9 good things that happened this week

[Catherine]

Sometimes it is good to know that good stuff happens.
These are good stories and funny stories and downright touching stories.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0


The dog with braces is very funny and cute.

[Tobi]

Nine wonderful stories.
I just love the dog with braces on his teeth, and he certainly looks happy, grinning, and proud of them! LOL

But I could not get my head around the "Doggy retirement home"....I am sure the dogs are happy and cared for and have any special needs attended to. But who explains to those dogs: "Your beloved people left you here because you are old and not so well any more, and they couldn't care for you themselves." Maybe there will be a few cases where that is true, but surely not all....??
I could not imagine putting my dog in an old dogs' home!

[Catherine]

I couldn't get the retirement home video to open. I should try again at a different time of the day.

I don't know about leaving an old pet.  I would want to make my place the retirement home for my pet. That is what feels right.
After all you are the one your pet loves and trusts. Of course people put their family members in a retirement home and leave them for strangers to care for.

I loved the doggy braces. They are cute, but they also make the dog more comfortable and better able to eat. That is real caring for a pet.

[Ruth]

That's a really good idea, a retirement home for dogs. But then would they all be strays? Many people don't want to care for their elderly dogs and give them up, I know. I see it all the time on FB.

[Catherine]

The retirement home is for people's own pets. I can see needing some help with an old pet, but I would never want to give it up to a "pet nursing home". An older pet needs you and I would want to care for my old pet myself.  I can see having a place your dog can be during the day while you work or having someone come in to care for the pet while you are out. After all an older pet might need help and I wouldn't want the pet to be in distress for hours while I was out.

[Ruth]

I think there are people who would give up their older pets, unfortunately. I have seen so much of it on Facebook. People take their old pets in to a shelter and then get a young pet. It's really sad that they do that especially for the pet. I have never done anything like that and never will. I have a savings that I will used if Suzy or the birds get sick and for their old age.

[Catherine]

Some people only want the younger pets. They want puppies or maybe a young dog. Past the prime they want a trade in for a younger model. I have had known people to have one pet and then trade to another kind if pet.  I wouldn't want these people as friends. I wouldn't even want them as neighbours.

They are shallow people who do not know the joy of bonding with a pet. I suppose we should feel sorry for them, but I feel sorry for their pets who ended up with people like that.

[Ruth]

Yes, I feel sorry for those selfish people's pets. My brother and his wife have an older beagle and they are doing all they can to help her in her last years. It's become pretty expensive at times but they still care for her and I'm so glad for that.

[Catherine]

We grow close to our pets so it does matter to us how long they live and how well they live.  I can understand your brother and his wife caring for their dog. She is part of their family. They would never feel right again if they failed her.

We all do the best we can with our old pets. I wish they had more time, but I intend to enjoy the time my pets have and give them the best I can. I love how sweet they are when they are older. Even older snakes are quaint and a bit funny. Earl was old when I got him and we had five wonderful years together.  Now earl is gone and I have his young son so I can see what Earl must have been like as a young snake. He must have been very handsome. Sedona is so like his father in many ways. Rehoming earl was one of the happiest things I ever did.