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<DIV>I've found this thread really wonderful.</DIV>
<DIV>It's been very interesting to read how many of our droolers are over the
puppy nightmare years and are truly appreciative of their seniors.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have on any given day 90- 100 bassets looking for homes. When one
gets adopted, a new hound comes in and fills that spot. Our numbers have
not gone down in well over a year, despite many adoptions and many adoptions of
senior as well as special needs hounds. Of our 100, half are seniors, in
my world I classify a senior as 9 years or older - although you may want to talk
to the 15, 16, 17 & 18 year olds about a 9 year old being a senior.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>All rescue groups have their own criteria, their own adoption fee scales,
and almost all will waive an adoption fee for a great family - although a great
family by definition is one that understands the throat strangling financial
drain that rescue truly is. On any given day we are always thinking to the
future - where will funds come from? Will doors have to be closed?
Can we accept a special needs hound into the program given our numbers and those
waiting to be rescued in the shelters? A vicious cycle and one that keeps
getting worse.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I can firmly attest that heaven is indeed a nice warm spring day, seniors
snoozing in the sun, on beds, under trees and the smart ones - under the AC
vents - and when air traffic goes over, we often have planes circling low - and
circle they do. I have to wonder if they might think we are the Guyana of
bassetdom. lol.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Senior adoption awareness is a very difficult thing for rescue
groups. Many adopters have recently lost a senior and cannot bear another
heartache too soon. Others are of the uneducated mind set of "you can't
teach an old dog new tricks" which is the most ridiculous thing I have ever
heard. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We just had to whelp a litter of pups here - just as Holly Noelle and the
Blizzard pups were leaving to their homes. 5 puppies. Sure, they are
cute when they are born, until their eyes open and they become monster
demons. Please kill me now. Give me 50 seniors over one litter of
pups ANY DAY!!!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The economy is closing the doors of rescue groups nationwide, I don;t know
which group had this idea, but if they can find quality homes for old hounds to
snuggle and snore their lives away - kudos to them! A senior on average
takes 9 months to a year to place, and that freezes up rescues resources,
space and funding.</DIV>
<DIV>We take criticism all the time..... All you have is old dogs! (the glass is
half full crowd)</DIV>
<DIV>We prefer to think that half our population is priceless gems, and we get
them in the golden phase - seasoned to perfection.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dawn</DIV>
<DIV>Daphneyland - where the wild bassets roam (and the seniors snore!)</DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.barniatdaphneyland.org">www.barniatdaphneyland.org</A></DIV>
<DIV>See the Hounds of Daphneyland on Animal Planet</DIV>
<DIV>Groomer Has it - June 6, 2009</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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