[ SHOWGSD-L ] MAX
- From: "The Crystal Crow" <thecrystalcrow@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 20:45:54 -0500
My sweet rescue boy is finally home.
He's currently in his crate, whining a bit, with his whanger hanging out.
Let me explain.
Max is 10 and a half. He's an enormous black & tan German Shepherd from
German lines. He was someone's companion for over ten years. His someone
traveled a lot, and left Max with relatives, friends and neighbors. Max
played with the children and other animals wherever he stayed-he was a happy
dog.
Unfortunately for Max, he got old. His hindquarters have some atrophy. He
has spondylosis, a touch of hip displaysia and Lyme disease. The neighbors
who had kept him for the past year held him in a crate two sizes too small.
He had to crawl forward to get in, and crawl out backwards. He was in this
crate much of the time, even when people were home. The neighbors told his
owner that they could no longer keep Max, so the owner looked for a home for
him for two days-all the time that could be spared. Finding nothing, the
owner dropped him off at an overnight drop box at a North Carolina shelter.
Sorry, Max. Thanks for the memories. Have a nice life.
Last Hope Safe Haven's Krista H., stopped at the shelter that morning to
pull another dog. She saw Max-an old dog, an owner turn-in, on short time
for euthanasia at that particular shelter. Knowing Max's poor chances, she
took him too-and saved his life.
I found out about Max from Dawn Restuccia, President of Last Hope, Safe
Haven. I had gotten involved with the Richmond Animal Shelter and Last Hope,
and the Shelter wanted a reference. Dawn was happy to provide one. As we
talked, I mentioned that I could foster a senior. She asked, "For how long?"
I replied, "For the rest of his life!"
Dawn then mentioned a particular senior male in North Carolina, sent some
pictures and put me in touch with Max's guardian angel, Krista. Arrangements
were made to pick up Max on a Saturday. What a beautiful dog! Calm and
sweet, with eyes that could see forever. He hopped right in the van, like he
knew he was going home for good. He gave me a long look, then slept all the
way back to Richmond.
When we arrived home, we took Max to the yard to introduce him to the girls.
His vet records mentioned that he had an enlarged prostate, so I had a
thought in the back of my mind. Eagle, my boy who died from pancreatic
cancer last summer, had an enlarged prostate. The result was that he tried
to hump everything in sight. We turned Max loose, and he did the very same
thing. Chest out proudly, he attempted to mount my spayed one-year old Rhea,
who was having none of it. She wanted to play, and couldn't quite figure out
what he was trying to do. He even tried to mount Terra the Lhasa, but either
her size or all of the hair mystified him, and he concentrated on poor Rhea.
We ran him for over an hour, and then brought him in the house, but it was
no good, he had Rhea cornered in the bedroom up against the radiator, trying
to mate with her head. Into the crate (the RIGHT sized one) he went.
Unfortunately, Max's hormones would not let him rest. He screamed to get at
the girls and ripped off the crate door, breaking the plastic. Love conquers
all?at least it conquers a 500 Vari-Kennel. Frantically calling the
emergency vet clinic, I found that they didn't consider a neuter an
emergency. Max, Rhea and I sure did! We ended up boarding Max for the
weekend, with strict orders to keep him in an end run and AWAY FROM BITCHES.
The staff there were wonderful, and Max had a fine time.
Bright and early Monday morning, Jackie and I double-teamed it so we would
both get to work on time. She picked up Max while I took his paperwork to
the vet. Unfortunately for Jackie, she didn't give Max the opportunity to go
to the bathroom before she put him in the car. I bet you can guess what
happened-Jackie arrived at the vet with a very fragrant Lincoln Town Car. I
took Max in so his testicles could meet their destiny, while Jackie began
cleaning her car, all the while turning the air blue with muttered
profanities.
In the afternoon, I picked up Max from his successful surgery. When he came
around the corner and saw me, legs flew and claws scrabbled at the floor. I
caught his chest in my arms and received my first sloppy kiss-heaven!
Arriving at home, he was persistent, although slower, in his pursuit of the
girls. We buckled down to allow time for the testosterone to pass from his
system.
I looked at Max, whining instead of screaming, a little stoned on Benadryl,
whanger out and lying in his repaired crate, and said, "Don't worry,
sweetheart. It's okay. You're home now. Soon you will be free of the crate.
And you'll still be home forever."
Kristal Crow
--
The Crystal Crow
2107 Ginter Street
Richmond, VA 23228
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