The sighs.... of rehoming

Sigh.... (shake head) .... sigh.... I am perplexed and amazed by how people can claim victory over the business of rehoming. This is never a number game. In fact, rehoming is more 'dangerous' than just leaving the dogs on the streets.

On the streets where they are, at the very least you KNOW where they are, how they are, and V would get to see them everyday. At the new homes, you never know for sure. Some families turn out to be entirely irresponsible and disappointing - dogs relegated to chains and cages, neglected...abused... - while others have legitimate reasons to return the pups back to us.


Scott just before he was rehomed to S.

Scott here was one of the 5 pups we found in a drain after a rainy afternoon. Below is my post from my earlier blog on 11 July:

"How can I bear to bring the pups to SPCA? Sorry, I cannot bear to do that. Not as the first of choice. Not without giving them a fighting chance first.

I left work early today and had an urge to meet up with V to try and get one more dog from JK. Met her at 7-11. We went to feed the rottweiler first. Spoke with the owner. Nothing new. He was still against sterilising the male. Sunday evening when I was there, their gate was already closed and the male was still caged up. So I asked him innocently, "So uncle, later when you all go home, you can let the male out before you close your gate yah?" He said, "Ya la, can let him out". Then good 'ol V said, "No la, that day we came, you also never let him out." The owner tried to explain something to the point that he is still a young dog, not like this female rott who will come back, that he is not as smart...anyway, for people like that, I've learnt to let it go for now, take it slow and easy, talk to them more often and gradually change their thinking. Take the softer approach.

After that, we drove over to Scruffy's side. No Scruffy in sight. She must have gone into hiding to give birth. Good grief....The mommy dog came out. I'll call her Spring (since we already have a Summer!) I had an urge to see the pups so I made my way to the spot where they most probably are.

I heard the pups but could not see them at all. Made my way under the branches, pushed aside all the hanging leaves and all but still no pups in sight. My gut feel told me - think they are in the drain.

So we got back into the car and drove out. Sure enough, along the road, I popped my head out and there - right in the drain, all wet and crying - were 5 little pups. 3 black and tan, 1 brown, and 1 most adorable fluffy all black.It ahd been raining hard in the afternoon and there was still a level of water in the drain. The poor babes were all crying and soaking wet. 6 weeks old. Old enough to start on milk and soft food.

First thought - get them all out else they may drown in the next heavy rain. Second thought - shit, where can we bring them to? Third thought - why am I here??

Tell me what you would do? Leave them where they are, and let Spring continue to look after them, see them grow bigger and bigger, and then what?? How many can we rehome? We have 7 at farmway 1 on the queue. Take them all straight to SPCA and risk having them all put down after 6 weeks on earth? Do I even have the right to do that? Do I even want to do that? But leaving them there may get them killed anyway cos the drain is deep and they would easily drown in a storm. And on Sun, one of them had wandered right into the middle of the driveway, right under a moving car! He could easily been crushed to a slow and painful death.

Back to my third thought - why am I here?? Why do I have to make a decision?? What happens after that was more like an auto-reflex.

Standing next to the drain, looking at 5 crying wet pups, I turned and walked to V in front of K's farm (she had driven there to call K for help), I took the styrofoam box from her, walked back, climb into the drain to the din of squealing pups. They were screaming for life! Scared stiff of an approaching giant creature of a human for they never had human contact at all. For that pint size, they were loud.

First the fluffy black - into the box. Then the brown. Then the 3 black and tan started to scurry for escape. 2 went right, 1 turned left. I went for 1 on the right. After depositing him in the box, the other 2 have dashed for cover under the roof of the drain.

The cries of the pups were so loud that the workers came out to see what was happening. And I could hear Spring growling from among the bushes though she didn't come out to defend her babies.

I would say that I feel totally lousy 'rescuing' the pups from the drain. Cos I couldn't say with full conviction that I was rescuing them. The perpetual dilemma of human interference in nature that cuts to the core of your heart with the questioning thought of whether man is playing God in the scene of things that maybe should just be left on its own to unveil and conclude.

Even now, I question myself - have I done the right thing? Is Spring anxiously looking for her babies? Has she found the last pup? (cos we couldn't find him when we went back down into the drain) Are the 4 pups terrified? What have I done?

We drove to farmway 1, with just an inkling in my mind that maybe Mr Y may help keep them for a few days. But the minute I arrived, looking at the 7 pups and Girl milling boisterously about, I know that is an impossibility. Too many dogs there already!

So back into the car and a final option. Call K for help. If he says OK, then let the pups stay a few days and we'll find hope for them. If no, then off to SPCA. So I called K. He met us outside his place. Looking at the pups, he agreed to help for the time being. We went back to the drain for the other 2. Found 1 under one part of the drain roof. But we lost the other. I hope Spring has taken him away.

Went to Dr C's clinic to but pup formula and finally settled them with K. And this is just the beginning."

Scott was doing fine with S, till unfortunately her grandma had a bad fall few weeks back and was paralysed. Cos of that, the family's responsibilities took a turn. S and her parents have to be at grandma's home very often to care for her, thus it resulted in a scenario whereby no one is home most of the time. They do make efforts to feed Scott at his set times but for a young pup, he lacks the proper socialisation and play time he needs. Everytime I called to follow up, no one was at home - Scott is home alone too often for his own good. And they do feel bad about it as well.


Scottie-boy snoozing on S's sofa

Thus, I advised S to consider carefully, with the turn of events, can they still commit to giving Scott a good life. She took a few days to discuss with her family and finally decided, for the good of Scott, to return him back to us.

I think she made the right choice. And I will be glad to take him back.

Scott will come back to us this Sat.