Submitted by Gaye Franks at: June 26, 2009
No pets were allowed in the home when I grew up. It was a different story in my home, my children were never without a pet. From turtles, to aquariums, kittys, a dwarf rabbit, 2 Hampsters, and doggies........That is when my own joy picked up, as I had always loved animals, they seemed always at ease with me. I remarried late in life and had 2 Shih Tzu's, both were neutered/spayed. My husband brought to the marriage, Shug, a loving tabby cat. Our children were grown and gone, so they were our family. We became very interested in raising Shih Tzu's as we had super lines,a good community of like folks that did raise the furballs, so, for 5 years we ran the two lines, one from Kansas, and one from Norfolk Va. It was a joy and a delight......Prior to initiating our venture, I volunteered at my vet's office and gained invaluable knowledge. One thing I had heard about, but at the vet's actually saw the proof of horror the animals rescued from a "Puppy Farm" had been made to fight for survival in such unbelievable conditions....We became advocates to see that as many of them as we could scratch out of hiding, would be closed......we subscribed to Dog Fancy, and The Gazette, which listed the ones the AKC had located and closed down, fined, and in their records made sure those people never got near another animal......we decided to foster animals, and grew to love each one, not really wanting to have them adopted away, but thankful they would have good homes, which our follow up visits proved. We had rescues also, and worked with a No Kill Rescue, and would take older or some that needed special care as they were hard to adopt....I have a fellow lying next to me right now, that came to me to foster 5 years ago and never left........He would have been adopted, he is adorable, and one of the smartest and best pets I have had own me......I had lost my only Shih Tzu 3 months earlier at the age of almost 16, and had said not again. Buster stole my heart, and immediately I was rescued from a life as a disabled, lonely widow.........He has been why I get up each day, why I get out for fresh air, why I feel love and affection, and never get bored..........If anyone in my situation reads this, consider adopting a pet, you have no clue what you are missing, and they need you so very much.