Packing Up

About a week ago my dog, Shadow, died. It was not an epic tragedy, but if you are interested in the details, you can find them here. We haven’t decided if or when we might look for another dog, so I packed up the perishable stuff, thinking I would take it to a friend with dogs.

Except it was a lot of stuff. I filled the first box and knew it was too much for a couple of little dogs.

Bags and bags of treats, some opened and some brand new. Extra doses of Frontline, Heartgard, glucosamine. Different types of canned food. So I loaded up the car and took it to Heartland Animal Shelter, in Northbrook, along with a pile of old newspapers.

I walked in the front door and was greeted by two ladies, thrilled that I was bringing things for the dogs. I wasn’t sure if they would want it all, particularly the open boxes and bags of treats. They sure did – particularly all of the things we’d tried for Shadow’s sensitive stomach. Which made me think about the rest of the kibble – I’d left it in the pantry at home. They were happy to have that, too.

Just like the parrots at the Refuge, where I volunteer, dogs and cats have different likes and different needs and it is not always easy for a non-profit to come up with them. Factor in an allergy or a sensitive stomach, and you might start to worry about getting a dog to eat at all.

So, those treats that your dog doesn’t like? Those vitamins my cat refuses to take? The toys they never touched? Those blankets and towels you were ready to throw away? Think of Heartland, or any other local animal shelter.

Shadow was also a shelter dog, and I can’t tell you how much easier it was to pack up his stuff, knowing it was going to help out other animals. You can find Heartland’s wish list here.

Reposted to the Glenview Patch.