the vet tech and the pet owner.  “When did he/she last vomit?” “Did they vomit blood?”  “When was the last time he/she ate?”  Along with other various questions and the pet was whisked away behind a door of unknown territory.  Emergencies were ushered into the back by a person dressed in scrubs; some with happy cats and dogs and others were just the plain blue color.  Those that had emergency pets really showed worry on their faces and body language; unable to sit still or get comfortable in the waiting room not making any eye contact with the others.  Most of them making phone calls or sending texts on their cell phone informing other family members or loved ones of what was happening to the family pet.

Bringing your pet in for an emergency makes one feel so helpless.  It is not like a child who may have a fever or belly ache, it is a pet that often hides their ailments like a mask on Halloween hides a persons’ face.  They are fine one day and the next they are vomiting, lethargic or showing signs of distress.  You feel so helpless.  I experienced that too in the last 6 weeks.

I too sat there with worry going through my head wondering what the visit would entail and if my pet was going to be ok.  Waiting for the vet tech to come out and give me some sort of encouraging words. Or trying to keep my dog calm as he pranced around wanting to meet everyone or go sniff a butt of a dog that was 1/10th the size of him and not understanding why he was there to begin with, giving me the look like, “I’m OK.  Let’s go home now so I can continue to lick and chew on my tail!” 

Whether they were there for an emergency or just for a check up, the worry and concern showed up on their faces, some more than others.  Visiting the vet is never fun for either the pet or the owner; it is always stressful for both parties.

Always remember, don’t hesitate to take your pet to the vet especially if you see a behavior change in them.  Whether it is a digestive issue or something as simple as them being lethargic, the most common thing you may take for granted could actually be a life threatening condition in a cat or a dog.  Your pet depends upon you, take care of them and they will repay you 10-fold.

Have a Great Pet Day Everyone!  Happy Memorial Day!  Keep your pets safe this weekend!

Cat Abandonded Caught on TAPE!

Good Morning Everyone -

A client of mine sent this video to me showing a man dropping off a cat at her front door in a cat carrier.  This happened last week at her home while she was out.

This occurred in West Brandywine Township, Chester County, PA. Please watch and SHARE this video or blog to all those in this area. 

This woman cannot keep this cat.  She already has a large number of cats that she currently cares for. 

He is a neutered male cat that is approximately 2 years old or younger.  He is on the small side.  It is obvious that the cat is not used to dogs or other cats.  If you can identify this man or the car he is driving, please contact me.  If you are interested in adopting this cat, PLEASE contact me.

You can see the man at the 45 - 1.45 mark and his car at the 2.20 mark.  The cat appears on the video after that.

Contact me personally at paws48@verizon.net if you can identify the man or are interested in adopting this kitty.

Thanks Everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uJjofGb2bU&feature=email

Depression and Your Pets

We all suffer from depression and we know that our pet likes us have bad days from time to time.  But do we actually know what our pets feel?

From time to time, we all suffer loss or loneliness and we believe our dogs especially, live in the moment so why would they feel any loss or sadness?

Recently I lost a cat as a result of a devastating accident.  Though I didn’t witness it, I can only assume what happened.  It was an unexpected loss and because of it, it has caused me great sadness.

We live in our pets energy fields.  For those that may not think about it, but our dogs or cats personal energy fields are much larger than ours.   So they pick up on our energy; whether it is happiness or sadness.  They feel what we feel.  Why do you think that a dog may nudge you when you are feeling sad or ill, because they “know” that something isn’t right with us? 

So do our pets feel depression based upon our feelings?

The other evening after the loss of my cat, my dog Sherlock attempted to nuzzle me.  He tried many times to show some sort of support.  But I was beyond “the nuzzle” of a dog to remove my heaviness I felt in my heart, that even now I still feel.  He knew something wasn’t right and he made every attempt to remove that burden from my heart.

I have read that dogs or cats suffer sadness from the loss of a human or a housemate; another pet, but can then feel the sadness that we feel?  Can they feel the loss of another pet in the home?  I am not asking my audience for answers, only to think about it.

Depression is the worst of all “illnesses” to possess.  A cold or the flu will fade, it may make us miserable when we have it, but it will pass.  Depression is like a dark cloud that hovers over us even on the sunniest days.  Some days it may not be as heavy and only be like a fog, but it is still there lingering for that opportunity to wrap us in that darkness and pull us into it like an envelope to be sealed.

When you live alone and have no one other than your pets, and you experience the loss of one pet or in my case, three in eight months, it can be devastating to ones “animal world” let alone ones own personal space sort to say.  And yes, I know they feel my pain.  They know there is something wrong with the home and the balance it once had.

Why am I telling you this? Because I feel that we need to pay attention to our own personal feelings as they relate to our pets.  Our anger, rage or depression affects them.  Our happiness affects them.  They know when things are good and they definitely know when things are bad.

Because I am so in touch with the compassionate side of my being, which is as a human, I feel the loss maybe deeper than those that may not have pets, or those that even if they have pets may not dwell on the loss of a pet.  But when it happens so unexpectedly, it takes a great deal out of ones soul and it dwells in ones heart like a heavy block resting there that won’t be removed by any human hand.

Whether what I am saying makes sense to you or not I really don’t care.  Death of a pet affects each of us differently.  Since my loss was sudden and unexpected and the way in which my pet died makes it even more heartbreaking and harder to fathom.

Keep in mind, we live in our pets world, they do not live in ours.  They feel what we feel.  So stress, anger and sadness they are all aware of.  They just can’t act it out like we do, or try to smother it with some other substance that they can eat or drink.

I apologize for the topic and the matter it may have been presented.  I just want my audience to be aware of their feelings and how they relate in your home and with your pets.  For those that live alone and only have pets as companionship, you especially need to stay in-tune to those feelings.

Have a Happy Pet Day Everyone!

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Fostering a Pet

Fostering pets brings many rewards to ones heart and mind.  Though some may say, I don’t have the time to do.  Yes, fostering a pet is not a weekend job or a Monday through Friday task; it is an every day thing you must do.  But there are many shelters or rescues that need fostering, especially in the spring when they become overrun with puppies and kittens.

Read the attached article regarding fostering.  Share it with others so maybe they can read the benefits of fostering.

I would foster….but I would become a foster failure and I can’t keep anymore pets than what I already have.

Have a Happy Pet Day Everyone!

http://blog.petsforpatriots.org/what-is-pet-fostering/

A Feel Good Moment!

Sometimes we have days that make the world seem small or very unfriendly and we find ourselves feeling all alone and in such despair.  What we may need is that little “feel good moment”.

To some of us it may be something simple as a hug from a friend or loved one. Some comfort food like ice cream, macaroni and cheese or for me Nilla Wafers. Or it could just be some quiet time with our beloved pet or pets.  We each have our own way to sit, relax and reflect to make the world not look so dark and lonely.

One of the things I do is watch some videos from time to time. So I have attached some Feel Good videos.  These little shorts are done by an “acquaintance” I have become friends with on Facebook. (There is that dreaded social media thing again.) But I have found when I need to smile or laugh a little I will watch one of her videos and they make me feel happy.  The make ME Feel Good.

I want to share them with you today, because I am in need of a Feel Good Moment!

Enjoy!

Have a Happy Pet Day Everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSLfZc9CWnI&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vIQYHhXAMs&feature=endscreen&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETCJjN2INJs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIrtvNigp7A