Saturday began like any other Saturday with the phone ringing before the shelter opened. I retrieved messages asking are there any kittens available, what kind of puppies do you have for adoption and do you have any small dogs available for adoption. And then I answered the ringing phone and spoke with a distraught adopter of one of our puppies. She adopted the puppy back in May and her tone was frantic as she told me the puppy she adopted back in May has been growling at her 5 year old and now because of an incident last night, her child's face was unrecognizable! Shocked I asked several questions, is he ok, what did the pediatrician say, and what happened that would make a now 6 month old puppy attack her child? They were lying on the bed watching TV together and the dog attacked him! What did the doctor say I asked, and their was a moment of silence and she informed me that they didn't take him to the doctor and she can't have this dog in her home. I was a bit confused and I said "your son's face this morning is unrecognizable and you didn't take him to a doctor? A face bite needs to reported to animal control and that would be something the pediatrician would do. "Well I'm not sure if it is a puncture wound or just scratches but the dog has to go!" "Today!" I explained it makes a big difference how animal control would handle the incident, a bite versus scratches, but the first thing she needed to do was contact the doctor. A side note, I'm not sure why the puppy was allowed to nap and watch TV on the bed with her child, especially if he had been growling at the child.

The doors open and several people enter to view the cats up for adoption. Signs clearly mark do not open cages and ask for assistance. Never the less a very sweet women approaches the desk holding her bleeding hand. I get the first aid kit and asked what happened as she explains all she did was try to hold a cat and it attacked her. Don't worry she was ok but filling out the incident report I told her she would need to call the doctor and possibly be put on an antibiotic. She did call later to say that she had seen her doctor and she would be fine. Yeww!

Now I had no sooner placed the incident report on my director's desk, when a young girl approaches to tell me "A dog just bit my finger. What is wrong with this place. You should train these dogs before you adopt them!" Thankfully there was hardley a scratch on her finger but I still had to write another incident report and I asked was her hand in the cage and she said firmly "NO" . I asked how her finger was bit and so the report states simply her hand was near the opening of the kennel and the dog lunged his mouth through the kennel bars and bit her finger.

If two bites that morning are reported well how about three. After this occured a gentleman walks out of the cat kennel complaining a cat he tried to take out of the kennel just bit him. Incident report number three on the director's desk. Sometimes I just shake my head wondering why people would just grab an animal they know nothing about and think it wouldn't possibly bite them.

The morning was chaotic but the other adoption counselors were busy placing several animals in great homes. I went to the front desk to see who had a question and a young girl maybe 13 or so collapsed on the floor in the main lobby. The girl was visiting the shelter with her friend and her friend's dad and thankfully he was standing next to her and he caught her and gently lowered her to the floor. I had the receptionist call 911 and I covered her with a blanket and she was a bit confused but I just gently talked to her and explained help was coming and she would be ok. This is the hardest part of this story. As I sat on the floor with her untill help arrived, people were stepping over us to get a counselor so they could inquire about a pet! Don't you love it! The paramedics arrived as well as the police, and the girl would be fine. She didn't have breakfast and I think she was overwhelmed being at the shelter and she felt weak and just went down. The paramedics checked her out, she would be fine and the girl with her friend , and friend's father left to get something to eat. It is very sad to say that not one other then my counselors and kennel staff asked if that child was ok. Some even complained that they had been waiting almost 30 minutes to speak to someone. :(((((

Now my attention is turned back to the cat kennel where one of the counselors is trying to convince a woman and her 10 old daughter that it may not be a good idea to adopt a cat since you had to return a kitten because of her daughters allergies. The woman snapped back " she is allergic to kittens, that's why we are looking at cats!" I could see how weary the counselor was so I explained a simple test at the doctor's office can clear any doubt. I explained I did that with my daughter before I brought home a cat. Call on Monday and get that test done and then you'll have no doubt if your daughter is allergic to cats or not. "I'm busy Monday the woman shot back and she is allergic to kittens!" I'm not even going to walk this road so I just said then call Tuesday if your busy Monday. "But I promised her a cat TODAY not next week. " You are breaking my daughter's heart. I made a promise to her." I very sorry, "but your daughter's heart is really going to break if you bring home a cat and then have to return it. It's also not fair to do that to the cat." " Well I will personally find a home if it doesn't work out." I just said I'm sorry but first have that allergy test done and when you know for sure we would love to get a cat a home with you.

Looking at the clock, I'ts not even noon yet.

Saturday afternoon went much smoother and on the up side of things, about 26 pets went home that afternoon with great loving homes. :)))))))))