Too many emails...

I try so hard not to look at pictures of Akitas in need from areas I can't help, b/c seeing their faces, looking into their eyes just kills me. My inbox is filled with emails from shelters and owners from all across the country asking for help with an Akita or Akitas in need. I try to just pass them on to the group I know is closest to them without looking at the pictures so I don't get more upset over not being able to help.

But yesterday I got an email from a shelter worker in Indiana and made the mistake of looking at the two older Akitas in need -- there are 3 there, but one is a baby around 6 months, the other two are a bit older, not sure the ages listed are right since another rescue evaluated them & feels they might be off on the ages listed, that they may be younger than aged by the shelter (which does happen a lot). Anyway, its always easy to help the baby -- puppies under a year of age are easy to adopt out & easy to find a foster home for. Its the older ones that break my heart.

So now there are 3 Akitas in this one shelter and the shelter wants them all rehomed, not just for someone to rescue the puppy but to give all three a chance. Therein lies the problem -- people are coming forward offering to save the puppy, which is fine; but no one has come forward offering to save the two adults -- and that just kills me. If we can find 3 people wanting the puppy to foster, why oh why can't all three Akitas be saved, spread out to the 3 people already saying they can take on the puppy?

I know, I know -- I realize people "think" its easier to take on the puppy but in reality -- if you can crate the puppy, keep it separate from your own dogs, until someone else has room for it, then you could do the same for one of the adults, eh? I mean really -- think about it. Makes sense, eh? We've been doing that for years in rescue -- rescue should be about all ages, not just puppies. Sure, the public wants only puppies -- but maybe if all we offer to the public IS puppies, we are setting them up to only want the puppies. Maybe if all they saw were adult dogs available for rescue, they would get the "hint" and rethink rescue -- realize that older dogs are the only ones available so that is who they will save. Nice idea, right?

Why oh why do I have such a bleeding heart for these 2 adults? I don't know. I do know we are overloaded, ARWNY cannot take them on when we have dogs sitting in our local shelters -- dogs we are working hard on to find spots for in our rescue already. But these two older dogs haunted me last nite -- I couldn't fall sleep, I kept worrying in my mind how to figure out a way to help these two. And I failed -- I cannot come up with a way to help them.

So I'll have to spend the day saddened & depressed that 2 more fabulous, wonderful Akitas will probably lose their lives -- for being older, for being "not a puppy"....

I have to stop looking at pictures of Akitas in need that I cannot help....its getting to me.....