Stop it!

Not you...
Because if you read my blog you must love animals!
But the people who dump their pets at my park (I work for the National Park Service as well as run Furrie Fotographie) make me see RED!

As most of you know, Max was an abandoned dog that I brought home... goodness, a month ago!?!? I fell in love over the two weeks we had him and then we found him a home. Unfortunately that didn't work out so we now have him again and are planning on keeping him. He needs lots of playtime but I think we can handle it!
Max wasn't the first dog that I ever brought home from the park.
This was:
Pardon the quality but it was taken with Chris' phone...

That dog broke my heart. She was gorgeous and well trained and loved me. Too bad she didn't love other dogs. The journey to finding her a home was long and horrible and I don't want to get into it here but she found a place with a man and his son. The son had been in a horrid accident in which he was kicked in the head by a bucking bronco. He was still in a wheelchair and going through therapy to relearn to walk and talk. His face lit up when he saw the dog though and he was trying so hard to say thank you. I still think about her every day and hope that she is well and that she is doing as much good for her owners as they have done for her.

So yesterday a shih tzu was tied up to Ribault Monument! Tied there and left all day. I suppose the owner thought someone would take him. Ugh!
A visitor reported him in the morning and when he was still there in the afternoon, one of the rangers brought him over to me. Double Ugh!
Can I tell you how cute he is?!?!!? He's all blonde with a dark brown crazy smushed in face! Who could leave that little face out in the wild?? He was scared and grumpy... who wouldn't be? But with some petting and chatting, he came around. He even rolled over to let me pet his belly!
Of course I'm the mushy girl who can't ever resist. My husband says we need a farm... rather than our apartment that already has two dogs and a cat and now Max as well.
I didn't bring him home. I couldn't. I knew it wouldn't be okay.
But one of my coworkers couldn't resist either so he is at the vet today getting shots and all that jazz. He has two little dogs and a cat at home too but in a house with a yard. Keep your fingers crossed for me that it all works out!

Also, while you are thinking good thoughts for Baxter (it has to be a good sign that Jason already named the little guy!)... please keep Ryder in your thoughts too. Ryder is an 8-month old black lab. I was supposed to do a shoot with him and his two other siblings this weekend but he was having leg problems... possibly his knee. : (

Thanks guys!