Doggie Help Please

[punkin1515]

Hi. We are going to NY ACC on Saturday to adopt a Pittie.The shelter named him Jack but we will call him Elliot Thomas. It is a very high kill shelter where they only give the animals a few days to be adopted and the same shelter that Oreo was in. What a terrible tragedy and horrible place. If there are any locals who read this please consider adopting fom there and saving a life!!
The dog is a one year old Pittie who weighs 70 pounds. We fell in love upon sight. The only thing we do know is that he has been abused his whole life. There were so many there and such a hard thing to pick just one who can live. I can not get over how horrible that place is!! Well at least Elliot will have a great forever home and be sooo loved and cared for.
My question is that the dog we are adopting has kennel cough and "red rings around his eyes". We have not seen him yet.Does anyone know what the rings could be? Also any info. on kennel cough would be greatly appreciated. We have found him a foster until we can bring Elliot home because we have a twelve year old Pitt Capone Thomas and do not want him to catch anything. Capone Thomas is so old that he may not survive. I hate to do that and wish soooo that we could bring him home. Thomas is after our vet. who save Capone about three years ago. $9,000 later and lots of love and care Capone is dubbed a miracle as he should have NEVER survived. If anyone would like to raed Capone's story.... google
"doctorscore card" put in Tom Trotter as the vet and NJ, it comes up under Tinton Falls NJ. He is a great vet and friend.
Any advice anyone can offer here we will appreciate ever so much. If I put Elliot in a room in my house, does anyone know the odds of Capone catching it? My vet can not see Elliot until Monday as he is off. The fosters home is about one and a half hours away so we can not see him much till he's better. WE WANT HIM WITH US SO BADLY!! Thank you....Cara  

[nancyjac]

I volunteer and foster animals for two local shelters.  I've worked for others in different parts of the country.  My experience is that shelters do the best they can.  They are public facilities supported by tax payer dollars.  The are also what is known as "open intake", meaning they are required to take in any animal brought to them from their jurisdictions.  Rescue Groups and Human Societies are private organizations and have the luxury of simply saying no when they get full and can pick and chose which animals they take.  Thar means that animals who have physical and behavioral problems go to the shelter.  Everyone seems to like to bad mouth shelters but most aren't willing to put their money where their mouth is in terms of higher taxes for larger facilities.  Shelters don't put down animals for no reason.  But they have no choice when they don't have the space and the staff to care for them.  

Consider becoming a volunteer, foster parent, or donate to your local shelter.  Most shelters don't have funding for significant medical treatment and depend on funds from donations.  They are always understaffed and depend on volunteers for everything from caring for the animal to adoption events, fundraisers, and routine cleaning.  Shelters don't have the budget to staff 24/7.  So animals who need special care need foster parents until they can be adopted.  

[MissmyAngel]

Aww that is sweet you are doing such a nice thing for this dog! I hope Elliot get's home soon. I'm sorry I don't know anything about his condition that could help, other than that kennel cough could be spread to Capone.
I adopted a 9 month old mini schnauzer two years ago for a playmate for my other mini schnauzer. When I got there, the old owner proceeded to tell me she is kept in a cage while she is at work for 12 hours, and also at night. When I got her home, I realized she wasn't house trained, and she was terrified of everything..I remember bawling on our first walk together because she would freak out on stop signs, pop cans..even the leaf that rolled by. Still to this day, she gets skittish when she's outdoors, and jumps away when you try to pick her up.
Fast forward two years later, and I wouldn't give her up for the world.

[opus88]

hi....were you able to get the doggie home with everything else going on in your life??
hope all is well at your house..get well!!

[opus88]

I have no advice on the illness Cara sorry.
I just wanted to congratulate you on being such a caring person...it breaks my heart for all these poor animals out there....I cry when I hear these stories, turn the channel if anything is on the news.
I too have taken a few unwanteds in...and if $$ weren't a problem I would take another.
Again...I wish there were many more people out there like you and your husband...I hope Thomas's condition is manageable, you are very wise to foster him out before you know...it wouldn't be fair to the old Thomas to be exposed..
Let us know how he is and also after he comes home....good luck and God bles

[punkin1515]

The middle name "Thomas" is for after vet.