Strange bedfellows

Sumbitted by EARS volunteer Roxanne Quinlan of Austin, Texas (pictured below with Ugly Betty)

We had a heartwarming amount of return to owners on Saturday! Not as many as we wanted, but more than we have seen before. The guinea pigs were whistling while they went home. A Chow Chow mix who was a “problem child” also went home. Any time you went near his run, he would warn you off. But when his human showed up, his tail never stopped wagging! A couple of black Labradors were reunited with their families, and a small Aussie puppy left licking his boy’s face. We decided that one of EARS supplies required should be confetti, to throw in the air to celebrate.

One of the hardest things for me while on deployment is missing my own pets. Yesterday, I woke up smiling, snuggling my kitten. As I became more alert, I realized I really wasn’t in my own bed… how did my cat get here? The clinic cat had figured out how to open the exam room door, and curled up on my air mattress with me. She and I were curled around each other, and I could feel her purrs all the way through my chest. I’ve slept better in the last two nights. I wake up and every morning, she has joined me.

My poor husband, I called him three days ago saying I had been “mugged” by a hyena. We have a cute little unclaimed female dog who has the non-contagious mange. Then last night, I found out she was heartworm positive. So it looks like I’m taking my “Ugly Betty” home. The plan is to get her looking good, over the heartworms, and then find her a forever home.

Let me tell you about the “shelter dogs.” They are the dogs who live at the HSSET, or belong to employes and come to work with them. Shaka is a tan female great dane. She alerts us every time a male comes anywhere near the front office. Belle Star, a female Shepard mix, takes a while to warm up to people, but has been known to sneak up and sniff strangers’ hands. Tiny, a small tan Lab mix, looks like a miniature of Shaka. Then there is Jo, a long-hair black collie/Lab mix, who has the run of the shelter and surrounding area. He makes a security round at least twice a day, stops and says “hello” to all the people he knows, and checks out any strangers. All in all, a very loving group of shelter mascots.

Back to filling out rabies and health certificates. Need to get the paperwork for tomorrows transport done (when 99 animals will be moved to other shelters and rescue groups)!