Pity Party

Well I had every intention of posting the details of our recent move here on Stella's page but things got out of hand early on and haven't quite settled even now, a week on into our transition. The Cliff's Notes version is this: I had everything I own except the bare essentials (dog toys, clothes, computer, cameras and the food that was in the refrigerator) moved into storage. I hired Music City Movers to do this for me. That was a mistake I regretted half an hour in but I don't want to talk about it because then I'd be forced to relive it.

The Thursday prior to our move I took Stella to the vet for a rabies shot that was two months overdue. I didn't want to get one at all and even asked the vet once if she would sell me the tag which is completely illegal and of course she refused however, this time they stuck her, charged me the $24. and THEN SAID:

"They've recently changed the law in Tennessee so she won't have get another shot for three years."

In other words, we could have skipped the thing for two more years legally but they wanted the $24. Then, I made the second mistake and bought a single dose of Advantage topical flea medicine.

We got to the new house (which is spectacular btw) and began unpacking a little bit and getting settled in and Stella seemed to be having the time of her life. Even the cat was cool about the whole thing. Then on Thursday I gave her the flea medicine - just in case. I didn't want her bringing any rogue fleas into the new place. It belongs to friends, and I've agreed to house and garden sit for 6-8 months.

When she started itching I thought it was because the fleas were on to us. I had no idea that the next five days would be fraught with vomiting and diarrhea, listlessness, swelling, and trembling, hives and what can only be described as mental breakdown. She was feverish and delirious, running into walls to get away from the itch. At one point I opened the front door and she ran outside, down the steps and out into traffic. She just missed getting hit by a car. As some might suspect that led to my very own personal breakdown.

During all of this craziness, she also managed to adopt a variety of neurotic behaviors. She didn't drink any water except out of a flower pot in the backyard but oops, then she was afraid to go out the back door, or into the kitchen or up the front steps. She spent time licking the floor. She's only eaten twice since last Thursday. I went for Benedryl on Friday. That actually gave her some relief but since then she appears to have a runny nose. I'd take her to the vet but now that she's improving I'm sure they'll want to give her a steroid shot, why is that the answer to everything? Thanks but no thanks. I knew things were going south when she climbed up in my lap and laid down on my chest.  

So that's the short story. What I had hoped would be a big fun time, turned into a nightmare eluding to the fact once more that the power of positive thinking is bullshit - just in case anyone wondered.

UPDATE: Just so as not to leave everyone floating in a black hole - I believe as of about four-thirty this afternoon (but for the runny nose) Stella appears to be recovered and has mostly reverted to her regular self. It's been a long few weeks and despite my ranting there are wildly fun things in our future over here; on the other side of the river. We promise to avoid having a big pity party next time.

Here is part of our new (temporary) bathroom with the stained glass window which is not only beautiful but genius. 

Hostel

It's coming up on time to say goodbye to the original three kittens. They go next week to get fixed and have a second round of shots. Then after a couple of recovery days, they'll go over to PetSmart where I'm reasonably sure they'll be adopted by wonderful families who for whatever reason, decided they need companionship in the form of a cat. I'm sure most will get new names that suit their owners and my coffee table will go back to looking like it used to. Boring, but functional. Stella will probably think something's gone awry but like Domino, she'll adjust.

Speaking of Stella, we have a temporary house guest whose home was wrecked by a fallen tree. Stella has pretty much disowned me (except at meal times - of course) in favor of the new guy. She sits up on the bed with him and when I call her she just looks at me as if to say "Who are you again?" There's a word for that but I won't say it.

Stella and Walter, living it up on my futon.

The three of us went down to the fairgrounds today and there was a woman walking her dog there that I'd met a couple of years ago. A professional dog owner, she walks her dogs regularly without leashes. I let Stella off the leash too since it's all fenced in down there anyway and she immediately went to the creek. We've never been off leash at a creek before so you can imagine what came next.

Wallowing. Head-completely-under-muddy water, digging up sticks, sort of wallowing, followed by bounding through waist high grass and weeds and more wallowing. In between the two was a fair amount of beaming on Stella's part. I think her favorite thing is being off leash. When we finally got back to the car (and this was after fifteen minutes at most) she was completely soaked with mud and grass, cockleburs, and God knows what. Throw in some chiggers and a tick or two and you get the idea.

Our friends from the cemetery walk (and I've been meaning to say this for a few weeks now and just haven't thought of it) - were given a lecture about the leash laws a couple of times by a bored park policeman. The property is enclosed by a stone fence except for two very long driveways. Anyway, he caught up with them again recently during their early morning ritual whereupon he proceeded to write them four separate tickets at $75. apiece. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Yeah, I know, it's the law and it's a very effective law in most instances. I think there should be some flexibility though. Maybe a workshop that teaches police officers to use some rational discretion, some common-sense interpretation, particularly when it comes to that chaotic underworld of outlaw dog walkers.

Lost and Found and Lost

There is nothing happy about this story and I hate to tell it but the hope is that it will stop one person from making a disastrous mistake. Last week a lady pulled over at the curb, handed me a flier. She and her ten year old daughter were out looking for their dogs, missing since the middle of June. There were two of them pictured (a Jack Russell Terrier and a Chihuahua). I promised to watch out for them and call her if I found anything. The next day I went on Nashville Petfinders to see if anyone had found them. There was one post there about a Jack Russell Terrier that seemed possible so I scanned the flier and sent it to the guy who posted. Saturday morning he e-mailed me back and said that the Jack Russell had led him also to a lost Chihuahua (the second dog). He had taken them to Animal Control on the twenty third of June. It was now the second of July and Animal Control was closed for the three day weekend. Both of us called the owners and happily reported that the dogs were there and she could pick them up when they reopened on Tuesday, eight business days after their arrival. Eight.

The owners had gone to Animal Control the day before they were dropped off. There was no one at the intake office who said, "Oh hey there was a woman here yesterday looking for these two dogs.." There wasn't a log book anywhere with her flier or her phone number in it. There was no rogue volunteer out reading messages stapled to telephone poles.

There was only a mom driving a little girl around door-to-door, showing people pictures of her dogs and hoping each new face they encountered would have have the answer; maybe have seen the dogs trotting through a neighbor's yard, just moments ago.

Both dogs passed the behavior test. It was the flaky "mange-like" skin condition that garnered them a death sentence (again - eight business days after their arrival) Before the family was able to get there, the two were killed. Everybody cried.

Here is the lesson:

1. Microchip your dog
2. Never take a dog to a kill shelter (Hint: it isn't shelter if they might kill you)
3. Act quickly and be relentless if your pet disappears
4. Change the law in your area to protect against such things.

Sadly, we've been raised to think that sometimes bad things have to happen for the good of our public welfare, social policy etc. Random euthanasia a.k.a. slaughter of less than perfect pets only happens because we allow it to. Animal Control here in Nashville kills 30-60 animals per day.

5. Spay/neuter your pets.