WOW BB 18 cats, if they were all like my tigger I would never have even 1/2" of my bed to lie on. At least my black lab mix lies beside the bed unless I go in before my husband, then my bed is invaded immediately by 68 lbs of dog who refuses to move until my husband comes into the room. Don't have pics of Dill the dawg I can put on the computer but here is THE CAT! I am so pleased to see so many rescued animals, over the years every one of mine have been rescued animals except the very first. Jilly Here is a link that might be useful: Cat who owns Jilly

Thanks, auntiejan & flanative! Ruby's a pip! Her favorite treats are all the usual dog stuff plus sweet potatoe skin, left over butternut squash, and licking the residue from a Haas avacado skin and/or yogurt container. Her kitty pillow is currently headless (again). I've sewed that head back on three times; have decided not to get out that upholstery needle (yet). I'll probably cave in. She has plenty of toys, just loves kitty the best. Her worst garden escapade this year was knocking over 10 fresh hoya cuttings I had laid out in dappled sun. I was devastated when it happened, but am happy to report that the cuttings survided just fine. Here's my favorite picture of her (so far) And an earlier one with her doing the "dobie grin". That big stuffed animal was intended for my great niece, who was horrified by it, but loved splashing her hands in Ruby's water bowls!

I don't think dogs get menopause as they can pretty much bear puppies till they pass on. I have no idea what the problem is, but I have a friend who had a cat that had the same problem, and she spent major $$ trying to figure out what the problem was.... they never found it. He eventually looked like a cartoon bull dog, huge front shoulders to compensate for the weaker legs. I am sorry... it's awful for your baby to be injured! I don't think suing would do anything, you have to be able to PROVE that the vet did it.

Salti, I think it's great that you had an experience with an agency that you felt did not get their responsibilities confused. I can also see why it might be more reasonable for the process to take as long as it did with the breed and situation you chose to adopt under, but not everyone is having a similar experience. Granted fosters have lives and scheduling can be an issue, but part of the responsibility of fostering is making the animals you're fostering available. This was actually said to me a few years back when I thanked a foster for her quick response while we were looking to adopt. As with the OP, if a potential family goes through the process of filling out paperwork, a home inspection and a LONG wait period because they want to bring a dog into their home, I'm more inclined to believe that they are probably a positive placement for a dog and the problem is the agency. Granted, placement is not black and white; finding the right forever home does have a lot of grey areas to consider like the animals history, breed compatibility, family dynamics and yes, environmental situations too but it should be a joint effort to figure that out, not the fosters alone. The OP says they only got to see one dog and never got a chance to see if other dogs would be a better fit for them. If you do the research and read some of the articles on this subject, you'll see there is a negative trend in the adoption world. Too many dogs go unadopted and left in less desirable situations because the "agency" trying to adopt them out is over zealous in their placement requirements. Look at how many people posting here have said they were rejected for one reason or another and subsequently had to find a dog elsewhere. All the dogs that they eventually paired up with are absolutely loved and have thrived in good homes. If a family really wants a dog they will get one in spite of the challenges poised by an agency. The family ends up with a dog but what about the dogs that are left behind? Also whether a rejection is for a good reason or not, it just seems like there are a lot of agencies who don't seem to have much regard or concern for the adopting family. If a family, especially one with kids shows an interest in an animal but doesn't qualify for whatever reason, the agency should at least reach out and communicate their concerns. What if the concern is a minor misunderstanding or there is a simple fix that can make things right? The dog could still have a chance at a good home. Follow up regardless of the decision is just common decency and the families deserve that. Lastly, I wouldn't just assume that a pet adoption agency was right just because placing dogs is what they do. As far as I know there are no requirements when it comes to credentials or certifications for the fosters. Obviously, some are pretty confused about what really matters and what doesn't matter at all.