Pet Rescue Stories
New Frontiers for the Family Dog
Various Authors, ASPCA
“Ordinary” dogs fulfill extraordinary roles in the lives of their families.
The true role played by the dogs in our lives defies description. The so-called human/animal bond is not simply a matter of “my dog loves me and I love him back.” That is far too simplistic. This love affair is not simply a matter of lower blood pressure and calmer nerves. Even those tests of this very special love are far short of what really is going on and has gone on for at least between 15,000 and 20,000 years.
Somehow, our two species became linked in a way bewilderingly complex, and that strange connection has grown in strength until we are both so dependent on it that for many of us a split almost seems impossible. I know that for me to come home and not be greeted by our thundering herd of dogs is unthinkable; it would be terribly depressing at best. Admittedly, our lives are rather more doggy than most American households. My wife, Jill, and I have nine dogs, but for us each of them is special. Individually and as a pack, they round out our lives in an amazing variety of ways.
One aspect of this affair puzzles me. We also have cats at Thistle Hill Farm (and horses and donkeys and alpacas, a llama, a cockatoo and two pet cows and ponies), but I believe that the dog connection is the most sacred one of all. I certainly love all of our beasts (37, at the last nose count) but as deeply as we love our cats and all the others, the control our dogs have over us and we over them is different.
In fact, since this bond goes so far back in our species’ histories, I will venture to say that it is normal for humans to be linked to dogs, and that it approaches the abnormal for that to be missing. There are millions of individual people, of course, entire cultures in fact, in which dogs do not play a role, much less a bonding one. But that is, I believe, because somehow, over the span of 200 centuries, the dog got subtracted and an unnatural way of life, a dogless one, got substituted.
It is easy enough to think of these kinds of things using our own lifestyles and needs as signposts, but it really goes far beyond that. Many of us have facilitated or just watched dogs in therapy, or have seen the magic of elderly people and companion dogs, or the miraculous interaction of children and the dogs with whom they can share their secrets, the dogs who save lives, detect danger and warn their human family members, the dog heroes... The list of anecdotes is virtually endless. Dogs who are true working companions are another utterly special “breed” unto themselves.
The five stories that follow — about dogs, their people and this incredible relationship — enlarge upon these mysterious matters and suggest further dimensions for us to consider: How can a dog provide his owner with a profound sense of home when he has none? How can a dog help his owner find the courage to say good-bye and start a new life? We have no definitive answers to explain how this subtle shifting in roles came about, but our wondering must never cease. Certainly, the dogs themselves deserve credit, for without them, our lives would be far less.
Roger A. Caras
ASPCA President Emeritus
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Companionship is the number one reason for acquiring a pet. —American Animal Hospital Association 1998 survey |
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Willa Some dog owners dream of their dog becoming an American Kennel Club (AKC) Champion of Record, but attaining that status is no easy feat. A French bulldog named Willa not only earned her championship, but did it during her breed’s National Specialty weekend, the most prestigious cluster of shows in the French bulldog world. Better yet, she was trained and handled by her owner, Elena Siegman of White Plains, NY, while many of her competitors were trained and exhibited by professional handlers. Thrilled with Willa’s victory, Siegman took the 2-year-old to the Canadian National Specialty where she won again. Now Willa’s official name is a mouthful: American and Canadian Champion Sonlit Willa Steele. Besides possessing physical beauty and a steady temperament, a show dog must travel; take crowds, noise and strange dogs in stride; stand still for grooming; pose for the judge; move around the ring at a smooth trot both alone and in a line with competitors, and keep her cool from the first burst of applause through the hush that blankets the arena just before the judge points to the winner. Does Willa thrive on the tension? Siegman says Willa thinks showing is okay, but she doesn’t get excited about it. And when it comes to grooming, she gets off easy compared to heavily coated breeds. Sleek and short-coated, Frenchies are “wash-n’-wear” dogs in show ring lingo, not having to spend hours on a grooming table in preparation for minutes in the spotlight. On the other hand, since it’s difficult to hide an imperfection on a short-coated dog, Willa must be in peak condition to place at the top of her class. No problem. Willa loves to play ball. At home, she and the rest of the Siegman’s canine clan spend a couple of hours a day (weather permitting) playing in the yard with Elena or her husband, Steve. When she’s not chasing balls with her buddies, Willa may be found snuggling on the sectional, chewing a nylon bone on the floor, munching her all-natural dog food in the kitchen or sleeping in bed with her humans. Is she spoiled? You bet, but being a show dog doesn’t have anything to do with it. The fact is, Willa’s family life includes seven other dogs and three cats, half of them rescues. Siegman was an ASPCA volunteer and fostered several animals before moving to White Plains. What’s next for Willa the dog star? By the time you read this, she will have competed in the world-famous Westminster Dog Show. And now — unlike champions who travel the show circuit with their handlers and seldom see their families — Willa’s back home. Jacqueline O’Neil |
