sucker..

I go to this animal rescue on my way home from work sometimes or on lunch, to pet the cats. It's a pet store set up but theres cats that come up for pets, and follow you, and basically tick of my cats at home cus they smell them on me. They lay in the cat beds for sale, chill out on the gazebo roof, try to climb you for cuddles. Basically its a me heaven.

There's also puppies and dogs. They always make me happy because I know they are rescued from death, and until they are adopted, will be there the next time I visit.

A little over a month ago I was there with my manfriend, petting the cats, and in walks this old couple, and a little shih tzu, Moses. The story was, they took little Moses home, and brought him back the next day. Moses is a puppy mill dog, who lived his life in a cage, and was going to be shot along with 14 other dogs that stopped "performing" for the breeder. So, Moses never got to run free in a fenced yard before. Obviously, he was just getting his running legs!

The older couple couldn't understand why Moses wouldn't come when called, and couldn't run after him to get him inside, so they caught him with a fishing net and brought him inside. And decided they were too old for him.

Moses walked around the store aimlessly and would lay outside the pens where the other dogs were, for comfort. He is super duper cute, (he's a shih tzu, duh) and he has a poopie eye, one eye is white, but you don't notice it cus the rest of him makes up for it.

Since then, I went and visited him twice. Yesterday I spent the most time with him, and we played with a ball, and tug of war. All the puppies at the store were riled up barking, and Moses got excited, but didn't bark, it made him playful. He loves to have his head scratched, and rolls over into it and flops on his side like a cat does.

Moses melted my heart. He made me realize how much I miss having a dog, that has some spunk left, but not a puppy. I don't think I'll ever do the puppy thing again. He is 4-6 years old.

The time is getting closer when I will have to say goodbye to my 14 yr old shih tzu. Shes got tumors, chronic yeast infections of the ears and skin, dry eye, mostly blind, swollen feet and lymph nodes, artheritis, and has taken to crying in her sleep and waking me up terrified. She's lost 99% of her hair, her face is mostly bald, her legs are bald, and she has to wear a diaper because she can't seem to make it outside to pee anymore. Her kidneys are enlarged, and she's lost so much weight, her spine is showing, and she has flabby skin. Oh, and she smells. I can live with it because I love her but it's embaressing.

She gets on medication, and the smell will go away for a week or so, but comes right back. And the antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, and we've basically decided to keep her comfortable.

I'm not sure if having another dog will help ease the transition for me, but I'm having a hard time making the decision for her. She still eats, but mostly all she does is sleep. She hasnt played, or walked for almost a year. I know its not the best life for her, but I also don't want to make that decision. I've done it twice for cats, and its the hardest thing you have to do.

In a nutshell. I'm really thinking about adopting Moses.