Wanna see my new dog? (& read a eulogy for my old one)

[waste]

**THIS IS NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT ANIMAL ABUSE!**
As some of you may know my last dog died in July (we took him to the vet to have a possibly cancerous lump removed and biopsied, but the anesthesia took him, despite all precautions ). His name was (is) Danny and we got him from the animal rescue here in town. Danny had been in the shelter for 9 mos, after being found tied to a tree and left to die on a mountain !!!!!!!!! He loved all people, but was very animal aggresive (we couldn't kennel him when away because all the other animals would get him so worked up that he'd have convulsions - so we paid more to have someone come and care for him in our condo when we had to go away), and ~5 yrs old - so no one wanted him. We did, and gave him the best life we could for 3 yrs. I feel better knowing that we were at least able to give him 3 yrs of love and happiness, rather than his dying on that mountain. (weak smile)
After Danny's passing, my wife and I decided that we would wait until spring to rescue another dog (puppies are great, but it's the older 'pound-ees' that need the rescuing, everyone wants a puppy, but the older dogs are a 'hard-sell' at the pound). However, Fate stepped in and my wife saw this segment on TV (it's a video link) http://www.wfsb.com/petpound/9741347/detail.html#. Well, Maggie looked almost exactly like Danny (they're both pit mixes), and my wife's grief and longing took over. She talked me into adopting little Maggie.
A little background on Mags:
IMO she is the ugliest 'cute' dog - she has 3 legs (lost one to an unattended break, which, while treated, wasn't cared for) scars and cigar/ cigarette burns in 4 places, and scars (bite marks) up and down her, her teets hang 1+" from having been used as a breader for fighting dogs (allegedly, the case hasn't gone to court yet [she was found when the police seized the house because of the squalor that Maggie and the other dogs were living in - the prosecuter has been over to see Maggie and assures us that they will 'nail this b*stard' ]), her lower lip 'pouts out' giving her an expression with 'attitude'. Despite her appearance, she is the biggest 'love', her tail and toungue seem to be attached as when she's drowning your face with her tongue, her tail is doing 60 mph She is unused to being leashwalked as she spent her entire life in a dark basement with ?# other dogs and ~ no human contact, so walking her is a bit of an endevor (but she's smart and is slowly learning how to behave on the leash. Her teeth are all ground down because, apparently, here only 'toys' were rocks. And because of her seclusion, she is extremely curious about ... everything - she's like a puppy @ the age of 5.
She's 100% love!
I strongly suggest to anyone who reads this, who is thinking of adding a dog to their family, to check out the local shelter and, at least consider, an older dog, one that's just as lovable as a puppy, but more in need of your rescue (and usually 'prehousebroken'). If a pet is not in your future, can you afford to support a local shelter and donate some pet food or $ ?
Thanks for letting me tell someone about this, it's been really cathartic.

[edit] The link has apparently changed: If you get something other than a short commercial and then Maggies 'interview' with the weather man, just do a search at the top right and input "maggie", then select the 3 legged dog link. I'm sorry to make y'all do this extra work to see her, but the link worked fine when I posted it and it's worth a little extra to see this dog!
[re-edit] RavenNS was kind enough to find and send me the improved link, which, for now, takes you to where I originally meant to send everyone - THNX Raven!!

[waterbear]

Good for you Waste! I salute you! I have 3 dogs and a cat and my cat and one of my dogs were both recues. Butterscotch is my 3 year old orange bobtail cat and he is one BIG (over 15 lb.) purring machine. He loves to sun himself by the side of the pool or hot tub and loves to play with the water. (He really goes crazy when I turn on the water features. He will run in and out of the deck jets. I would not be surprised if he jumped into the pool one day when I am in it...he's come close to that a couple of times already!)
Max (short for Mad Max, the Road Warrior!) is my 9 month old long haired daschund. He and his brother were both rescues. (My neighbor across the street adopted his brother). They came from a nice but poor old lady on a fixed income who bred her dog in hopes of making money off the puppies but no one wanted the males and she couldn't afford to care for them properly anymore. They were both in pretty bad shape. I got Max on a Friday night when he was about 3 months old and the next day I had to rush him to the emergency vet because he had severe problems with one eye, among other problems. We were able so save his eye and now he is a beautiful young dog that really lives up to his name! I strongly believe in recuing unwanted animals...once I had 2 dogs and 7 cats....all rescues! (One of the cats had a paralyzed leg...vet said it had been hit by a car and never treated). All of them lived long, full lives after I got them. My little maltese/poodle mix lived to be 23 by best estimate of his age when I got him).
Waste, all I can say is to love the new addition to your family. You will be rewarded it for it each day that she is with you!

[mbar]

Best of luck to you Waste, and love to Maggie. My family always adopts rescues, and they are lovely dogs. It is people like you who make the world a better place I am "dogless" now, as my own two have passed on, but if I decide to get another one (right now I just dogsit for others) I will get an older rescue - because I am too old for a puppy

[momof2grlz]

God Bless you and your wife for giving Maggie a loving home! Best of luck with your new furkid.

[doggie]

Thanks so much for sharing your stories with us. It's always wonderful to hear of people loving animals so much that they do everything they can for them.

We have 3 little chihuahua's, and 2 of them are rescued dogs. They give so much love, and bring endless happiness to our home. Life is so much better because of them.

[matt4x4]

Congratulations Waste, we too are animal lovers, my wife's first pet was a stray cat she took in - had her 15 years, we've adopted 2 dogs from the pound, and are currently in negotiations with our 7 year old son about getting another since he wants his own dog - it will also be a pound dog, we're trying to dissuade the puppy thoughts he's having though.

[Mojo1]

We have 3 little chihuahua's, and 2 of them are rescued dogs. They give so much love, and bring endless happiness to our home. Life is so much better because of them.

Hard to have just one isn't it? We have 5 chi's and a pitt mutt!

[NWMNMom]

Congrats and good for you!! Maggi sounds like a beautiful soul and awesome furry family member. We also would adopt our dogs from the local no-kill shelter. Some of the most wonderful family members came from there. We had a lab mix who had been tied to a stake in a farm yard and beaten with a garden hose when she barked, covered with pine tar in some misguided effort to keep flies off of her and dehydrated nearly to death before she was rescued. She ended up being the sweetest, most wonderful girl! We loved her dearly until she passed away. I currently belong to a Parrot Rescue and have 4 feathered kids - birds/parrots are often the forgotten type of abused/neglected shelter pet and the toughest to rehome due to the specialized care required.

Good luck with Maggi, seems like she has a great future ahead of her with your family!

[waste]

Hi all!

Just a little update from today.

Maggie had a couple of lumps that needed to be removed and biopsied (one on her side and one on her tail)

The surgery was a success, she survived it -- but they had to remove most of her tail

This poor little dog has been through so much, and now lost 80% of her tail, I can only hope that the biopsies come back clean

Happy New Year to all here!!! And Maggie sends a 'drug induced", weak 'aarroooo' to y'all

Love and Luck -- Ted

[Watermom]

Hi Ted,
I hope your little dog is ok. Happy New Year to you, too!
Lisa