Taking a stand

There has been a lot going on lately and not all of it really good news. But let’s do the good news first.
Belle did so well at the vets on Friday. We are waiting for the results of her blood test and urine test but so far she is in great shape. LOL Well, not great shape but pretty good considering where she is coming from.
Belle has 2 torn curitates that must have been damaged at least a couple of years ago. There really isn’t any surgery that would help her but there are things we can do to lessen the affects of the arthritis and strengthen her muscles. Once we have all the test results back we will start her on cartophen injections and I’m hoping that we can raise some funds to get her swimming. Her condition has been left so long that all the muscles in her hind end and atrophied. She really needs this kind of gentle exercise to build up that muscle tone. And we will be keeping a very close eye on her weight.
Poor Belle almost looks deformed. Her chest and front legs are strong but her hind end is very narrow and if I hadn’t heard from our vet that this was because of having no muscle tone, I would have thought she was starving to death. But she is a good weight and we can change the state of her muscles. She will never win a trophy for best in show, but she is a winner in our eyes.
Mr. Herbie is such a goof ball and is having a great time with his new foster family. I miss having his energy here. He has a very large presence. Herbie wants to try everything now that he isn’t afraid of everything. He is still a cautious boy, will never be thought of as lion hearted, but he certainly has a zest for life.
And Sadie is Sadie. Up and down. Good days and bad days. It is hard on everyone to watch this girl. It takes patience and time for her problems to heal. And it’s only when we look at what kind of condition she was in that we realized how good she is getting.
There is always going to be conflict in the rescue community. We are a passionate bunch with strong opinions. And we don’t always agree. But I am again amazed that because I have chosen to take a stand on importing dogs from other countries that people I considered if not friends at least supporters have turned their backs on me. And since there is really no other place for me to explain myself, I am going to do it here again. :)
I personally don’t agree with importing dogs from other countries. There are hundreds if not thousands of dog’s right here that need our help. Our culture is different from the cultures in Asia. We value our companion animals in a different way. Is our way the only way? I don’t think so. North American’s don’t value cows in the same way that India does. Is our way right or wrong? Horses are used a food in some countries. Are they wrong or are we right? I don’t know that answer to these questions. I don't live in those other places. I only know that I want to make a difference here at home before I tackle the rest of the world.
But I need to be clear about something. Just because I don’t agree with importing dogs from other countries doesn’t mean that I would not support a single dog coming into another rescue once in awhile. There are always going to be exceptions to the rules. And one sweet pitty has made his way into the hearts and minds of many in the rescue community here. And I am glad for him. A little surprised that no one in the whole United States could have helped this boy, but thrilled that he is safe and will be cared for.
This is so different from bringing dogs up from Mexico or Asia on a regular basis. Or at least it is in my little brain. If importing dogs from another country is about all your going to do, then YES I will continue to speak out about it. This is a free country and we are allowed to disagree. I can’t stop it. But I don’t need to support it. That is my choice. And if it makes me a bad, uncaring, heartless person then so be it. West Coast Rottweiler Rescue was formed to help the dogs in the shelter system in British Columbia. Does that mean if there was a huge seizure in Washington State that we wouldn’t try to help one or two dogs. Not at all. If we were able to do so then of course we would. Washington helped a couple of years ago with a large seizure here in British Columbia. One or two dogs needing help isn’t what this is about. This is about the ethics of those that turn their backs on the dogs in our own country to bring dogs from other places. There are many that want you to believe we don’t kill dogs here. But we do. And it happens because there aren’t enough homes for these dogs. So why is it there are homes for dogs from Asia?