This is Boaz. He joined our family back in April and ever since it has been a really hard pill to swallow. Do not get me wrong I love animals and all, and they were my babies before I had my babies, but I feel like we have bitten off more than we can chew.
Here is the story behind him. My daughter, Courtney, started off with a tabby cat called Calley, that we acquired off of Craigslist here in S.A. from twin brothers, who rescued Greyhounds. They have a friend that was
in one of the parks here in S.A. and heard her crying, and brought her to them. So we met them in the parking lot of McDonald's and received our nice little bundle of joy!
Well, she was a perfect match for Courtney. Her personality was so much like Courtney's, she was just something else. Well one day we noticed that she had not been back. She had not looked sick in the days prior to her not being home, so we are not sure what happened. We also noticed that some of the tom cats that had been hanging around, were no longer here. So after some time, I decided to get Courtney something that would not run away.
We first found a dog on Craigslist named Addison. She was a poodle combination who belonged to a couple that had just had a baby and was finding that they did not have the time for her with the baby and her husband and his aspiring career as a musician, nothing big, just local. We went over to their house under the pretense that we were going to be bringing Addison home. Well I should have known from the hesitation I sensed on the phone that they were not ready to part with her. We stopped at Petco and picked up some treats for her. Went over, met her and the owners and everything went well. Well right as we were about to leave to go and get the money for her, they said that she did get along great with us, but they wanted to give the other people who had contacted them a chance and see how they felt about those people. My children were so disappointed. I never, ever would have brought them over to see this dog if I had know that. I knew driving away that they were not ready to give her up.
We then left from there and went to the Humane Society where Courtney picked out another dog. She had just come in with her other liter mates and had to wait until Monday in order for her to be spayed. We left there anticipating the arrival of Evers. Well on Monday, they called to let me know that one of her liter mates had gotten sick and tested positive for Parvo, and that Evers probably would get it, even though she tested negative. They said that we could pay for the treatment, but that it was expensive and hard for the dog, and could not guarantee anything. I opted out of getting her or any dog for that matter from the Humane Society because of that.
I then search and search and found a pom-pom from the Schertz Humane Society. We set up a time to meet this little one and the day game. He arrived with is foster mom and everything seemed to be going well. Again, we were under the impression that he was ours. The children had fun with him and they said that someone else was interested, but they were not sure how it would go because she had a Chihuahua and was pretty aggressive. Well later on that night, they called to let us know that they placed him with the other family and that the foster mom raised some concerns about the children opening up the front door and letting him out onto the busy street we live on. I was so furious. They did not even ask if we used the front door, which we do not, if the children have opened the front door, which they do not, and on and on. I was just plan hurt.
So that night I looked and looked on the Internet and found Boaz. I asked my neighbor to stay with the the children and went to get him at 11 p.m. at night. I made it there, forget to get the money from the ATM, and finally found a store that was opened and ended up buying the owner cigarettes with cash back to get Boaz. On the way back, the rod that holds my running boards on my van came loose (it was a gravel road) and the guy we bought Boaz from had to take it off from me.
I initially was going to go with another dog, but right as I was about to turn I saw this little piglet (the only one eating) and said oh no I need to have him (reminded me of Rolly Polly's little fat self trying to fit under the couch). I left with him and arrived home, put him in the bed with Courtney, who did not even realize he was home. Zachary was actually waiting for me to come home and as you can see from the pictures ended up falling asleep next to him.
Courtney got up, got ready for school, went to school, came home, and sometime that afternoon realized that she had a dog, she actually had to be told. She was so excited. We brought him to group and counseling that day, and just totally loved on him. He slept with her and would cry and whine, and she attended to his every whimper. I was like Yeah! finally something that could love her as much as she loved him. She was good with him at first, taking care of him, being protective, and loving him.
Over the course of time and as he became bigger and more active...it became too much for us. We were gone almost all of the time between end of the school things, group, counseling, soccer practice and games, and parties, all of which Boaz could not come. I felt so bad because this is not what we intended.
Then we started having a huge flea problem. Zachary is very allergic to them, as was Austin. I treated everything I could and they were still here. I went as far as purchasing Avon Skin So Soft Oil and would have the boys spray this on them, so they fleas would not get to them. During this time, Courtney was at her dad's. Boaz eventually was kicked out of the house to the yard and there he has been ever since.
We went to the doctor's this past Monday and found out that Courtney's scalp condition is probably related to the dog, which is one more reason why we have decided that Boaz needs to find a new home. I do not want to keep my children on steroids for the sake of an animal, so we have opted for Beta fish once again. I put Boaz on Craigslist and have someone, who is suppose to get him on 08/02/2007 for her sister's birthday. I hope she comes through, if not..I have no choice to try to get him to the Humane Society or the pound...(I know, I know).
So with all that said and done..I have learned my lesson and it is such a bittersweet feeling when it comes to Boaz, that I wish I would have thought long and hard, and really weighed it before getting a dog and just have gone with a fish.
I did not get up for my shift this morning (2a-6a). One of my supervisors called me and said that the other one, who was on a conference call, wanted her to call me and see what happened. I told her that I was not feeling well, and actually she was my wake up call. I told her that I would work straight through the make up my time and for my shift that starts at 12 noon. She said that the other supervisor was going to call me after her conference call. (YIKES)
