Sometime last year a poor lady asked if I could help with the fees to put her very sick and old dog to sleep.  She was on a fixed income and I thought nothing of it at the time.  A few weeks ago I was told of a lady with two Pomeranians who had worms and were loaded with fleas.  She had been trying to reach me to get some help.  I had the dogs, a male and a female, brought in and taken care of with Lennie’s fund.  At that time I learned it was the same lady I helped last year and that her dogs didn’t have shots nor were they spayed or neutered.  It is a dilemma I face often; it is why I wrote, “Love is not enough.”  I certainly do not begrudge anyone, no matter their financial status to have a dog, as a matter of fact, I encourage it but you must be willing to care for basic needs.  I’ll admit that at times it does take sacrifice but that is the trade off for the love and companionship you receive.  Please consider all things when you take on an animal, love (though most important) is simply not enough.

Brandy, the sweet white Boxer with dark brown ears has tumors, some large, some small, some hard and some soft and fatty.  I’ve dealt with this young couple before, they are very sweet and care deeply for their animals, they just could not afford the expense to have the tumors examined and removed.  Sweet Brady, though active and loving, is nine years old.  The life expectancy of a Boxer is 8 to 10 years, although double figures do happen now and then, and teen years are extremely rare.

Though all of my Boxers have been rescues, they all succumbed within their lifespan and that was giving them the best care I knew how.  After all is said and done I still took Brandy on with certain caveats.  I would have some of the tumors sent off for evaluation, remove the smaller ones if we can and draw down the fatty tumors as best we can.  The alternative is to send her to upstate and spend thousands of dollars with the result being that we’ll cure everything, but not alter her lifespan one iota.  You can believe I will do the best I can for sweet Brandy and God willing she will become one of those rare teenagers I’ve talked about.

I must make these decisions daily and believe me, they are not easy.  I always think of the welfare of the animal first, but I must also consider how to spend the funds I receive wisely. I always follow my instincts and I guess I do make mistakes but I try to allow those two criteria to guide my actions.  Some wonder why I pray so much, I’d be a fool to think I could make these decisions without His guidance.

By the way, sweet Mya the eight-year-old Siberian Husky, found a loving home.

Thanks for listening.