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Edited on Sat Aug-15-09 09:21 AM by northernlights
JA, a life doesn't have to be "perfect" to be good and worth living. Very few pets are living "perfect" lives these days, and many are in far worse shape than Fluffy is right now.
Perhaps you can find a local shelter that could help you with a round of shots and trimming? I know that some local shelters up here have set up "pet food banks" similar to the human food pantries. They rightly realize that it's *always* better, in every sense including economic, for a beloved pet to stay home than it is to try to rehome them. And I read recently that the state provided hay to a woman who'd lost her job and couldn't feed her horses. Again -- more cost effective to provide temporary aid directly to the horses than to take them away from the "bad" owner. Luckily, this time around the hard times have hit enough people and been publicized enough that finally people are recognizing that instead of blaming and punishing the person (and their animals), just give them the temporary help they need.
I've been walking a tightrope with my critter family for months now. It has forced me to rethink how I give care and what I consider good enough care. I've cut way back on vax this year. Everybody got rabies and only the absolute minimum requirements. The dogs are on medium quality food instead of the best and got biospot instead of the expensive stuff. The only one who's gotten any ticks is me!
I try not to worry about them getting sick or injured. If it happens, I'll deal with it then. Algiers' nose has been snotty, but I know that it's his allergies. Other than that, I've told him that if he's going to get sick and die (he's 24 and getting on now) he'd better go to the far back pasture and do it because I'll be depending on the coyotes to take his body. I simply can't afford to euthanize or bury him right now!
If I had the money, I'd buy Jake new hips. But you know what? Since Luna came to live with us, Jake is happy as can be. Happier than when his hips were fine. For the last year I've asked the universe "why, why, why did Jake have to go through what he's been through? To not even be able to go for the long walks and swims that he loves?"
This morning, watching Jake and Luna playing tug-of-war with an old rope, I got my answer. The lesson Jake is teaching me is that no life is perfect, but it doesn't *have* to be perfect to be good and worth living. Jake is happier here at his home, loved by his person and his new companion than he *ever* would be with perfect hips in the home of a stranger who didn't love him.
Likewise, Luna's life is not perfect. He didn't get every vax a dog should get, he doesn't get the most expensive food out there, and I'm not around as much as I wish I was. But what a difference for him! 6 months ago he was living in a tiny room, sleeping on a concrete without even a blanket to lie on, the walls encrusted with poo...and 2 days from being gassed. Now, he sleeps on a soft bed with blankets, is occasionally brushed, loved on always, roams a pasture where he can annoy Polly cat and play with the horses, or has the run of a house.
Yesterday coming home, I remembered my friend, Bananas, a guinea pig I had decades ago. And then I came on here and read your post.
I hit really hard times and felt I couldn't give Bananas the security and care she deserved. I gave her to a friend's sister, who raised pet rabbits and was in the 4-H. A week later, I visited Bananas and immediately became very worried. She'd lost some weight (although she'd always been pretty pudgy, so she wasn't skinny or anything, but had lost a noticeable amount). Mostly she was *so* happy to see me and whistled desperately for me as I left. I felt absolutely sick, but I didn't know what to say. In hindsight, it was so simple. I didn't need to accuse them of not caring for her; just tell them I hadn't realized how much I would miss her and ask if they would mind if I took her back. But I remained in a silent, shy panic of not knowing how to handle it.
Bananas died within a week. She was a beautiful, loving, healthy guinea pig when I gave her away. She died, believing she'd been abandoned, within 2 weeks. I have never been able to forget Bananas or forgive myself.
I don't know your exact situation (and am not asking for it here), but the lesson I learned from Bananas and Jake and Luna, again, is that it is better to have a less than "perfect" life, even a shorter life, as long as you are with those who truly love you.
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