I am at work and when I saw this sheperd I just burst into tears and had to go to the restroom. We had to put our sheperd down right before we moved here and he was truly my soulmate. Our little mixed spaniel/lapso apso had to be put down a year ago in July. I so wanted another sheperd but couldn’t find one, but we came upon a little Jack Russell at the shelter that won our hearts. She had been there about 6 weeks and her time was running out. Although she is small, she is a fighter and does not take to other dogs, otherwise I would most definitely adopt this one who would probably have worked out better. Please tell me she was adopted and hopefully not chained outside, but you probably don’t know.

This wasn’t a good day to read your blog because I so wanted to see the pictures of your kitchen and not a homeless german sheperd that probably doesn’t have a happy ending!

I had emailed them about the senior pets idea last year or year before last. I should try again and call or write them a letter this time. I see it on PetFinder.com, too — people wanting a $75-$100 adoption fee for all their pets, and I see these senior dogs — some of which have special needs, too — and it breaks my heart knowing that they probably won’t ever get adopted.

When I got Gypsy from the shelter, she was four or five years old, declawed and already spayed with all her shots, but she cost the same as a kitten that would have to be fixed and vaccinated before being adopted. It seemed crazy to me at the time, but I’d kind of forgotten about that since then.

This Milo cat–his face just kills me. He should be sleeping in a sunny window somewhere, dreaming about lasagna.

I digress, though. I think it’s fantastic what they’re doing this month. My parents are at their limit (5 dogs) and I, unfortunately, am only allowed by my landlord to have one.

I have proposed before to both the KC and Putnam Co. shelters another half price option — I think they should alway offer discounted adoptions on their “senior” pets. I know a lot of people won’t adopt a dog that’s 10 or older because they think it might die soon and so they don’t want to spend the money. I think if they would offer a lower adoption fee for the senior dogs, more of them might get adopted instead of having to be put to sleep.