As you long-time readers might recall, I have a dog. I also have two cats.
I love my cats. They've been with us for 13 years, longer than my husband and I have been married. When we got a dog we swore that the dog would have to get along with the cats.
But the rescue folks lied to us when they said the dog was cat-tested. As we were finishing up the paperwork to take her home, one said, "Well, she's been past the cat house and she's always been fine."
My dog has a very high prey drive. It's likely that she’ll never be safe around small animals. But our contract with the rescue says she has to go back to them and them alone if we decide to give her up. Back to a no-kill rescue that's so over crowded and over burdened that they recently sent out a newsletter relating that the vets have stopped offering services until they catch up on their bills. Back to a shelter where our dog was only getting a walk once a week at best.
I can't do that to her. Her previous owner put her in a cage and left her to starve. I can't put her back in a cage.
But it's not fair to keep my cats locked in the upstairs either. They have a room and a half to themselves and very little contact with us anymore.
We finally found a friend willing to take them in. On a trial basis, yes, but it's real. I'm looking at giving up my fuzzy loves.
I didn't want to be in this position. We tried really hard to make it so we wouldn't be. But here we are, and the decision has to be made. I really do think they'll be happier, or I wouldn't even consider it.
But damn, it sucks.
Sometimes I hate being a responsible adult.
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