Update on Susie and Pups

by **savagem** » July 2nd, 2006, 11:24 pm

Just wanted to let you all know that Susie and her pups are doing great and that 4 of the pups have already gone to their new homes. All 4 had home visits done and vet and personal references checked--no worries about that, Maryellen. The boys have also been neutered, and Sadie is going to be adopted with a spay contract.

Lindsay has been wonderful in helping with these guys. She has come over several times to help with vaccinations and fecal checks, has done a couple of home visits and has agreed to do more, and helped me out today when I had several potential adopters come over at once to meet the remaining puppies. She is really a person who cares about these homeless animals, and I wish that mods/board admin. would consider reinstating her posting privledges--hint, hint. :clap:

She is also extremely knowledgable re. a variety of dog-related issues and I think she'd be a valuable memeber of this board.

All 4 of the remaining pups have applications and deposits in. Lindsay is doing 2 home visits and I'm doing the other 2 this week. If all goes well we'll have all puppies to their new homes by next weekend. I cannot believe the response we've gotten on these puppies. It's been mind-boggling. No wonder certain other rescues concentrate on puppies! :shock:

No applications on Susie yet, but she is fat and happy and her teats have finally gone down. Once the pups are placed I might take her to obedience classes if she isn't adopted yet.

Anyway, there have been a couple of members here who have been helpful in getting these puppies ready for their new lives, and I wanted to let them know how everything is proceeding. And I will get new photos of Susie up one of these days. You will not believe how much she has changed! She and Blaze--my adopted amstaff--have become very close, and she is becoming very playful. Now she just needs a family of her own.

by **savagem** » July 2nd, 2006, 11:26 pm

OK, so I typed in that Blaze was an amstaff, and the board changed it to "pitbull wanna be". Interesting. Amstaffs don't qualify as pitbulls now?

by **savagem** » July 2nd, 2006, 11:34 pm

So here's a picture of Blaze. Tell me that's not a bully face. [img][img]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/savagem13/Picture002.jpg[/img][/img]

by **Hoyden** » July 2nd, 2006, 11:41 pm

I am happy to hear that the placements are going so well.

If you need some help, I have some time tomorrow (Monday) and some on Tuesday that I can spare.

by **savagem** » July 2nd, 2006, 11:49 pm

That's so awesome of you to offer. I think that Lindsay and I have it covered right now, but if anything comes up I'll sure let you know. Thank you.

by **Hoyden** » July 3rd, 2006, 12:44 am

I lost Lindsay's number, was waiting for cell bill so I could find it.

How is she doing with Brutus? Is he finally learning to respect her dad?

by **Maryellen** » July 3rd, 2006, 7:55 am

that is GREAT news!!!! is there any way you can adopt Susie out AFTER she is spayed too??? this way no one can breed her... there is a place onthe internet called Friends of Animals, they have spay/neuter certificiates you buy. females are $55 .. please dont adopt her out on a spay contract..

by **muse** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:16 am

Thats great to hear, Mel. It must be quite a relief to have lifted off your shoulders. Im so glad you stuck through it.

I miss Blazers, hes such a handsome boy. :wink:

by **savagem** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:40 am

Maryellen,

Sadie will be adopted out with a spay contract. I believe that is preferable to keeping her until she is 6 months old--which is when I personally believe a dog is old enough for a spay. She needs to go to her new family and bond with them now. There she will have the attention of two older children and a mom and dad who have waited until their children are old enough to appreciate a dog. Here she would have to share the attention with my own 4 dogs, Susie, and my two kids. How does that make sense? It is not an issue of cost, it is an issue of putting a puppy through an invasive procedure before her immune system is fully developed and at a critical point in her emotional development. A neuter doesn't involve opening the abdominal cavity--a spay does. I don't believe in putting a baby through the trauma and pain of such a major procedure. Not to mention the load on her immune system. Mama Susie is already spayed. I had it done the moment her pups were weaned. She is still seeking her perfect home.

