R.I.P. Ladybug

You know just about 2 posts back I introduced you all to Ladybug, a sweet old lady foster that arrived Tuesday night around 10pm. She passed away this afternoon.

While she was here she got a bath, she got the best food I know, she laid on the couch to watch movies. She picked out the cushiest dog bed in the house and I gave it to her. She was petted and rubbed. She would not walk in the house on her own when she arrived. Sadly it's not that uncommon among dogs living outdoors on chains.

She would not walk on a leash either. I took her to spend the day with S who was going to get her to the vet yesterday but she refused to walk and S does not have a car so they didn't make it.

Ray-Ray, my new blind foster arrived last night and they became immediate friends. They were the cutest Senior couple tottering around the yard together. And with him here, she walked. She came in and out of the house. They nuzzled each other. I am so sorry I missed getting pics of them together.

I got a call at work that the vet could see her today so I took a lunch hour to get her to the vet.

On top of the heartworms we already knew about, she had a pyometra (uterine infection) and masses all over her liver. She had gone off her food again this morning and was running a fever. The heartworms she could have handled. The infection could have been corrected with surgery. The liver? I don't know. She was so thin. In the end the deck was just stacked too high against her and it was a horrible catch-22.

S came out and told me and said I could take Ray-Ray home. She would stay. Could we bury her at my house? Yes. She sat with her while the vet put her to sleep on a big blanket and I took Ray-Ray home. I wanted to stay with her and pet her and love her as she left us. And I wanted to run away. The whole thing leaves me broken hearted and I've cried all day.

I will never understand how someone can abuse an animal like this. Who the fuck chains up a dog and just leaves it to rot? She was sweet and gentle. And even sick and in pain she was a good girl. Even in her condition she never had an accident here. She responded well to the kids, the cats, the dogs...Isn't that what people say they want? What the hell is wrong with these people? How do you let everything go to hell then dump a dog in a shelter? The sad thing is they don't understand and the problem just goes on and on.

I know you can't save them all, but each one you can save makes a difference. I've had to make the choice not to take in fosters because I was "full up". I had to get one moved. I've had dogs through here with kennel cough and heartworms and parvo. I had a couple of healthy ones. They were usually strays. Not owner surrenders. Owner surrenders are usually a hot fucked up mess. I've never lost a foster before, but today I lost her. My hope is that it was somehow better in the end because she left knowing some people do care.