Tie

[Elke Miller]

He is 10 years old. Loves to give kisses and go on long walks. He does not like other dogs nor cats. Children over 10 are okay.

[courtgosvener]

He really looks like such a sweet older gentlemen. Wish I had enough room in my house for him! With 2 cats, a dog, and living in a rental I was lucky to adopt Maddy from the Killeen Animal Shelter. I had to ask special permission of the house's owner. I debated awhile about whether to adopt from CHS or Killeen Animal Shelter because my heart was breaking for any animals who had to live in shelters for long periods of time. I choose Maddy because she had been there for 9 months and I honestly feared if their generosity would run out at some point. I knew CHS wasn't a kill shelter and felt a little more peace of mind that the dogs received a lot more care and attention than the ones squished in the 4x5 kennels, some 2-3 dogs in one. But when I see Tie, Rocky, and Katie it breaks my heart all over again, because even though I know they are well cared for, I know how Maddy loves being a part of a family and having that cozy doggie bed and walks with Daddy. So I pray for them and hope that there are several special families who will realize that puppies aren't always the best thing and choose a mild mannered older dog to share their lives with!

Good luck with finding these guys homes! I hope 2010 is the year of great change for them! 4 years in a shelter is way too long!

[Elke Miller]

Courtney,
thank you for your kind words and your interest in these older dogs.
None of them got adopted on Saturday. We had a few people interested in them. But as soon as we told them that they needed to be the only pet in the family and that they didn't like younger kids they had to tell us that they could not take them. They were as disappointed as we were.
I think it is going to take networking now to get something going for them. Chris at Chris' Grooming in Harker Heights, who bathed and took care of Tie the night before the Petco events said she would let everybody she knows know about Tie.
Maybe the people who were interested in Tie and the other dogs will spread the word amongst their friends and family.
Believe me it was hard on us to take them back to the shelter on Saturday.

[courtgosvener]

I certainly hope so! To be honest, I have never wanted a puppy! They are a lot of trouble! They may be cute but then they grow up to be just like any of the faces of dogs in your shelters, perhaps thats why many are in the shelter---they are no longer small, fuzzy, and teddy-bear cute. If I lived in a larger house that I owned, it would be a different story, I would probably try to adopt one of the older dogs you have. Currently, my dog is a little on the big side and we have two cats.

It really does break my heart to know these dogs get overlooked because they are "older". I really think the ideal match might be an older couple. I saw a older lady walking her dog the other day and it made me think of Tie and Rocky. There is an older gentlemen who walks his two poodles religiously---I think an older couple has the appreciation for taking care of the pet in a more dedicated way perhaps.

[Elke Miller]

Yes, I agree. An older couple would be ideal. HoweverTie is very strong. So they would have to be able to control him on a leach. He loves to explore and he has a mind of his own. He will pull to get his way. He is also very smart and stubborn!!! But he makes up for that with lots of kisses and when he looks in your face you just melt away. Which Saturday was very heartbreaking because he looked at me very sad when I left. Like he was saying: where are you going, don't leave me here!!!

[courtgosvener]

This sounds bad, but the reason I haven't been more active in volunteering and such is because I don't think I could handle leaving them all at the shelter! I know that is a cop out, but it's how I feel. I have thought many times over the last year or more about coming out and walking the dogs, because at least that means they would get some attention and such, but I just feel so bad! I really want to help them all and know there is a point where I can't. Maybe I will work the nerve up to get over the sadness of leaving them there and know that every little bit counts.

[tesla]

I felt EXACTLY the same way you do before I went out there. It was such a rewarding experience that I found I couldn't wait until I can get out there to volunteer again. I hope you will give it a chance. You will find that you will be out there sharing the joys of each new adoption and enjoying the time with the ones that are still awaiting their new forever homes.
It is an incredibly rewarding experience.

[courtgosvener]

I've been thinking a lot more about volunteering. It would be very hard for me emotionally I am sure, but I think that to give the animals some of the attention they need would overpower the sadness I feel that they are in the shelter. Right now, I am dealing with All day morning sickness, but I am HOPING that with my second trimester I will start feeling better! I think I would definitely like to try walking the dogs...it would be good exercise for me too!

[Liz Rainey]

Courtney, Hi!

You obviously know your way around the internet. If you are on Facebook or MySpace, or Twitter, you can help spread the news from the comfort of your own home.

We are on Facebook, and you can "share what we post, so more people can read about our postings. You can also click daily in the Shelter Challenge from the ANimal Rescue Site.

Instructions on how to find us, or the Click Daily are on the website: http://centexhumanesociety.com

Thanks for thinking about volunteering. We appreciate that big time.

As for being concerned about taking them all home... I know what you mean. The only way you can get over that notion is to go out there, and learn about the shelter dogs. With repeated exposure you can at least get used to the thought of leaving them there... I think - I try ...