Penelope - A rescue miracle

A video of a rescued blue Mastiff.

Last week I went to a local animal shelter to evaluate more than half a dozen dogs that were on the dreaded termination list.

The first one I saw was a blue Mastiff girl. She was scared out of her mind. Did not want to walk, kept herself close to the floor, cowered in corners with her tail between her legs.

There was no way to evaluate her properly. It all came down to taking a more or less educated guess.

I did and with the approval of the rescue group for which I evaluated her. We pulled her out of the shelter. It took two women to carry her to the car. She refused to walk or go anywhere. As soon as she was put into the car, she cowered in the far corner of the cargo space seeking refuge and a hiding place.

She did not even notice my own dog who was sitting on the front seat. As soon as the engine started, she got up and looked around. Then she saw my dog. She sat down facing him and stared at him for a while. Then she looked out of the back of the car watching the world go by.

My dog, who is a rescued dog himself and still far from perfect and balanced, had an exceptionally good day. He had not run away or come out of the car earlier despite the fact that the back hatch was wide open and his leash had slipped and was no longer attached to the car. He patiently waited while I had a conversation with a female shelter visitor who was looking for a Boxer. In fact, he was so good that she felt moved to comment on his balanced energy and personality. If she only knew . . .

My remaining Boxer swears that the “voice from the box” keeps on nagging him and telling him what to do and what not to do. I am almost inclined to believe that he is speaking the truth. For those who do not know, the departed editor of this blog now resides in a box on my computer desk!

To make a long story short, when we arrived at the vet's office, the Mastiff girl greeted me with a thumping tail and then hopped out of the car under her own power. She then went inside with the vet tech. The last I saw of her were some prancing feet and a seductively wiggling tail end.

That is until today. I received an e-mail from the rescue group with a video of the blue Mastiff girl in her new foster home.

Those of us who have seen this dog scared out of her mind, beaten down and hiding from everything and everyone, are elated about her miraculous turn-around.

All others, please let this video show you what beautiful dogs get dumped at animal shelters only to be euthanized shortly thereafter.

True, not all dogs (and cats for that purpose) deserve rescue. Some are just beyond help. But there are so many that suffer the ultimate penalty for no fault of their own.

Please keep that in mind when you watch this video . Let it speak to your heart, please.

There are many like dogs like Penelope in animal shelters everywhere.

She is safe now in her foster home. But she is of course looking for a permanent home with her very own family.

I bet she will not have to wait for long.

Seniors for Seniors - Senior dogs can be a match made in Heaven

Windsor, my companion and friend for many years, always made it his mission in life to assist senior dogs to find new homes. He rehabilitated a dozen or more older dogs with issues and assisted in finding a great home for each of them.

One of the last things he did was to find the following reasons why senior dogs make especially good pets for Seniors. He never managed to write about it and to publish his opinion. He told me that this poster transcends the usual reasons given for adopting an old dog, such as being housebroken, not eating Gucci handbags and shoes, etc.

As one of the many memorials Windsor deserves, I am publishing here without further comment the text of a poster he found in an animal shelter of the City of Los Angeles.

According to the City of Los Angeles, Animal Services, these are ten reasons senior dogs make the best pets for Senior humans.

"10 Health Reasons Why Pets Are Great For Seniors

1. Pets Lower Blood Pressure. A study of health patients showed that people over 40 who own pets had lower blood pressure than people who did not have pets. Another study showed that talking to pets decreases blood pressure.

2. Fewer Trips to the Doctor. Seniors who own dogs go to the doctor less than those who do not. In a study of 1,000 Medicare patients, even the most highly stressed dog owner/guardians in the study had 21 percent fewer physician's contacts than non-dog owner/guardians.

3. Less Depression. Studies show that seniors with pets do not become depressed as often as those without pets.

4. Easier to Make Friends. Seniors with pets meet more people and like to talk about their pets.

5. Seniors Become More Active. Seniors with pets go for more walks and are generally more active than those without pets.

6. Pets are Friends. Most everyone, but especially seniors, will say that pets are their friends.

7. Pets Ease Loss. Older people who suffer the loss of a spouse and own a pet are less likely to experience deterioration in health following that stressful event.

8. Pets Fight Loneliness. You are less likely to be lonely with a canine or feline friend around.

9. Taking Better Care of Themselves. Seniors take good care of their pets and better care of themselves when they own a pet.

10. Sense of Security. Pets help seniors to feel that someone they trust is always around."

City of Los Angeles, Animal Services, unknown author.

Bless the heart and soul of anyone who gives a senior dog the dignity of a warm and secure home in old age.