04.01.07
Bubba Burleson – mostly blind, little-old-man shih tzu
A little on the blind side (requires drops twice a day), a little on the deaf side, a little on the chunky side but the sweetest older little guy you’d ever want to meet. Previous owners of 13 years just didn’t want him anymore – could not even think of a reason to give.
Bubba had been a devoted pet to a family for 13 years. After deciding that they no longer wanted to care for him, they took him to their family vet to have him euthanized. The vet, knowing what a great little dog Bubba was, asked the family to release him to him and in turn he contacted our group to see if we could take him in. Kudo’s to that vet – Bubba is a terrific little guy and a joy to have as a foster.
He’s adapted so well to his new surroundings. He has good potty manners, is crate trained and walks nicely on a leash – not very far, but he does like to get out and go for short walks a few times a day. He does get a bit stressed if he’s in the backyard and loses his bearings so he’ll bark until you rescue him and point him in the right direction – no problem, he’s a sweetie! He doesn’t bother the cat and he’s not bothered by the other dogs like he was in the beginning. Just like everyone else, he has his favorite spots and that’s where he tends to hang out – a favorite rug on the kitchen floor and a cozy pillow by the window.
Bubba is deaf and does have dry eye in both eyes – requires eyedrops twice a day and he’s a perfect gentleman when he’s being tended to.
Ole Bubba, though is a notorious beggar – you can see from his picture that he definitely had never gone hungry. We’re working on the weight issue and he seems to be doing ok – we’re limiting treats and have restructured his diet so slowly but surely we should be starting to see some progress.
Just one more thing about Bubba – he has such a unique personality and I think he’ll steal your heart as soon as you meet him! There’s just something about him that makes a person smile!
A poem for the older ones…
One by one they pass my cage,
Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his prime he can’t run and play,
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way.
A little old man, arthritic and sore,
It seems I am not wanted anymore.
I once had a home, I once had a bed,
A place that was warm, and where I was fed.
Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail,
Who wants a dog so old and so frail?
My family decided I didn’t belong,
I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head
Can’t justify how they left me for dead.
Now I sit in this cage, where day after day,
The younger dogs get adopted away.
When I had almost come to the end of my rope,
You saw my face and I finally had hope.
You saw thru the grey, and the legs bent with age,
And felt I still had life beyond the cage.
You took me home, gave me food and a bed,
And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head.
We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low,
You love me so dearly and want me to know.
I may have lived most of my life with another,
But you outshine them with a love so much stronger.
I promise to return all the love I can give,
To You, my dear person, as long as I live.
I may be with you for a week or for years,
We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears.
And when the time comes that God deems I must leave,
I know you will cry and your heart will grieve.
And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new,
My thoughts and my heart will still be with you.
And I will brag to all who will hear,
Of the person who made my last days so dear.
While Bubba is in our program, he needs normal veterinary care and meds. He’s looking for five wonderful people, who may not be able to adopt him in person, but who wants to do a “virtual” adoption and support his medical needs. He needs around $100 a month, on average, for shots, meds, etc. His five “virtual adopters” need only subscribe to contribute $20 a month to his fund. That will keep him pretty much ok while he is in our program – which may be the rest of his life. If you are interested in “virtual adoption” of Bubba Turner, and want to contribute by credit card via Paypal, please GO HERE. If you’d rather send Bubba a check, CLICK HERE.
To date, Bubba Turner has 1 virtual adopters. THANKS JEAN! Now he just needs 4 more!!
Regina Day (Bubba's Foster Mom) said,
May 3, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Can’t be callin him our little fat boy anymore – Bubba has lost 2 lbs! He looks so good and feels even better. This ole guy has the sweetest personality – one of the cutest things about him is that he’s not awake a whole lot during the day but when he is, he takes full advantage of the time – he loves to go for walks (very slow and short ones) and he loves to investigate new places and smells. He’s a cuddler too. What an absolute sweetheart! Can still smell food a mile away and continues to bark when he does but that’s a small inconvenience for all the joy he’s brought to us and to everyone that meets him!
Regina Day (Bubba's Foster Mom) said,
October 7, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Just to let everyone know that Mr. Bubba is alive and well and still bringing us as much joy as he did from the very first day we welcomed him here as a foster. He continues to stay fit and trim, probably due to the fact that he always has to know where one of his human’s are – and he also paces around mealtimes. For a pooch his age (14 this year), his inner clock is working just fine – likes to have breakfast around 7ish and dinner by 5 – we can almost set our clocks to his!
For anyone on the edge of deciding if a senior would be a good foster for you, please try it out – you will be so blessed!