TL;DR KRISTIN LOVES DOGS AND IS RESCUING ANOTHER ONE

[pacificpikachu]

So. Um. We are most likely getting a dog, either tomorrow or Sunday, that we haven't even met yet. I would normally advise strongly against this sort of thing because rescuing a dog you haven't even seen in person would normally just be a bad decision, but everything has just fallen perfectly into place and those "signs" I had been looking for are popping up, so I think this is supposed to happen. :D It's not 100% yet, of course, but it's something like 95%.

Here is what happened:

I e-mailed an adoption group in Incline Village, Nevada about a cute border collie named Trixie. I had held off on e-mailing about her for a few days because there wasn't much information on her and I prefer to e-mail about dogs where it says if they're good with other dogs, cats, etc. Well, I e-mailed and a few hours later the adoption group e-mailed me back saying Trixie had found a home that day, but she would have the head of the Australian Shepherd and Border Collie Rescue of Northern Nevada contact me right away. She did, and I described what we were looking for and so on. She said, "I have the perfect dog for you!" And it turns out it was Tilly, who I filled out an adoption application for a few weeks ago. Apparently it got initially lost in her hectic inbox, hence why I hadn't received a reply.

She reviewed our application, approved it, and said that:

1. She had just been in Penn Valley (where we live, and a very small town about two and a half hours from where she is in Reno) just the other day because her dad lives here.

2. A lady from Grass Valley, which is about a ten minute drive from us/considered essentially the same place as Penn Valley is coming up to Reno to get a dog from Tilly's foster parent today (as of now, seeing as it's just past midnight). So, chances are, she can bring Tilly right to us.

The timing is just...amazing. Even more intriguing to me than that is her name. Tilly. Our last two dogs we've owned, loved, and lost were Tia and Lily. Tilly. If that's not a sign, combined with the incredible timing, I don't know what is. (Aside from maybe toggy's story with Gambit, haha!)

She also has four white "socks" like Hana does, awww. ♥

Mom and I have both talked to her foster parent tonight, she's adorable and sounds extremely sweet, and she's...exactly what we were looking for. Right age. Right gender. Right personality (based off what we've heard). Good with dogs, good with cats, good in the house. Not perfect with small children because she's a herding dog, but I don't like small children myself! And it's not like we have any around the household/will have any around the household, uhhh...ever.

We're having some trouble getting in touch with the lady from Grass Valley who may be picking her up, so we're not sure if she's still coming down from Reno with her tomorrow morning, but if that falls through we'll just go pick her up on Sunday. :D



Awww, such a sweet face! I think this picture probably makes her look bigger than she is, though, haha, she's only about thirty-five pounds. She actually has perked ears that flop over at the tips like a classic border collie (Google it if you're not sure what I mean), thought they're back in this picture like border collies do when they're making a sweet face.

Sorry to disappoint those who loved Sammy (based off his super-cute mugshot, hahaha~ *0*), but, while he was totally adorable and I really liked him, I feel like if he was supposed to be our dog there would have been some sort of sign or connection with the whole family or something. He'll find a wonderful home, I'm sure. :) He's safe and happy in a foster home in the meantime!

I'm excited and a little bit nervous and...suddenly, it's like a hold has been released on my emotions over losing Tia. Not like the floodgates have opened or anything, but throughout today I've been crying a little on and off realizing that she's gone and having fond memories of her. It's strange how that works with me... That finally, now that we're rescuing another dog, I am able to cope with losing Tia. It's like, because there is the joy of saving another life, I can more easily take on the loss and balance it out and deal with both emotions a little bit at a time. I always feel a bit strange when trying to describe why I always immediately start searching for dogs after losing one, because I think it's easily to misinterpret as it being some sort of novelty thing, or "replacing" the other dog, but I don't think it's either of those even slightly. It's just that...I guess I feel like there has to be this balance of emotions in order for me to cope with it, and that if there is a place in my home and heart for a rescued animal, I have a duty to the one who has passed to save another life. It's hard for me to rationalize, or understand, much less explain, but I suppose that's how I feel.

In other news, I got a new bank account finally (PFFF I'M SURE YOU ALL CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS AND WERE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT) and ordered some Umbreon cosplay faux fur. :D Oh, and my laptop is being stupid and therefore I won't be on the computer too much lately. Power cord issues again. :/

Sooo that's my life right now. I can't wait to meet Tilly. Hana will be so happy to have a new dogfriend around the house and the thought of taking them both to the dog park together and obedience and agility is so exciting!

P.S. If anyone is looking for a dog, go here: http://www.dogsindanger.com/ and run a search. I don't advise doing it if you're not searching for a dog because it will absolutely break your heart like it did mine. :( The "In Memorium" pages make me cry and feel upset and angry and a little sick to my stomach. I can feel my misanthropy increasing by the minute.

Comments

[kasaii.livejournal.com]

Guuuuuu what a cutie, congrats! :D I'm really glad you found the right pup for you. ♥ And heee Tilly is such a cute name!

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's not completely certain yet, but I have a really good feeling about how everything has come together. :D I will post about her frequently! Tilly IS a cute name--which is a relief because I've seen a lot of dogs where the name was just...no...and we'd have to rename them.

