Tough week! And it's only Wednesday!

Wow, it's been a tough week in the dachshund world. There are just so many in need, we cannot keep up. We've gotten several out of terrible conditions in animal control in the past few weeks, but we keep hearing about more. When will people stop the breeding? Stop the pet stores?

I have 9 dachshunds on our waiting list...it breaks my heart not to be able to help them all. We have more foster space than ever, but it is all full. Gwinnett, Clayton, and Walker County all have dachshunds in danger of euthanization.

One of our foster homes is going through a difficult time personally, and we're scrambling to find alternative space for 2 of her foster doggies.

We had someone request an owner surrender, who then seemed to think she was doing US a favor by giving us her dog, and wanted door to door delivery service at a time of her choosing. It is times like these that I invoke the mantra "it's for the doggies, it's for the doggies, it's for the doggies." Dogs I can help, but people...doesn't seem like there is hope for many of them.

Two of our newest, Rambo and Sambo, are a sweet pair of 8 year old black and tan males who were turned in by their owners, who had to go into assisted living. They had never been anywhere but their own home, and never met any other dogs or people besides family. R&S had a difficult transition through 2 failed adoptive homes that the family tried, but neither worked, so they came to DREAM. They are learning to trust other people and dogs at Jabula right now, and will transition to long-term foster homes in early December. (Exactly where, I don't know yet! That's one of this week's challenges).

We just got Shine, a red male mix, is a young, energetic boy about a year old. Very handsome! He loves wrestling with other doggies, sitting on laps, snuggling and hugging. He is a bit of a submissive personality and will give up his food if any other dog even looks in his direction. He came from Thomas County Animal Control. We thought Shine was heartworm positive when we took him, but our GREAT NEWS this week was that he does NOT need hw treatment!

Betsy, our other brand new foster, is NOT a dachshund. I was fooled by a picture! Her face looks just like a wirehaired dachsie, and when I emailed the Murray County Animal Control "Is 021 a dachshund?" (in response to their panicked plea for help) I received the response "She could be!". Well, she isn't....she actually looks like a small, long-legged deer with a dachsie face. She is only 9 months old, so sweet and scared, and she would have been put to sleep on Wednesday, so it's hard to regret it (or her stress diarrhea I have cleaned up about 20 times). I am trying to find another rescue to take her, perhaps in exchange for a dachshund.

Bella Bella had 2 wonderful applications and is going to her forever home on Thursday. Her foster mom has really brought her around after she was found stray, obviously an ex-breeder dog.

Jerry Beasley and Snuggles continue their retirement in the capable hands of their foster mama in. Two old grumps, she will take care of them as long as they need it.

VERY HANDSOME Hal is recovering from heartworm treatment, but has several other issues we are dealing with. I hope it is not too serious. He came to us in pretty bad shape, including an old injury from being hit by a car, and a belly full of every worm known to veterinary medicine, but we were hoping the heartworm treatment was the worst of it. He goes in for more blood work this week.

I have a houseful. Fella Fella is doing very well with his aggression (he was severely abused), as long as his buttons are not pushed. Luke continues to improve daily from his IVDD surgery, and is amazing to see running around the yard almost like a normal doggie. Murchu, our last puppy, was adopted on Sunday evening. Princeton, our little resident attitude, will be getting a UGA Veterinary Behaviorist assessment in the next couple of weeks (as soon as I get a minute to make an appointment).

Our Savannah contingent has a new foster, Betty Jo, who by all accounts is an absolute DEAR.

Tosca, a very special sweetheart, is learning every day to trust people again. She has an application, but we have not heard from them in a couple of weeks. I need to follow up with them again. And Pooh, who had a GIANT hernia removed (so big the vet originally thought it was a herna AND a tumor), is recuperating nicely.

Matilda came into DREAM after a good samaritan found her after being hit by a car. She is lighting up the lives of her foster parents, and her foster brother Gus.

Spencer, another little heartworm boy, is finishing his convalescense with the wonderful women at Jabula. www.jabuladogs.com THANKS GILL AND KATE! We hope he'll be adopted when that is over.

We took in Fritz from his owner this weekend. She asked if we minded driving 2 and 1/2 hours to her home to pick him up at her convenience. (Where do people get this idea?) We ended up meeting her halfway. Fritz is terrified, away from home for the first time, but his foster home says he wagged his tail yesterday when she got home from work. Good sign Fritz!

It's good work we do. We have an amazing group of loving foster homes, and a talented and committed board. All volunteers. We just try to keep our finger in the hole in the dike, and not let too much water rush through. This week there is a lot of water, and the dachshunds are rushing through the hole, and we can't save them all. But we can save some. We can save some. And we will save as many as we can.