(not sure where this goes) Hi, I'm new!
Hi everyone I'm new to this forum. (I actually found it through Greytalk and certainly didn't like my first impression of everythign here, but decided to stop by and give it a chace as surely not everyone was represented in the monstrosity of a thread we had there today!...I have read through a lot of posts and really am enjoying the general atmosphere I got from those!) Can't wait to get to know more of you! I am a member of Blind Dogs, UtahDogs, Greytalk, Pet Talk (I'm one of the mods...obviously it's a different PT fromt his one!) Blind/Deaf Dog Forum, and Petfinder's Forum.
Some about me; I'm 18 years old and am currently attending evening classes at a local college working towards my Associate in Science degree; I eventually hope to become a professional trainer/behaviorist; and start or get involved with a rescue dedicated to rescueing "lethal whites" and other dogs with 'special needs' specifically dogs with vision and hearing impairments to any degree.
In my spare time I like to do anything with the dogs including Agility, Obedience, hiking or just sitting around together. I also enjoy making dog collars and leashes, and cross-stitching. I am planning to move soon and Scout and Willow will come with me, as will Beau (bird) after things have gotten settled in at the new house.
I currently have two dogs, two cats (deeply missing my Boo cat), and a bird.
Scout is an Australian Shepherd (possibly Border Collie mix) who do to a genetic defect is blind and deaf in one ear. I adopted him last February after he had been at the rescue (Angels for Animals) for somewhere around two years; I had visited AFA a couple of times during Scout's stay and instantly fell in love with him but was unable to adopt him until February.
Willow is also an Australian Shepherd; and is the newest member of the family adopted the 8th of this month (October); she had been at Cedar City Animal control for around a month and a half before I adopted her. (the usual holding period is 3-7 days sometimes longer if they have the space; so she's a lucky girl) Like Scout she has a genetic defect resulting in her being completely deaf.
Ivy is a gray tabby that was dumped in the parking lot of a local grocery store about three years a go; not wanting her to get hit we took her home...two weeks later we found out she was pregant. (she was spayed after the kittens were weaned, and the four resulting kittens have also been altered and found new homes)
Boo was my black cat and had been abondened up at Fish Lake (he was left in a box; he was clearly somebody's pet as he was nuetered and de-clawed definitely something I wouldn't of had done); he was originally found by my uncle who worked there at the time; he kept him for a couple of months but when the seasonal job was over Boo needed a new home so we took him in.
Beau is my bird a cockatiel he had been bounced around quite a bit before I adopted him...I've been told that he was originally taken from a lady who had several birds in poor conditions that she was keeping in a room of her house. Do to his past Beau isn't the friendliest guy but will allow me to handle him; I'm not sure how old he actually is but am guessing somewhere between 4-6 years.
I still live at home (at least till December) so I'll include my parents pets as well which includes a Miniature Poodle, Cinnamon, a Mixed Breed, Toby (also adopted from AFA) and another cat Buddy, who we found abondened in the mountains behind our home when he and two litter mates were around two weeks old (going by the vets guess), the two other kittens didn't make it but Buddy thrived and is now a happy healthy eleven year old. (are you noticing a pattern on how we got our cats??) And a pond full of fish.
As you can tell we have a houseful, but everyone has their special place in the family.