I hope, when the time comes for you, the right dog falls into your lap (literally or figuratively) as well!

[bahzi.livejournal.com]

Wooooooooow, that is a helluva sign! O_o What are the odds rite? Tilly?? Haha, awesome, may it work out wonderfully, lookit that face, what a cutie-pie. ^^

Ooh, what kind of fur fabric did you get for Umbreon? I'm still not sure on length myself for Leafeon. I'll have to catch you on AIM or something sometime once things calm down a bit with the new family member and talk Eeveelution mascots. ^^

And I totally know what you're talking about with the In Memorium pages, every time I watched Animal Cops or it's sister shows in different cities, I wanted less and less to do with people(though an exception would have been made were it possible to strangle them through a TV screen). I'd like to think a good number of the people doing horrible things to their pets/strays are seriously mentally ill, but they can't all be, some are just real assholes, and that's a major understatement.

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know! Isn't it? I think it's kind of odd! Especially because when we rescued our dog that passed away, Tia, we thought it was interesting that her name is similar to Lea, who was my first dog. That one is a bit more of a stretch than Tia + Lily = Tilly, but still. She does look extremely adorable and it's sounding great, so I really really hope it works out. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't, though, at the moment! We have pretty much everything arranged.

I'm ordering, funny enough, this fabric called brown beaver. It's...not brown, though, and is in fact black...? LOL, it's kind of confusing in that respect, but it's a nice, thicker and softer fur as opposed to, say, the fun fur. Also more expensive, but no problem. And yes, we'll definitely have to do at least a few AIM sessions discussing our costumes! I'll let you know when I have a bit more time! :3

Yeah, I get extremely discouraged and depressed sometimes over the treatment of animals. It's what my life centers around, rescuing animals and trying to do whatever I can to educate people about treating animals right and defending their rights to live, but it just...gets so overwhelming at times, knowing that thousands of animals--domestic, wild, livestock--are dying and suffering horribly right this second because of people and that's so, so hard for me at times. Not even because I'm overemotional (because really, I'm not a big crier and I'm not someone who is SUPER SENSITIVE about things) but because I really and truly believe at my core that all lives are equal and should have an equal right to live, to not suffer, to be happy. And obviously, the vast, vast majority of society disagrees with this. It's a massive uphill battle, and it genuinely scares me that, no matter what I do, there is a limit to how many lives I can save.

[mamoswine.livejournal.com]

Wow, she looks so sweet! Congratulations! :D It always feels good rescuing an animal.

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks! It really really does. My life is kind of centered around rescuing animals, haha. Nothing better. :D

[pdutogepi.livejournal.com]

Awwww! She's such a sweetie!
I really think she is the dog you've been waiting for, everything is just too perfect for her not to be! I really wish you luck when you get to meet her <3 I'm really looking forward to reading more about her :D

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Thanks! She definitely seems like a sweetheart, and she's so cuuute!

I think she is too! I kept telling myself there would be a sign and I would know when it was all coming together, but there's always that nagging doubt that a sign won't show up. I think it's just all too right for it to be just a series of coincidences. :D

I will definitely keep everyone updated (CUTE DOG PICTURE SPAM, Y/Y?)!

[pdutogepi.livejournal.com]

Yeah :D I was one of the ones that really liked Sammy (He had such fluffy ears!) but when you seemed not so sure about him I had a feeling the right dog would come into your life eventually :D

Also: Y!! \o/

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Sammy is super cute and had a great energy, but I just think something didn't entirely click. I actually could've probably taken him home myself because he and I worked out well together, but my mom was a bit reluctant and then the adoption group was being kind of weird about it, so... I guess it just wasn't what was supposed to happen for him. I wish him the best, though, and I'm reassured by the fact that he has a great foster home for as long as he needs it, until the perfect person comes along for him. ♥ I wish I could take both Sammy and Tilly, but I know there's no way that would work out, especially because border collies are so high energy that having one is (NO LIE) like having four dogs. This is why they're pretty common in shelters, because most people don't know what they're getting into when it comes to these dogs.

AND THEN DOG SAID...LET THERE BE DOGSPAM!

[wao.livejournal.com]

I can't say I'm much of a dog lover, but I feel like giving a good pet and a hug to Tilly :D That's definitely a lot of amazing coincidences there and you'd be more than capable enough to take good care of her even without meeting her (assuming nothing really dumb happens).

And it really sickens me to see people have pets and just toss them away like that. It's disgusting. I don't see why people should make a big deal about me not being fantastically polite to everyone (particularly small kids - they're people too, they'll learn to deal without being treated like speshul snowflakes)... and probably not think less of someone who just abandons their pets like that. I've always wanted to take care of cats and it saddens me to see people with that lucky opportunity do really horrible things to them. :(

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you like her as well! And it's fine to be a dog or a cat person specifically, I think--all the more time and energy for the particular animal you do love, instead of me who is like "LET'S GET INVOLVED IN OSTRICH RESCUE! AND HEDGEHOG RESCUE! AND STURGEON RESCUE! AND..." Okay, not literally, but you get what I'm saying. I agree that my family is the sort that can handle a dog even without meeting them first. We did foster care for years, which means we'd literally just go down to the shelter, pick out a dog, make sure the dog got along with our dog, and then take them home for a few weeks/months. It's a situation that requires a lot of adapting and understanding, so this by comparison (where we at least know more about the dog and she'll be settling in for good) almost seems less risky.

