My first trip to the Humane Society

And I bawled the whole way home.

I can't help it. I went in there for volunteer information, and I fell in love with this Chocolate Lab puppy named Blinker. My heart just BROKE... Love and heartbreak are NOTHING compared to what I felt with this puppy. He was sitting in this cement, outdoor cage all by himself, when I saw him, I honesty thought he was dead. He slowly sat up when I came over to him, and he was just shaking. I think it was cold... but his belly was really big and he had a runny nose... My heart just broke for him.

I need to take him home. There were other dogs there, and I know that pups go faster than older dogs, and I always promised myself I would get an older dog, but there was just something about this puppy that screamed out at me that he needs a home, bad. The adoption fee is $40, plus the neuter, which is mandatory after adoption. The $40 is a breeze, I just need to know how much neutering will cost.

I also need to convince my mom. My dad would maybe think about taking him, as he has always wanted a "hunting" dog, type breed, and a Lab would be just that. But he's at an apartment now, and he can't have dogs. Therefore Abby is staying with my mom, and I would need to convince my mom that this puppy needs a home. I think maybe if I convinced her to go LOOK-- her heart might take over.

I just called her now, and told her the situation. I begged and I pleaded, I gave her the pros of having a big ole Labby boy in the house (didn't mention the cons!) and she said she would think about it.

PRAYERS FOR BLINKER AND I! *crossing fingers*

And here's Blinker's adoption page. He is (obviously) the brown one.

http://catsndogs.org/adoptees1.php?type=Puppy;ADR=55571

Please PLEASE pray for Blinker and pray that my mom says yes. I know if she see's him she'll fall in love, but it's GETTING her to see him that's the hard part. She said herself if she saw him she knows she'd have to take him home.

Listen, i think it is great that you are going to be helping out at the shelter, but I don't think it would be a great idea to bring more pets into the house after what your mother did with your other pets.

I knew that would eventually come up.

We HAVE talked about it. The cats, that was a mistake. Don't get me wrong, I loved them more that LIFE, but her and I both knew the risks of taking in two cats, and we paid the price.

She loves Abby, she always has. It's not an issue of her not being able to take care of pets, or her not being able to have enough responsibility... it's just wrong place at the wrong time. We HAVE talked about what she did, she KNOWS that I'm still bitter over it, and she knows that it was very, very wrong.

OK, as long as you and your mother have come to an agreement.

The puppy will find a good home, as will some of the others that you will meet if you volunteer at the Humane Society. Seeing dogs and cats that are crying out for homes, trembling and afraid, desperate to leave, will become something you have to face as routine. Leave this puppy there for another month and you will find that he has been taken, I feel sure. Also, if your mom is honest on the adoption papers when she is asked about present and past pets, they may turn her down.

you will cry over many other animals. volunteering is a fun way to help homeless animals, but it is sometimes depressing. you never get use to it. it was my job to help hold down the animals while they were euthinized. i teared up or cried every time.

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Originally Posted by lute

you will cry over many other animals. volunteering is a fun way to help homeless animals, but it is sometimes depressing. you never get use to it. it was my job to help hold down the animals while they were euthinized. i teared up or cried every time.

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Exactly. You can't help out every animal in need all the time. As much as we'd like to it is impossible.
Thats one of the main things you have to realize before you start working or volunteering in the shelter field.

I think the dog thing has sort of fallen through. If my mom saw him, she'd bring him home in an instant, but she won't. I don't know, she just doesn't want to go there and get depressed.

I sure hope Blink finds a good home and gets some medical attention. :(

i'm sorry you won't be able to adopt Blinker.

ya know one thing you can do that is VERY effective is to take the pics of the dogs off the shelter's website or petfinder page and send an e-mail with pics, info, and contact information to rescues. that helps make room for more dogs and lowers the death rate. i did this for years before i could actually take in the dogs myself. i once got a rescue from MN to take all the dogs that were due to be put to sleep at the humane society i volunteered at. the rescue manager ran up to me and gave me a HUGE hug. saying that because of the e-mails i sent they didn't put down any dogs that week.

what i'm saying is you can help the animals in SOOO many different ways other than just bringing them home. :)