Bye Maxfund!

After moving into our new house, Dominic and I decided that we really wanted to get a companion for our beagle, Señor Ding-Dong. I volunteer at both Maxfund No-Kill Animal Shelter in Denver and at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. We really wanted to adopt locally.

I originally fell in love with a dog at Maxfund while volunteering named Astro. He was such a sweet baby, so I asked Dominic if he would be interested in meeting him.

We went to Maxfund that Saturday, and asked to walk Astro. I didn’t bring my volunteer badge and the staff never really seemed to remember me, but they happily got Astro from the back for us to walk him. I asked what his adoption status was, and they said that there were “three adoption applications” already submitted for him. They were certain they would find a great match out of the three.

Shucks.

We were happy for Astro and enjoyed a walk with him through the Sunken Gardens Park.

I never stopped thinking about the little guy; he really was perfect. A few weeks later, while once again considering a new brother for Señor Ding-Dong, I started browsing the Maxfund website—and there was Astro. I was shocked. He should have been adopted. I was certain they were merely behind on updating the website, but to be sure I called to see what the status was on Astro.

“He was just returned to Maxfund today,” the woman at Maxfund said over the phone. Apparently he snapped at someone while camping and the man that adopted him decided that he no longer wanted Astro.

I couldn’t believe it. 

I had visited with Astro several times, and he really was perfect. He had a mellow temperament. He didn’t bark at other dogs or show any aggression to anyone or anything. He walked gently on the leash, always looking back to ensure he was walking at the right speed. I even rolled around on the grass with him, hugged him, and gave him lots of kisses. I just didn’t believe the man’s story, and either did Maxfund.   

I was still interested in adopting the precious Australian shepherd mix. “Can I put in an adoption application for him?” I asked.

“He has to be put on a ten day medical hold before he will be available for adoption again, but after the hold you can submit an adoption application for him,” the woman said.

I waited a few days, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I am also a foster parent at Maxfund, so I called the foster coordinator, Brad. I thought maybe I could foster him until the ten days was up, and then we could really get to know the little guy, and already have a foot in the door for adopting.

Because they were certain he would be adopted right away, Brad said that he just wasn’t the type of dog that they place in foster homes. I understood. I told Brad that I was really interested in adopting him, hoping that he could help me out a bit.

At Best Friends Animal Society, volunteers can do doggie sleepovers. I asked Brad if it would be possible to do a sleepover with Astro so that we could see how he gets along with Ding-Dong, and to ensure that he really was perfect. Brad said I would have to come in and talk to the vet tech. I asked if I could talk to her over the phone, and he said she was a bit “temperamental” (he might of said “moody,” but still this was the vet tech! I couldn’t believe it. She is paid, I dedicate my free time to volunteer at Maxfund, and she was “moody.”); He said I would have to talk to her in person.

I let Brad know that I really wanted to adopt Astro, and he simply repeated what the other woman said, “you have to wait until the medical hold was over.” But, he said that once the vet saw Astro, I could submit my adoption application. Excellent. Brad said that Astro would be seeing the vet either that afternoon or the next day. Yippee!

I called the next afternoon to see if the vet had seen Astro yet. I was on my lunch break at school and was ready to rush over to Maxfund to fill out an application. When I called I asked for Brad, but the woman who answered the phone said he was busy and asked if I would like to leave a message. I explained to her that I was interested in adopting Astro, and I wanted to see if the vet had seen him yet.

She said, “He is scheduled to see the vet this afternoon, but a man came in this morning, right when we opened, and filled out an adoption application for him already.”

“What?!?! I was told that he has to been seen by the vet before Maxfund accepts any adoption applications.”

“Well, he will be seen by the vet today.”

“I am a volunteer at Maxfund; can I come in and also submit an application?”

“I’m sorry but we only take one application at a time.”

“But when he was adopted the first time, before he was returned, the woman at the front desk said that he had 'three applications' for him.”

I was so upset. I couldn’t believe it. I have been such a dedicated supporter of Maxfund, and this is how I am treated. What is Maxfund’s policy?

