If you have been on my page for awhile then you know that when I am upset by something I tend to write it out. Its my therapy and how I process my feelings. Well this morning I am upset and I really need to write! The rescue I volunteer for recently lost a beautiful and sweet bulldog through no fault of their own. It was one of those awful things that no one could see coming and sadly before anything could be done the poor dog passed away. This morning a fan on the page decided to ask how an experienced rescue could let such a thing happen.To say I am pissed would be an understatement. Here is how such a thing happened: This dog was extremely overweight. His previous owners, not our rescue, allowed him to gain extra weight because people think that fat bulldogs are cute bulldogs. They arent. They are walking time bombs whose life expectancy has been shortened for their humans viewing pleasure. The dog had an enormous amount of extra soft tissue and an a very elongated soft palate. All things that would have been caught with proper vet care. In his excited state of being transferred, he got nervous. When he got nervous he began to hyperventilate. A brachycephalic breed when they hyperventilate is at risk of having their windpipe close. Because of his weight, and other health issues, (that we could not have known about having him only 24 hours), a tragic and awful cascade of events occurred. The volunteer raced frantically to save him and got him to a vet. Had he had the proper surgery to correct his palate by his owners perhaps the outcome would have been different. I am heartbroken and so sad for my friends and for the poor, poor dog who had less than a day to understand what love and care meant. I find comfort in the fact that he spent his last day with some of the most loving and generous people Ive ever met and for a brief moment he saw what could be. To the woman who so callously asked the question I will say this. Understand the breed before you speak. Understand a word called compassion. Look up empathy in the dictionary. If you need to place blame, place it at the feet of the unfeeling people who handed a dog off to rescue and walked away without a goodbye and without looking back. I am so sick of people blaming rescue for the mistakes of others. To rescue takes a toll on you physically, emotionally and mentally. You see the worst in humanity. The reason we do it over and over is because we also get to see the best. This sweet lug of a boy got more love in 24 hours than he had probably known his entire life. Had he been cared for properly and given what he needed this could have been avoided. Dont you dare put your shame on the rescue. Bulldogs are not stuffed animals. They are not toys. They are high maintenance breed that cost a ton of money to own and care for. They require time and love and educated owners who are willing to meet their needs. If you cant provide those three things, you have NO business owning one. Period. I love my friends in rescue. Know that you did NOTHING wrong. NOTHING. You are beautiful souls and I am honored to know each of you. I am so very sorry for the loss of this beautiful boy and for the grief I know you are feeling. Please take comfort that if only for a moment, he knew Heaven on Earth and that means something to all of us.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 12:39:08 +0000
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