Oh yeah...

They're keeping her name.

Happy and sad all rolled into one...

Eika's new forever family called yesterday around 9:30. They were on their way, and thought they could be here by 3:30. They called throughout the day, and they were running a little later than they expected. Then, they got sidetracked and took the wrong exit. We told them to just stay there, and we'd meet them there instead of at our planned rendezvous.

So... we loaded up Eika and sadly drove her to meet them. We wanted them to say they didn't want her, but such was not our luck. They seemed like a very, very nice couple. The husband was HOT, and he kind of matched Eika because they have the same hair color! We got to meet their other dog, Sophie, too.

It was kind of hectic getting all the paperwork filled out because we were in the entrance way at PetCo, and people were coming in and out and wanting to pet the dogs. BGR told them if there was ANY reason they decided they didn't want Eika that they could call us, and he'd come pick her up. The wife said: "you'll have to pry her out of our hands!"

They carried her to the car, and the husband was kissing her neck and talking baby talk to her so I know they're going to be good parents for her.

I didn't cry until we got back in the car.

Anyway, I have no doubt that Eika's résumé and all the pictures I took of her sold them on her. It's funny how attached you can get by just seeing a picture.

The Dog Park and Eika's potential foster family...

Still no news from Eika's potential foster family. I thought they'd call me by now. I wonder what's up with that?

Also, I caught the tail end (ha! ha!) of a news blurb yesterday that was about the dog park at Badger Community Park! No, way! That's "our" park, but we didn't know they had a dog park there!

So, we went to check it out, and sure enough, there's a fenced in area kind of at the back of the park beside the soccor field. Most of it is on a hill, but I guess that's good use of an unusable space. It's really nice because they have poop bags and Toter trash cans at the entrance so people can clean up after their dogs. It has a double entrance to get in to it so the dogs can't get out (I hope).

Brian wants to take ALL of the dogs up there. I worry about Mylo; I'm afraid he'll get into a fight. Also, I worry about Eika jumping the fence since it's only about 4' high.

Eika's Scrapbook Pages

So.... Eika's new forever family (we hope...) wants to come meet her. I'm not sure when yet since they'll be driving from California to Idaho and stopping by on their way through.

I made them some scrapbook pages of her time with us. I don't know if they'll want it or not, but I'm making it for them anyway.

I've already posted most of these pictures, but here's what they look like as scrapbook pages:

I bought some 8x8 refill pages, and I'm going to make a chipboard cover with her name on it. That oughta be cute!

Eika update...

Eika has been officially "offered" to the retired couple because she's so skittish around kids. The husband lives and works in CA and the wife is retired and lives in Idaho. She's not sure about Eika since she's not a cuddle bunny. Also, she's on her way to CA to be with her husband for a "few days" (I wonder how long that is...?). She told June (the Area Rep) that they're looking for an IG while she's there. So... Eika may not go to this woman at all. However, June told her she wouldn't "offer" her to anybody else until she made up her mind.

Since Eika IS so scared of kids, I don't know if the other home is going to work out either??? How long is this dog going to be with us??? Not that she's any problem at all--she's better than all four of our dogs put together. This sounds so mean: I just don't want her around much longer! Five dogs is too many to have to keep up with and feed and medicate.

Meanwhile, I recieved a check from IGCA yesterday reimbursing us for the money we've spent on Eika so far. Brian said "absolutely not!" We're taking care of her as a donation and we'll either send the check back or tear it up. They need that money for all the poor dogs who are in bad shape with broken legs and rotten jaw bones. Eika is, fortunately, in really good health.

Anyway, I'd e-mailed over the paperwork I'd gotten at the vet's office, but I only did that for her file; not to be reimbursed.

Eika's forever home...??? I'm not sure...

Okay... the Regional IGCA Rep (Alice) passed my name on to the Area Rep (June). June has two approved homes that may work for Eika... Maybe... Not I'm so sure... Both homes have one other IG.

First home: Mom, Dad, 2 kids (9 and 12); nice house; big fenced yard. Problems: Eika will be in a crate for 7 hours a day until the mom comes home from work--until their basement re-model is finished, and then the dogs will have their own room to stay in (but they'll still be by themselves for 7 hours a day...). Also, the Humane Society says that Eika is afraid of kids. Hmmm... not sure about all of this...