The woman finally said that I “could check back in a few days to see if the adoption went through and if not then [I] could submit my adoption application.”

I didn’t know what to do. I just said, “Ok, thanks,” and hung up the phone.

After Gracie, our first foster doggie, jumped our front fence—the first day we had her—and ran to the neighbor’s house—who consequently instantly fell in love with her and adopted her—Maxfund almost didn’t let us foster anymore. Because we let the dog jump the fence! Brad, the same Brad, said it was the veterinarians at Maxfund who wanted to make that decision. But he “fought” for us, and we then were able to foster the old guys Buddy and Fella. After I started teaching at Colorado High School Charter we decided that Buddy and Fella really needed a home where someone can take care of them all day long. They had incontinence problems; they were both blind; they were on a lot of medications; our house just wasn’t ideal for them. Maxfund gladly found a foster parent that worked from home and was happy to take them in.

I have always supported Maxfund—being one of the only true no-kill shelters in Denver. But after the Astro stuff, I can no longer support them.

Maxfund does not truly appreciate their volunteers.

While volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, I am thanked everyday. I only go once a year to Kanab, but the people remember my mom and me. When I call Maxfund I am a stranger. When I volunteer at Maxfund no one remembers my name, or ever takes the time to say thank you. When I try to adopt a dog from Maxfund, I am pushed aside with wavering “policy.”

Bye Maxfund. I hope one day someone will read this and make note of how volunteers are really treated at Maxfund and hopefully one day you will decide on what “policy” you really follow. 

Next on Woof. A Blog on Dogs the story of our new puppy, Checkers, rescued from Colorado Cells Dogs. Be sure to check back soon!

Best Friends—Take 4

Best Friends Animal Society is my home away from home. It could be magical Angel Canyon embraced by red rock plateaus, the over 2,000 animals that call Best Friends home on any given day, or simply the wonderful staff and volunteers that always greet you with an openhearted smile. If I ever run away, that’s where you would find me.

My mom and I ventured to Kanab, Utah for our fourth annual trip to Best Friends this past June. We could call this the year of faux paws (pun intended). This place had become so familiar to us we forgot a bit of protocol, for instance: signing-up to volunteer before we arrived, remembering what time lunch began and ended, getting to a trailhead in the middle of the afternoon only to figure out the red sand was way too hot on our doggy’s paws while he was sprinting to shady spots, completing “outing forms” when we took a dog during the afternoon, saying to a kid walking by “sure you can pet our sleepover dog” and then watching the same kid approach another sleepover dog only to be told that this was a “Best Friends dog” and therefore she can’t pet the dog (both of the dogs were wearing green collars which means they are good with everyone, and we never truly remembered what the protocol was in this instance), and we even forgot how to get around the grounds. There were several instances of driving in circles on the dirt roads, asking ourselves “Is this the way we came in? Do we make a right here? Does any of this look familiar to you?” Instead of “Keep calm and carry on,” we would get frustrated, take a deep breath, and then “carry on” only to laugh at it later.

Sounds like home, right?

We may call Best Friends a vacation, but we go there to work. We want to help out and give back to a place that saves so many lives each year. The Best Friends website expresses that “In the late 1980s, when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year…. Since then, the number of dogs and cats being destroyed in shelters has fallen to 
approximately 5 million a year.” Our jobs typically include walking, feeding, cleaning, mopping, sweeping, cleaning water bowls and pools (yes, the dogs get plastic baby pools in their runs), taking dogs on outings and sleepovers, and socializing with the dogs—petting, brushing, playing, loving, and even in some cases—such as in the laundry room—just letting them curl up in your lap.

Each morning I woke up to take a long run through the canyon on the dirt roads, and every night we had a special guest stay with us at the cottage—a sleepover dog. Sleepovers are my favorite. I am the lucky one who gets to snuggle with the puppies in my bed all night long—the same goes in my other home.