by **savagem** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:46 am

Hey Alma,

It IS a huge relief. But I'm glad I stuck with it as well. Once Susie was spayed she became much less aggressive toward my own dogs, and we haven't had an incident in weeks. After the last pup is placed, having my own four dogs and Susie will seem like a walk in the park in comparison! Blazer sends his love. He has eaten 9 pairs of shoes since he's gotten here. Did you know he was a shoe eater? Good thing I adore the big doofus!

by **cheekymunkee** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:49 am

How will you enforce this contract? What will you do if they do not spay her? I have had many dogs spuetered before 6 months with no problems whatsoever. Justice was done at 3 months. Shelters do it ALL the time, they do not keep their female puppies until they are 6 months of age.

by **cheekymunkee** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:52 am

Good job on getting the other babies adopted & Blaze is adorable!!!!!

by **muse** » July 3rd, 2006, 11:57 am

Oh no Mel, thats sucks. Nope, wasnt a shoe eater here, the bugger.

by **savagem** » July 3rd, 2006, 12:31 pm

I've only used a spay/neuter contract twice before. Both times there was a date included as part of the adoption contract that specified the date by which I needed to be supplied with proof that the surgery had been completed. There was a $50.00 deposit to be refunded when I received this proof. Both families supplied the speuter cert. by the specified date. One asked for the deposit back, the other told me to keep it for future fosters. I don't know what would happen if the family didn't comply, but the adoption contract is an enforceable legal document. Maybe I'll include a clause that gives me the right to reclaim the dog if the surgery isn't performed. I know that pediatric speuters are done all the time. I personally don't believe that a pediatric spay is a good idea. I feel it's like putting an infant through a highly invasive procedure. Why do that if the family can have the surgery done when the pup is older and has a more mature immune system? For the boys it's just snipping open the skin and removing the little testicles. But for the girls the abdominal muscles are cut and it is much more painful, traumatic, and invasive. The recovery is more difficult, and the stress on the immune system is greater. Fortunately this litter only had one little girl and 7 boys, and all of the boys had normally descended testicles. So I only have to worry about following up on a spay contract with one family in this case. I will also counsel the family regarding the reasons for spaying for both ethical and medical reasons. If I sense any reluctance to have the surgery done by the time specified, I will not go through with the adoption.

by **cheekymunkee** » July 3rd, 2006, 12:40 pm

Off topic but is Blaze your permenant dog? He is adorbale! I keep coming back to this thread just to stare at him.

by **savagem** » July 3rd, 2006, 12:42 pm

Just wanted to add that we have already denied one family for Sadie. Lindsay did the home visit and one of the reasons that we denied the adoption was that we didn't feel we could trust the family to have the spay done as required. The second family to apply for Sadie is having the home visit done this week. If we feel they aren't likely to comply with the spay contract they'll be denied as well.

by **savagem** » July 3rd, 2006, 12:44 pm

cheekymunkee wrote:Off topic but is Blaze your permenant dog? He is adorbale! I keep coming back to this thread just to stare at him.

He is a cutie-pie, isn't he? Yep, he was adopted from Smilin' Pitbull of all places. That was back before the Kool Aid started making me sick. Alma fostered him and he's a wonderful guy.

by **cheekymunkee** » July 3rd, 2006, 4:11 pm

I have spoken to both Charles & Michelle as to your request, it is their decision that the ban remain in place.

by **msvette2u** » July 3rd, 2006, 4:26 pm

I'm glad Lindsay has been able to help you so much! Great job getting the dogs adopted - and I'm glad you guys have been able to do homechecks too!
I wish Lindsay could come back too - she had so much to add, but it seemed a few people didn't like her opinions.

by **cheekymunkee** » July 3rd, 2006, 4:30 pm

msvette2u wrote:I'm glad Lindsay has been able to help you so much! Great job getting the dogs adopted - and I'm glad you guys have been able to do homechecks too!
I wish Lindsay could come back too - she had so much to add, but it seemed a few people didn't like her opinions.

Her banning had NOTHING to do with her opinions. If you would like to discuss her banning further please feel free to pm Charles or Michelle.

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