Second home: retired couple. Husband is in CA (with the other IG) working for most of the year and wife is in ID (is that the abbreaviation for Idaho?). Problem: she wants a young, lap dog, and June gets the feeling she'd really like a male even though she said she'd take either. Eika is young (3 years), but she IS NOT a cuddle dog; she does not want to sit in our laps, and she's afraid to be picked up.

I let June know that Eika can stay here until the right forever home is found and she can always come back to be a foster dog with us if it doesn't work out at either of these two homes.

Whew! The IGCA Rep Got Back To Me

I was soooo worried I'd made the IGCA Rep mad at me for some reason, but she got back to me yesterday. She had been busy trying to place a seizure dog in the right foster home, and that's all she was focused on.

She wrote a huge e-mail about what'nall they do when an IG is adopted out. Wow! It's as intense as adopting a child. They even do a home visit! This is WONDERFUL, but it's so hard, I'm sure most people just give up. Honestly, I wouldn't like somebody going through my house. And I'm sure breeders don't have all of those requirements; that it's just "show me the money" and they get a puppy. Rescue is cheaper ($250), but I'll bet most people don't think it's worth it. All of this means a dog is only going into the very best home, but also that there are still alot of dogs in the rescue program waiting to be placed since they're so picky! This makes me wonder how long Eika is going to be with us...

Where is that stinking IGCA Rep?????

So... we've had Eika since Tuesday. The IGCA rep (Alice) and I e-mailed back and forth several times on Monday and Tuesday (like I'm talking 10 times or more). Now, guess what? I haven't heard from her again since Tuesday afternoon! Where is she????

So, yesterday, I sent her an e-mail and asked her to e-mail me the qualifications adopters have to have before a dog is placed with them--to alleviate Brian's concerns. I hope I didn't make her mad for some reason. I don't think that's rude at all, but maybe it came across wrong? Still... we have this dog that we have to get rid of... before Brian gets more attached... yes, the quicker the better... please, please, please let her contact me today! We CANNOT have another dog (even though she behaves better than any of ours and she's completely potty trained).

Maybe Alice is on Spring Break or something? I can't believe she won't contact me any more without a really good reason.

Eika's Life So Far...

Poor Eika. I took her to the vet yesterday for a Wellness Exam. She was a nervous wreck, but she passed with flying colors! The bump on her side appears to be a wart and nothing to worry about unless it grows larger. I couldn't see or feel a scar from where she was spayed so I asked the vet if she could tell. Hmmmm.... nope... she couldn't tell either, but she said Eika may have had a keyhole procedure and a scar would be virtually undetectable.

When I got home, the Rescue Coordinator (Alice) sent me an e-mail and asked me to fax over the records we received from the Humane Society. Unfortunately, we didn't receive ANYTHING from the Humane Society except her rabies tag. So, Alice asked me to have her vaccinated at our vet. I made another appointment for her and took her back yesterday afternoon. Then I scanned and e-mailed everything we've had done to her so far ($128 worth!).

Next, I got the bright idea to call the vet's office on her rabies tag and find out what they could tell me about her. The lady at the vet's office KNOWS who Eika is because one of her previous owners worked there! She let me know she HAS been spayed and she was UTD on her shots (so now she's over-vaccinated). She's had four owners (plus being with the Humane Society and now in foster care). She had a dental in Febraury 2008 (which isn't cheap so I can't imagine someone paying for a dental and then turning her over to the Humane Society). She WAS a show dog and came from a kennel in The Dalles.

She is a sweet, sweet dog, and she's going to make someone very happy.

Meet Eika!

These pictures aren't the greatest, but that's all I have for now--these just don't do her justice. It's hard to get a picture of her by herself because my dogs are all over her.

New Foster Parents

Okay... we're NOT keeping her! No! No! No! No way! Now how! But, for now, she's here. I hate her name, but she responds to it so we've decided to keep it: Eika (pronounced "Ika" with a long "i"). She's a 3-year-old blue/fawn Italian Greyhound who was turned in to a Humane Society that's about an hour from here. We contacted IGCA rescue to find out what to do. They said if we can "spring" her, they could arrange a transport relay to Spokane or Seattle. There's already an approved home in Spokane who is waiting for a female dog so she should only be in rescue for the short term (we hope).

ICGA reimburses up to $350 in expenses without approval and expenses above that with approval, however, we will probably take care of her expenses as a donation. They need that money for the real hard-luck cases and broken legs.

I'll post pictures later when the sun comes up and I can get some good ones.