[TeddyGrahams]

im so mad!! I have done rescue since 2003 (I was 17 when I started), I lived at home with my parents when I started but I fostered and ran many transports as well as coordinated adoptions, home visits, etc. Over the years i've met amazing friends and I /thought/ I set a good example for my younger sister. I moved out many years ago and am now married and live out of state, I still foster and transport and my own dog, Teddy, is very well cared for. WELL my younger sister, who is 19 almost 20yrs old, still lives with our mom and has had a chihuahua for 6 years. The dog had been in good care until my sister got a boyfriend this past year. A few weeks ago I was visiting family and I saw the dog. She looked AWFUL!!! she had a big ulcer in her mouth, she lived OUTSIDE (4lb chihuahua living outside against the elements ugh!), she was not on heartworm or flea prevention and she was infested with fleas. I was horrified, I asked my sister if she fed her and she said "I wait till she finishes whats in the bowl" The bowl was covered in slug slime because obviously at night the slugs would eat her food. The dog was so skinny! Nonetheless when I looked in her mouth I saw the ulcer and realized she probably couldn't even eat crunchy food.

Im so embarassed that this is my sister!! Our mom is never home and expects my sister to be responsible for her dog, after all she is 19 and living at home, jobless, her only job is to go to college. Which she was only taking 9hrs! I talked to my mom and she told me that she has been begging my sister to re-home the dog so she can have a better life, but my sister is selfish and said the dog loves her. Yes, the dog loves her and obviously senses the change since my sister got the boyfriend. While I was visiting the dog was crying all night while outside. I wanted to bring her inside but my sister said no, since her room had fleas (WHICH TEDDY WAS IN THAT ROOM AND HE CAME HOME WITH FLEAS!! I've since treated him and he's flea free now.) Finally my sister called me a week ago and asked me to help her find a better home for her dog. I emailed 250+ people i've met through rescue and within an hour I found a rescue that would take care of her. I refused to rehome her without the proper care so now the dog is in rescue and today the rescue updated me.

The dog has severe heartworms, severe dental disease (only 4 teeth!), emaciated, flea infested/anemic, and she looked like she is 15yrs old and not 6. I just am so angry right now. Why? BECAUSE ALL OF THIS CAN BE PREVENTED!!! Insurance is important for emergencies but I realize not everyone can afford it. Especially since my jobless sister leeches off my mom and gets $100 a week as "allowance" but she spends the money on her boyfriend and world of warcraft. She could have bought the flea/hw prevention individually each month, gone to the free rabies clinic, saved her money and got her a dental every 2yrs....but NO. Now the dog has to go through the HW treatment but the rescue says they feel she might not survive it. The worst part is that I HAVE WARNED HER COUNTLESS TIMES to take care of her dog! I feel that I made a good example but obviously I failed.

If you read through this whole thing, this is just a vent. I've done what I could other than rip my sister a new one. My husband has been very good at restraining me but I don't know what will happen for christmas. I'm just so upset and embarassed. Please let this be a lesson for those who don't think that the basic things like shots,dentals,flea prevention and heartworm prevention are afterthoughts. They are not, dogs NEED them and this should be MANDATORY in order to own a pet. Check your dogs daily. I run my hands across Teddy's body, I check his teeth, I palpate his belly, gently but it's routine to know my animal. Know yours. dogs are not just animals. They give us so much more.