It really is. I will never understand how people can betray the trust of an animal like that. I don't like babies myself at ALL and I'm disgusted and horrified by them, but even then I don't belief they deserve to be hurt or abused or abandoned, so it just boggles my mind that anyone can have the ability to hurt, abuse, or abandon an animal who relies on them for everything. And you're right, it's amazing how backwards society is about things. If you say you don't particularly care for children, people get all uppity and weird about it, but if you say you "had to" get rid of your dog or cat for [insert stupid reason here like peeing on the carpet] a lot of people wouldn't even think twice about that. Perhaps I should go around saying I had children but got rid of them because they made a mess in the bathroom or messed up an item I liked or something. That's partly why I grow so frustrated. There is a long, long, LONG way to go before animals gain the respect and consideration they deserve as other conscious, fully-feeling species that share the planet with us. We are just animals, too. We're all at the same level because we all feel and are conscious, and no matter how "smart" or "evolved" humans believe themselves to be, there are still base animal instincts like any other animal underneath all that.

[bjango.livejournal.com]

Awww, so cute! >w<
I hope it all works out!

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Yes, she is! I'm sure she'll be even cuter in person, too. :D

Thank you! I'm pretty sure it will but you never know.

[kirarakim.livejournal.com]

Aww she is so adorable ♥

I am really excited for you :)

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Thank you! She is! ♥

[galenchia.livejournal.com]

:D ~ ♥

Hooray!

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Indeed! \o/

[koyaaniisqatsi.livejournal.com]

Awwwwh she looks so cuddly. ♥

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

She certainly does! I'll find out tomorrow. :D

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Yes, she's really cute! :3

[scorpio-alice.livejournal.com]

Omg, it totally is those signs you were looking for, I feel really good about the dog as well. I got chills when I read her name totally perfect. ^_^
Being as it is Saturday and you posted on Friday have you gotten the god yet? call me sometime :P we still need to plan a trip to tahoe and reno for some amazing sushi ^_^. Oh and Phoebe says hi and is trying to stop me from typing by laying over my wrists :P.

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

I agree! I knew I would know when it was right and things would just fit, and the name really is the perfect sign I think. :D

Unfortunately the lady picking up the other dog decided not to get the dog, so Tilly is still up in Nevada, but we're leaving in the morning to go meet her and get her!

Yes, we definitely have to plan a trip at some point! And give Phoebe a hug for me. ♥

[scorpio-alice.livejournal.com]

Call me whenever. I usually can be reacted on my cell except for Tuesday -Thursday from 9-3 cause I work in a warehouse and there is NO reception anywhere in there. * totally gave phoebe a hug for you*

[placetohide.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it seems like adopting a new dog is all falling into place for you!

I don't think I could handle a site like that one at the bottom, that's for sure. I already feel terrible because I can't have a dog, and I hate knowing there are dogs out there that I could be helping, if only temporarily, if my roommates weren't crazy cat people. :[

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

It certainly is! Thanks Mark. :D

Yeah, it's better not to go to that site right now. I really admire what it's doing because I think people need reminders that it's actual individuals dying in shelters (as opposed to nameless, faceless statistics), but it's really hard to go to when you know you can't do much. Eventually you'll reach a point where you can get a dog, though, and when that right time comes I'll bet the right dog will appear for you as well.

[sakura-nek0.livejournal.com]

wanwanwanwan

[slashaddict.livejournal.com]

That dog is unbelievably adorable :3

Just letting you know that I got the taffeta pika and meowth keychain! Feedback: the package was sent to the wrong name D: and meowth's tail is broken off D: BUT I'm really happy with the package anyway! Thanks so much for the little Squirtle items, too! b^_^

[pacificpikachu.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I'm glad they got there safely! I'm sorry to hear about addressing it to the wrong name (the note perhaps didn't go through? That happens from time-to-time) and it's too bad about Meowth's tail--it was certainly intact when I stuck him in the package! I guess he was jostled a bit in transit. x___x; I'm glad you're forgiving of my little mistakes--they happen occasionally. ^^;

[slashaddict.livejournal.com]

Yes! I was so happy to receive them~ I love Taffeta Pika! You're right about the spot--it's barely noticeable :3 He's so soft and squishy~ I'm just going to superglue Meowth's tail, too. He's great~ Thanks for the bags, as well! I love Torchic :D

Anyway, you seem really nice! Want to be LJ-friends? Any friend of animals is a friend of mine. :)

[mei-san.livejournal.com]

Yes, you certainly have to find the dog that feels right. You know I thought Tilly looks quite like Hana, but then I haven't seen that many pics of Hana. That's a clever name you came for up her too ^___^

Yay for bank account! I thought you'd have one already since you definitely have a credit card right? For all the online shopping an all ^__^