Goodbye for Now

Published on by Erica Jackson1 Comment

Sometimes I have to be realistic that not every animal that comes through our shelter will have a happy adoption ending. Sometimes things don’t end the way I want them to. That is just the realistic side of working with homeless animals. And it is also one of the hardest things to deal with.

In my 7 years working at an animal shelter I have seen dogs and cats be put down for both health and behavioral issues. And each time it tears me apart. I’ll never forget the first dog I had bonded with that we had to euthanize. Her health deteriorated quickly and we could see she was suffering. So when we made the decision to put her to sleep I sat with her as she crossed over, just so that she knew how loved she was. There have been others since her that still make me tear up thinking about them, even though it is years later.

It must be hard for those pets that have to end their lives without an owner. It has become my routine to be with them as they pass. Hold them. Love them. Let them know that their memory will live on. Because that’s what they deserve. And when it’s over I spread their ashes somewhere beautiful. Someplace where their soul can be free.

A Tale of Love and Longing

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I never thought about having more than one dog. Toby was such a handful that I couldn’t even imagine it. At the time I lived in a studio and there was barely enough room for  the two of us let alone another furry friend. And then Fifi came along…

I remember the first time I saw her. My coworker was carrying her over for her intake veterinary exam. She mentioned in passing that she was a sweet dog but so scared. Days went by and she never left the crate that she lived in. I felt sorry for her. And then one day she got brave. In fact, maybe a little too brave. I heard someone yell that there was a little dog running around. I ran to the area they were talking about. The minute she locked eyes on me she came running and leaped right into my arms. I knew at that moment I was in trouble.

She was put in a kennel that faced my office door. Periodically I would look out my window to see what she was doing. Inevitably she was always staring in my direction, like she was willing the door to open. I tried to deny the fact that I was falling in love with this sassy fluff ball but it really hit me the day someone decided they wanted her too. I immediately contacted my landlord and asked if I could have another dog. He told me no and I was beyond devastated. But after some convincing he changed his mind. So I brought Fifi home. Almost 4 years later I look at her every day and feel thankful that she decided she wanted to be my dog.

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Sleeping beauty

My Co-Worker from Hell

Published on by Erica Jackson4 Comments

Okay so just to be clear the individual I’m talking about is a dog. And she annoys me in a really good way. A few months back we got in dogs from Houston as a way to help with Hurricane Harvey. Bella was one of those dogs. After some testing our veterinarian determined she was heartworm positive. That meant a long course of treatment and lots of exercise restriction. Soon after her diagnosis she moved into my office…that’s when the real fun began.

For the first week Bella didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. She was well behaved and proved to be crate trained. And then she got comfortable. Pretty soon she started eating everything. Books. Trash. Expensive Nikon cameras. A couch. I always dreaded coming in the morning to see what she had gotten into. But even through all of that, I loved her. She was the most human-like dog I had ever met. She seemed to listen to what I had to say and really absorbed it. She was smart and quirky and crazy and I loved every bit of her. It didn’t matter that she destroyed most of the things in my office because every morning I would walk in and she would bring a smile to my face. Today she joins her forever family and I have mixed feelings. I know that this is the best for her but it breaks my heart all the same. She has been a part of my life for months and I will feel a void when she isn’t there anymore.

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Unapologetic about shredding a couch.

The One That Started It All…

Published on by Erica JacksonLeave a comment

You know those adoption stories where people say they immediately fell in love with their dog? Well, this is not one of those. Toby came into our shelter when I had only been working there about a month. I didn’t know much about dogs at that point but I was sure he would love me right away. It didn’t quite go that way…

The first time I went to visit with him he barked at me like he wanted to eat me. If it wasn’t for my coworker insisting that we were meant to be I would have said forget it right then and there. He clearly didn’t like me and I didn’t feel an instant connection. But I figured I should give it some time. So I kept trying to convince him I wasn’t so terrible. I’m not sure when it happened but all of a sudden he decided he trusted me. And I decided I couldn’t live without him.

I have since realized that Toby is my favorite type of dog. The type where you have to work a little bit for that bond. It isn’t instant but it is so worth it. Seven years later and we are inseparable. He has been through it all with me and I know I couldn’t have done it without him. But most of all I thank him for making me realize I am meant to be helping other dogs just like him.

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Give Me A Break

Published on by Erica Jackson2 Comments

We do a lot to help animals forget they are in a shelter. Enrichment programs, fostering, you name it, is all to help these animals cope with the hardships of kenneled life. I used to go into work on the weekends and take a dog out of the afternoon. It gave them a break and got me out and about. But after awhile I got lazy. By the time Saturday came around the last place I wanted to be was at work. So this weekend I decided it was time to do it again. I wanted to go hiking and what better company in an outdoor adventure than a dog.

In the morning I picked up a friend and we headed to the Humane Society. We grabbed Enya and off we went. 5 miles, multiple dogs, people and new places to sniff later we had made it back down the mountain. She was happily exhausted. We decided to top off the day with a trip to local eatery where Enya got her own bone that she chomped away on until we were ready to head back to the shelter.

As we hopped on the freeway she tried to climb in my lap but instead settled for resting her head on my chest. My heart melted. That’s when I realized what this day must have meant for her. A day away from all the chaos of shelter life must feel like such a relief. A day where you get all the attention and love you want.