On our first night we had Garbanzo—I liked to refer to him as Boopie. When we told the caregivers that we would be taking a sleepover that night, he was the first dog that came to mind. They also told us that every time he goes on a sleepover he is returned with tears in the volunteers’ eyes the next morning. Let’s just say we weren’t an exception to that rule. He was such a great old guy. We lifted him in the car. Gave him the traditional sponge bath. Laid with him on the couch. Walked with him as far as his old geriatric legs would go (which was only about one hundred feet). The next morning all we wanted to do was allow him to stay snuggled up in the cool cottage. The tears came because all you wish is that he had a home and a comfy bed to lay on, but he is old. He may end up calling Best Friends his forever home. His caregivers love him and Best Friends certainly wouldn’t be the worst place, but after such a long and hard life he deserves a real home—someone to call him Boopie and give him kisses on his kissy spots (the flat indented soft parts in front of his ears and on the crown of his head—I loved kissing his kissy spots).

On the second night we took Karina to be our sleepover guest for the night, and in the morning we took this cute little girl for a long hike. She was a doll, but she was also dog responsive, car responsive, bike responsive, and even horse responsive. That poor girl just wanted to bark at everything. According to her caregivers, she was even snowboard responsive. Supposedly her past owners learned that the hard way. They were snowboarding and she ran at them straight on. This resulted in a hip injury, which did slow her down at the end of our hike. I hope that because of Karina’s spunk she will quickly find a good home.

Rocky! Oh boy, Rocky was definitely my favorite dog this trip. He was just the biggest baby I have ever met. He loved giving kisses. He was also a wonderful cuddler. All night he wanted to be by my side in the bed. He would flop his big ol’ paw on my chest so that I would hold it. Yes, I spooned and held hands with this big guy all night long. I didn’t cry when I dropped off Rocky, even though I will always love and remember him. He was a goon, and I just know someone who is looking for a giant dog will quickly fall in love with him.

 

Butterball, our last sleepover puppy, came from Old Friends. While volunteering that day, my mom went into his run and Butterball gently rolled over and begged to have his belly rubbed—for our last night we had to take Butterball. He was just too precious. Old Friends houses old dogs and special needs dogs, and Butterball was an adorable old guy. He had old man lumps, and walked a bit slower, but he had the cutest puppy dog face. We could just imagine how white his fur would be after a long bath. Butterball was a bundle of love.

Our trips are filled with laughter, tears, and pure bliss. I am so lucky to share this experience with my mom. We may not remember all the ins and outs, but these are moments that I will always cherish.

Best Friends is a magical place. In my heart Best Friends is my forever home.

Butter Ball at the Rocking V

Bastian

China

Maurice

Butterball

Rocky!

Walking Garbanzo

Thanks for reading! Please spay and neuter your pets!

Grandpa's Secret to a Long Life

After having an emergency double hernia surgery, while sleeping in bed and slightly disoriented and confused, my grandpa patted on the hospital bed and gruffly called for his dog, Buddy, to come and lay next to him. He then tried reaching off the side of the hospital bed to give Buddy a pat on the head. He soon remembered where he was at, and that unfortunately Buddy was not at the hospital with him.

My grandpa's dogs have always been his best friends and truly his buddies. I have especially loved seeing his eyes perk up and the grin he gets on his face when he is remembering all of the canine companions he has had throughout his life. I suppose you could say my love for dogs came directly from his genes.

This heart breaking moment at the hospital reminded me of a health report I heard not long ago on NPR: "Pet Therapy: How Animals And Humans Heal Each Other." If you asked my grandpa what his secret to a long life has been he would tell you it's a simple recipe of beer and garlic. However, for a man that avoids doctors at all costs, I would not be surprised if his love for dogs has aided in keeping him in relatively good health throughout his life.

My grandpa has a long path down the road to recovery. And, in our search for rehabilitation facilities we decided to go with the place that has two live-in friends: a golden retriever and a cat. The best part is that I can even bring Grandpa's best friend Buddy by for a visit. Grandpa will be getting the medical attention that he needs from the doctors, and the love and care that only a trusty canine companion can give—maybe even some wet slobbery kisses.