Having "Just One
Litter"???
This is reprinted with permission of the
writer. I want to thank her for her honesty, and her willingness to help others
learn, from her story.
"I have wanted to share this story since before
Christmas but it took me until now to sit down and write it. I learned a tough
lesson through this experience, and more importantly became even more enlighted
to all the "Angels" out there that sacrafice so much to rescue unwanted
animals.
Some of you may remember my story, I have 2 bichons, a boy, TJ
and a girl, Annie. My Annie is so cute that I thought before I get her fixed it
would be fun to have one litter. So last June I mated Annie with my sister's
bichon and on September 1st she gave birth to 1 girl and 2 boys.
From the
beginning I had two friends that were planning on taking the pups, and one was
going to my mom. I had no intentions of selling them for profit, all I wanted
was for them to have loving homes. I kept the little pups until they turned 12
weeks old and hard as it was, I gave them to their new owners. Now keep in mind,
they all left my home with a storage container filled with new toys, bones,
collars and leashes, doggy beds and books on how
to take care of Bichons and
doggy toothbrushes. Oh, and they had all their shots and were chipped in case
they got lost. I made it clear to all the new owners that if for any reason the
new pups did not work out, they were to give them back to me..I never dreamed of
what happened next.
Three days after they left, I got a call from the
woman who got the little girl Molly. It seems that Molly was going through
separation anxiety and would cry loudly whenever her new mom left the room.
Since they lived in a Condo, they were receiving complaints about the crying and
the management told her that the puppy had to go or she would be evicted. So she
brought Molly back to me.
Three weeks after they left, I got a call from
my other friend who said that she did not realize how much responsibility a dog
was, and her and her husband had decided that,"they are just not "dog" people"
so she brought back Simon.
Connor the last little guy was going to stay
with me until he was potty trained and then he was suppose to go to my mom. Do
you know how hard it is to train 3 puppies at once?
So, after they were
all back with me, I realized that there was no way I could let my pups go to
people I did not know. After all, my friends that I trusted, who entered into
being puppy parents with all the best intentions ended up giving them up. I
could not bear the thought of my dogs ever ending up at the Humane society or
even wandering the streets because people just decided that they didn't want
them.
So this week my sister took Molly, (she now has 3 bichons). My mom
is taking Simon on Wednesday of next week (instead of Connor) and my husband and
I are keeping Connor.
The moral of the story is, FIX YOUR PETS!! Don't do
the "one litter" thing. Although I love all my bichons more then anything, it
has turned my life upside-down emotionally. It was an incredible experience, and
my pups ended up being like my children. As hard as it was to let them go, it
was even harder to have everything fall apart with their new homes.
I
apoligize to all you rescuers and foster parents out there, I have incredible
respect for what you do every day to save all the unwanted homeless pets. I
learned a tough lesson, but I will make it right by loving my pups and will take
full responsibility for their lifetime love and care. (Annie has already been
fixed!)
So if any of you out there are considering "just one litter"
Don't do it. It is selfish. There are too many unwanted dogs out there that need
homes, don't add to the problem!!
Kmac and the macpherson
bichons
T.J., Annie, Molly, Simon and Connor
What Can I do
to Help This Effort?
Return to Small Paws® Rescue Home
Page