Life is full of promises…

Life is full of promises…

I promise to love you forever.

I promise to provide you with food, proper care and shelter from all storms.

I promise to treasure you every day of your life.

I promise that no matter what happens you will always be by my side.

Guess what?? Not all promises are kept.

We’ve had so many dogs come and go in our little rescue and we’ve heard all sorts of awful stories. This one reminds us that sometimes rescue is not fun. Sometimes it breaks our hearts.

Meet “Lovey”. Cascade was contacted almost a year ago via email by her owner who was looking to place her because she was moving into a condo. We offered to list this lovely girl as a courtesy posting but we never heard more. Just this week (almost 10 months later) we received a desperate call from another rescue begging us to help a former laboratory dog who was scheduled to be euthanized because the owner just couldn’t keep her. They felt they had fallen onto such difficult times, literally losing their home, that they were out of options, gave up on her and paid their veterinarian to end her life.

We knew we had to be very careful in proceeding because in order to help Lovey we needed some level of cooperation from her owner. Thankfully, we got just that with the help of one wonderful veterinarian who has acted as a liaison between us. The owner has granted us permission to FINALLY post her, but now there is much less time...

We wish that were the end of the story – but it’s where we begin. “Lovey” is a former laboratory research dog (a "retiree") who has spent the past 5 years with a family who has not had the time to completely housetrain her. We’re assured that Lovey gets the idea of housetraining as she will go on lead. An issue with simple solutions is now a strike against her. She’s also 10 years old – beagles live to be 14, 15 and more but the cold truth is that everyone wants a cute puppy, not an aging companion. Strike two. The final insult is that Lovey also is on medication for seizure activity. However, it is controlled, extremely manageable and very inexpensive – just $5.00 per month. Most people consider that strike 3. 3 strikes does not equal an out with CBR-East. Lovey is a healthy senior beagle who just needs someone willing to love her, administer inexpensive meds, and take her outside on a schedule!

So – here we are with a dog who is tiny, sweet, friendly, loving, affectionate, and has spent half of her life as a research animal helping US. Now we need to step up to the plate. Her soulful eyes seem to just know that there is someone out there – somewhere waiting to help save her life. Literally.

We are going to work with the veterinarian who has so kindly offered not only to provide ALL of Lovey's vaccines and treatments to get her up to date “on them” , these folks are also helping us by paying a boarding fee to try to buy some time for Lovey. We just don’t have an open foster home (and have 23 lab retirees on the intake waiting list ahead of Lovey), so all we can do is hope that things turn around for this poor girl soon. We like to think that we’re going to accomplish that and believe that there IS an adopter out there who will want this baby.

We will pay for Lovey's microchipping, a grooming, food, part of her boarding etc. The fee that was prepaid for her euthanization will also be applied toward her care. She does not have a lot of time, though.

If you can’t adopt Lovey, please help her anyway. Donate to her sponsorship, pass her picture along wherever you can, share her story – do SOMETHING!. PLEASE. There is NOTHING that Lovey has done in her short 5 years of freedom to get her where she is right now. She spent the first 5 years of her life in a run in a laboratory - please do not let it now end this way. She deserves so much more...

CBR-East will do what we can to help get Lovey into a forever home, including screening potential adopters, as well as offering our post-adoption follow-up and support. We just need someone to give her that third chance at being the loving housepet she is, and truly give her the retirement we owe to her. Are you out there?

UPDATE: CBR supporters and adopters are the best! We have numerous people now interested in offering Lovey a true forever home. Since the foster period will be very brief, we plan on bringing her into CBR-East on Monday, Feb. 8th, but just for a few days (in an already overtaxed foster home) and then hopefully identify the best match for her by next weekend! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, CARING, AND LOVE. Lovey will be OK, and donations collected will pay her current expenses, and we will contribute towards her future care, as well.

Feb. 14th: How sad....Lovey's Valentine's Day was not as we had hoped. Unfortunately, most of those people who had stepped up to adopt Lovey, have now changed their minds since they have had time to think about it, and decided that another addition to their home is not appropriate. Lovey is in need of a forever home ASAP. Please do not let her continue being homeless. Applications are being accepted at this time.

February 28, 2010: Lovey found her forever home. :) We could not have found a better home for her, and we wish her and her adopter many, many years of happiness. Thank you to those special people who were willing to open their hearts and home to Lovey, and thank you to Lovey's adopter for giving her the THIRD chance she so deserves!! Congratulations, Lovey! You are now safe.