Could you do this?
It is a rhetorical question, as I know everyone here would not.
As some of you know, we do Golden Retriever Rescue work.
While I was in Maggie Valley my wife got a call about a Golden who was abandoned in North Jersey.
Turns out this pup is not 100% Golden (one of our requirements) but she pulled him from the shelter anyway.
Estimates are he is between 8-12 years old.
Obviously housetrained, walks great on a leash and has the sweetest temperament. We are in the process now of having blood work done along with a few of our normal procedures. His inital vet visit is promising.
He was terribly matted, smells awful, teeth are thoroughly disgusting and could hardly walk.
After cutting out many urine soaked mats he is able to walk quite fine.
At only 36 pounds he is a tiny one, but what a sweetheart.
How could anyone keep a dog for so long and then just abandoned them, it is very sad.
I don't think his sight or hearing is very good, but when he heard my neighbor the other day (sitting in his car while taking to my wife) the pup perked up and nearly dragged my wife to their house. It is obvious the dog relates to our neighbors voice and is probably thinking "hey my master came back for me"
It is so hard wondering what goes through the minds of the dogs we work with, being dumped, maybe abused, thrown in a shelter, if lucky adopted out or picked up by a rescue group. And even if a rescue group comes along typically one person will evaluate and pull the dog, then to a foster home and then hopefully to a forever home. It has to be so confusing to the animals.
We are trying to figure out why this guy is eating dirt in the yard. Best guess is he went long enough without food (he is underweight even for his size) that even dirt tasted good.