Temptations of a dog lover

I almost got a second dog yesterday. Someone sent me a blog about an Aussie mix in the Humane Society who was loveable, sweet, all the things Aussie are (probably they forgot to mention he was wild, too, which Aussies are). He was scheduled to be euthanized in four days. (Discouraging statistic: they get in 100 new animals a day and they are having to euthanize because they don't have room.) Well, of course, I couldn't stand the thought of that. I forwarded his picture to Jamie and Jordan, with a note, "Should I or shouldn't I?" (This maybe was a dumb questions from a woman who spent $350 at the vet the day before and will probably spend that much again next week, plus Scooby needs a haircut--$75). They both said, 'You shouldn't," but when I told Jordan he was about to be put down, she said, 'You should go meet him." Now that's a big help--what am I going to do? Look at that perfectly adorable dog and say, "No thank you, go ahead and put him to sleep." Not likely. Reminds me of the day the adoption agency called me about one of the children--when I wasn't expecting to adopt a baby that day--or anytime soon. I said, "Well, we'll come look at him," in the tone one would say, "We'll see if the tomatoes are fresh today." Of course by the time I got to the agency, I had named that baby. (All this was before you shot pictures around the world on the internet.)

The name wasn't a problem with the dog--he was Trevor (think of the responsibility of animal shelter people have to think up names for all the strays they find!) I emailed my neighbors who have talked of getting a second dog and said if I was agonizing over this, I wanted them to also. Scooby would love a playmate in the back yard during the long days but would I need a new doghouse, another major expense And what would happen at night? Scooby's used to lying at my feet, sleeping by my bed--where would I put a second dog. I sure didn't want them playing in the house all night. And would Scooby be jealous, feel displaced from my affections? A true dilemma.

I called the Humane Society to ask age, crate training, etc., intending to go have that fateful look. They didn't have an Aussie and no dog named Trevor. Found out today he got a good, loving home--and was diagnosed with heartworms which require expensive, prepaid treatment. I know if I'd gone and met that dog, I'd have brought him home, heartworms or no.

And this afternoon Scooby is sound asleep at my feet--I don't usually let him in an afternoon, but there is yard work being done today. The rain that was supposed to come has not shown up. Yesterday we had a squall--fierce winds (I think I read 65 mph) and very dark, but it passed by in minutes leaving behind a barely moist surface.