A Leg Saved!

Greta just got out of surgery. Yeah, that was fast but due to the storm of the century all Dr.'s were at the hospital with no surgeries scheduled, so we consulted, and I said what the hell. It stresses her out to go to the vet anyway (she's quite naughty, but she will settle down with MY firm hand) so may as well "get 'er Done".

We are going to have to work on that behavioral issue though-I insist upon well behaved dogs.

So, the total bill for Greta to date is about $2000. Not really what I had planned when I first launched this expedition...a simple rescue, spay and place. But nothing is ever simple, is it?

I have a friend who has a Chi with a similar (I'm sure) problem and it hurts me to look at the dog-his leg is all twisted and atrophied and I'm sure it hurts. And she PAID for this dog.

Greta, as a free dog, would have had no chance. As an unspayed free dog, she would probably have passed on those bad genes to 20 or more puppies over her lifetime. Looking at it that way, that's only 100 a puppy saved-and that isn't so bad, is it?

I don't want to hear anyone saying "that's easy for you to say." I work for my money, all of it. And there isn't that much of it, although I have all the basic necessities and I am grateful for that, but 2K is serious business at my house. Something will be sacrificed in order to make up the fee. Fortunately for me it will be a vacation or a new computer and not the rent.

Where people get into trouble is when they try to turn these little guys into profit making machines. They can't afford to take care of the one they buy, let alone a litter of puppies. As they get more popular, the law of supply and demand kicks in, the supply side gets high and the price plummets and it's cheaper to go buy a new dog than it is to fix the dog you have.

Dottie and Greta's medical bills combined would be a nice used Airstream. (I was looking at one the other day). Unless you are willing to cull sick animals, you cannot make money breeding little dogs and still give them proper treatment. Giving them away on Craigslist is not an acceptable solution-the misery continues at someone else's house.

I know there is a big discussion about requiring breeding permits, freedom of commerce, rights to do business. What gives people the right to profit from so much misery? The laws require adequate food, shelter and medical attention. If you cannot afford this, you cannot afford a dog, period. If you cannot afford this and you have twenty dogs and are breeding them for profit, I'd like to see you in jail. Harsh? Try walking around on a hip that is grinding bone against bone. It's not so easy.....