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You ask of my companions. Hills, sir, and the sundown, and a dog large as myself that my father gave me. —Emily Dickenson, |
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Jaxson You already may have a nodding acquaintance with Yellow Pup, the colorful, internationally known illustration of a friendly canine by modern artist Joe Monroe. Now meet the inspiration behind Yellow Pup — Monroe’s 9-year-old Italian greyhound, Jaxson. Their lives have melded since this blue fawn-colored work of art himself was a tiny pup. “He gets me up in the morning,” says Monroe, who lives in Los Angeles. “I have to feed and walk him. Even if I don’t feel like it, I have to take him out. He keeps me going.” Faced with the life-threatening disease of AIDS, Monroe realized he had a choice. “I thought ‘I can put life before art, or I can put my art before life.’ I decided to invest in life. That’s when I got Jaxson,” he says. Monroe believes Jaxson knows when his owner is in pain, when it’s time to be calm and when it’s okay to claim time for himself. “Sometimes he badgers me with a look that says, ‘Stop and pay attention to me.’ So I will, because he needs that,” says Monroe. Some days, though, Monroe needs help to care for Jaxson. That’s where the West Hollywood-based organization PAWS/LA — which stands for Pets Are Wonderful Support — comes in. Nadia Sutton founded the non-profit organization in 1989, when she realized that many pet owners with HIV/AIDS were unable to keep, feed and care for their pets without help. She also saw first-hand that companion animals gave people a reason to live. “It’s just love given and received. For people with AIDS, or for anyone, it’s one of the most healing things we can have in life.” What began as a small, grassroots group with a couple of volunteers and two clients now serves more than 1,600 people and their more than 2,300 companion animals in the greater Los Angeles area. PAWS/LA, which doesn’t charge for its services, is dedicated to keeping clients and their beloved pets together, helping the bond stay intact. Volunteers do whatever it takes to make that happen — from delivering pet food to homebound clients and providing pet sitting or foster homes for pets whose owners are hospitalized, to daily walks in the park. Many people faced with a life-threatening disease feel lonely because they give up the lives they once had. Not Monroe. Described as a man living powerfully with AIDS, he attributes much of that power to Jaxson. “He’s an important reason why I’m alive today.” Susan Easterly |
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Households with children 6 or more years old were the most likely to own pets, especially dogs. —U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, AVMA, 1997 |
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Joey Joey Rambo, a striking black-and-white parti-colored greyhound, had just lost his last race and now found himself in a rig full of retired racers heading north from a Florida track. A sensitivity to flea bites had left him nearly naked from mid-body to the base of his tail, and a combination of poor genetics and lack of socialization had produced a spook. Parasite control, medicated baths and dietary supplements enabled staff members of The ASPCA to restore his coat. Unfortunately, being in the adoption kennels did nothing to bring this terrified guy out of his shell. A trial fostering by a staff member ended when Joey snatched her 16-year-old resident feline one day. Luckily, the cat escaped unharmed. Back at the shelter, Joey took to standing in the rear corner of his cage, facing the wall, peeking over his shoulder when anyone entered and growling if that “anyone” was male. It was heartbreaking, and getting worse. He was not acclimating the way other retirees had, so telephone calls for help were placed to other local greyhound adoption groups. Belinda Weber already had “failed” foster caregiving twice, adopting her fosters and enlarging her greyhound pack from two to four. But when a call came from Greyhound Friends/New Jersey President Barbara Wicklund that The ASPCA needed a temporary home for a troubled “grey,” Weber volunteered one more time. Once in Weber’s home, Joey began to gain confidence and find his place in the pack. Moving from a noisy city shelter to a quiet suburban environment felt so good, in fact, that Joey became the self-appointed household watchdog, sounding the alarm whenever visitors entered the property. His new foster mom appreciated this service, especially whenever her husband had to work late. Unfortunately, by the time a visitor got to the front door, Joey could be found hiding in the master bedroom. Within a matter of weeks, the Webers decided to “chip” again — the greyhound adoption phenomenon in which no one can have just one — and Joey Rambo was formally adopted. That was nearly three years ago. Today, Joey still sounds the alarm when anyone turns up the driveway, and he still races to the bedroom when strangers are at the door. However, when it’s family, Joey’s greeting is pure elation — he bunny-hops straight up in the air, eyes gleaming with gratitude for the family who made room for one more. Jacque Lynn Schultz |
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If you want a personal contact, if you are a lonely person and want, like Byron, “to know there is an eye will mark your coming and look brighter when you come,” then choose a dog. —Konrad Lorenz |
