January 30, 2007 7:11 AM

The "joys" of parenthood

bailiff2_sml.jpgIt’s been not quite two weeks since Bailiff arrived, and to say that it hasn’t exactly been what we expected would be something of an understatement. We got Bailiff from the Corinth-Alcorn Humane Society in Corinth, MS…and it’s really been a very mixed blessing. A chocolate Labradoodle puppy like Bailiff can go for as much as $2500. We essentially got him for a $70 adoption/neutering fee and $200 to transport him here from Mississippi. A helluva deal for a puppy with a great personality, right? Well, I suppose one person’s bargain is the beginning of another’s nightmare….

What we in fact got was one very, very sick puppy. Bailiff was certified by a vet in Mississippi as healthy enough to travel. Despite this, he arrived with a temperature of 105 degrees, two ticks, a very runny nose, a case of kennel cough, pneumonia, and bloody diarrhea. Three visits to the vet later, we’ve learned he has hookworms, a Giardia infestation (a parasite that can be transmitted to humans), and I have a feeling we’re not done yet. So far, we’ve spent $500 on vet bills, and I don’t think we’re done, because some of what Bailiff has can and may well end up being communicated to Judge and Salem.

Looking at Bailiff, you’d never know he was as sick as he is…until he starts hacking. He has an amazing amount of energy, he’s absolutely irrepressible, and he has a rather unfortunate affinity for the lake in the back yard and also for mud puddles (Yay…imagine my delight). He’s absolutely adorable, and Judge loves having a playmate that he can maul (Salem won’t put up with that sort of nonsense.). On top of everything else, Bailiff is about as cute as a puppy can possibly be.

What angers me the most is that Bailiff was certified healthy enough to travel by a vet in Mississippi when he clearly was nothing of the sort. Now we have one very sick puppy who may well share the wealth with Judge and Salem. We agreed to adopt a dog from the Corinth-Alcorn County Humane Society with the understanding that he was at least reasonably healthy. Now we’re faced with a situation where we have legitimate reason to fear for the health and safety of both Judge and Salem.

I love Bailiff, and I don’t regret adopting him. He’s a fun dog with a laid-back personality who, with some obedience training and TLC, will be a great companion for years to come. What upsets me so much, and what I truly resent, is that the people at the shelter were so clearly sloppy, inconsiderate, and, quite frankly, extremely irresponsible. They vouched for the health of a puppy who was in no shape to be transported anywhere. To make matters worse, a vet certified that Bailiff was healthy enough to be transported close to 1000 miles (with two very pregnant purebred dogs due to deliver any day). To put it mildly, we feel as if we were deceived, and if the Corinth-Alcorn County Humane Society were a for-profit agency, we’d be talking to a attorney.

Call it sloppiness, ignorance, or just plain lazy indifference and irresponsibility, but the Corinth-Alcorn County Humane Society dropped the ball. Bailiff will eventually pull through, because we’ll spend the money and do what it takes to see that he gets the treatment and the medication he needs and deserves. It’s just too bad that the shelter couldn’t have been bothered to honestly represent the health issues he faced. Would we have made a different decision? Quite likely yes, but we should have been given accurate and honest information regarding Bailiff’s medical situation. Were these people more concerned about getting an animal adopted than with providing us with honest and accurate information? Frankly, I don’t know what other conclusion to draw at this point. I had hoped for better from a non-profit organization dedicated to working to save animals and provide them with good homes.

Once again, no good deed goes unpunished.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on January 30, 2007 7:11 AM.

Because sometimes, a press release really IS worth a thousand words was the previous entry in this blog.

When it gets to zero, will he disappear in a puff of smoke? Please?? is the next entry in this blog.

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