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Wolfie Surviving on the streets isn’t easy anywhere. It’s a hard and lonely life. But in London, a homeless man named Ollie proudly introduces his best friend, Wolfie. “Sometimes when I wake up,” says Ollie, “he’ll be lying there on [top of] me, looking down at me...” An 11-year-old German shepherd cross, Wolfie is well-cared for, well-socialized and obviously well-loved. But even the most basic veterinary treatment is a luxury beyond the reach of Ollie and others like him. Fortunately for this duo, the National Canine Defense League (NCDL), the United Kingdom’s largest dog welfare charity, started the HOPE Project in 1992. Since then, HOPE has become one of the largest programs of its kind to reach out to homeless people and their pets. HOPE promotes voucher schemes and veterinary clinics that provide free health checks, vaccinations, worming, flea treatments and spaying and neutering for approximately 3,000 dogs annually, all belonging to people in housing crisis. Veterinarians volunteer their time, while vaccines and other supplies are donated by companies like Bayer, Schering-Plough, Intervet and Novartis. How do homeless people come to have pets, anyway? Esther Claydon, project manager for HOPE, explains, “Some people become homeless with dogs who have been in their family for years, and many remain homeless rather than give up their pet in order to obtain a place to live.” The homeless people she has worked with are very caring guardians, according to Claydon. “We have never come across a case of neglect amongst our clients,” she says. “On the contrary, our veterinary surgeons often comment on how healthy and well-socialized the dogs are.” A real challenge at the moment is a ban on pets at safe houses for victims of domestic violence. The victims are understandably reluctant to leave a pet behind in a violent situation. Claydon tells the story of a woman named Sarah who tried to leave an abusive relationship. The first time Sarah was unsuccessful because she was afraid her husband would transfer his rage and aggression to the dog she had been forced to leave behind. Sarah returned to her husband essentially to protect her dog, and suffered for it. Then she learned about HOPE, whose staff arranged to board her dog while she sought housing. After six weeks she was able to find a place where she could live on her own with her dog. The companionship of a beloved animal is a source of great comfort, and that especially holds true for individuals who have fallen on hard times. Part of Claydon’s job is spending time on the street with homeless men and women; she is struck by the difference she sees between those with pets and those without. “Often people in this situation have no real companionship and no one to trust. Dogs like Wolfie can play such a huge part in someone’s life and give them a sense of purpose,” she says. “A dog owner has something to hold on to, to live for, to care for and to wake up for.” Elise Lufkin |
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Nearly 80 percent of dog owners travel with their canine companions. —American Animal Hospital Association 1998 survey |
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Charlie “Animals are at the heart of the family — that’s why they are at risk wherever there is human violence,” explains Stephanie LaFarge, Ph.D., Director of ASPCA Counseling Services, a founding member of NYC Family Vision, a collaborative network of law enforcement, social service, child welfare and animal welfare agencies that explores the connections between animal abuse and other forms of violence. LaFarge wasn’t actually refering to Charlie — a young collie mixed-breed dog who came to The ASPCA last September — but she could have been. Cases like his happen all the time. A phone call reporting domestic violence first brought Charlie to The ASPCA’s attention. Humane Law Enforcement officer Annemarie Lucas responded to that call to find a woman, who we’ll call Ella, and Charlie living in the basement of a house. According to Lucas’ report, “They had [both] been beaten repeatedly by Ella’s husband,” who lived upstairs. Charlie himself had been kicked and beaten. Unable to flee to community-supported shelters that do not accept pets, Ella was determined not to leave until she found a home for her dog. Lucas says, “It took great courage for [Ella] to risk her own well-being — perhaps her life — and then eventually to part with her friend Charlie to make sure that he would be safe.” Charlie paced nervously and barked in fright when Officer Lucas approached him. “He was incredibly timid and hand-shy. It took half an hour just to get close enough to touch him,” she says. Back at The ASPCA shelter, he cowered, with ears laid back and tail tucked in fear, and he was particularly afraid of men. Just like human individuals who leave a violent home, Charlie needed some solid help and support. The first stop on his road to recovery was an extended stay with an ASPCA foster parent who worked to rebuild Charlie’s trust in people, particularly men. After several weeks, Charlie made great progress in overcoming his fears and now was ready for placement. He waited for two weeks until a woman (we’ll call her Mary) and her fiancé from New Jersey stopped by one afternoon to inquire about adopting a dog. Something in Charlie’s eyes made them stop at his kennel. On hearing his sad story, they decided that they were ready to provide the loving home that Charlie deserved. Because of his learned mistrust of men, Charlie kept his distance from Mary’s fiancé for two weeks. “We took it slow with him,” Mary says. “Little by little, he adjusted. Now he’s fine.” Charlie still becomes afraid sometimes. He’ll growl and his hair will stand up if he unexpectedly encounters an adult male stranger. But, Mary says, “You can see that he really appreciates what we are doing for him. Charlie is like my son now.” Susan Easterly |
© 1999 ASPCA
ASPCA Animal Watch - Spring 1999
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