Share This:
Hello from The Safe House in Kentucky where yesterday was a balmy 70 degrees and sunny! I get asked about Henry (of mine dogs fame) often and he loves these days. I leave the door to the yard open all day, he sunbathes, convinces his brother to wrestle and play. It is a beautiful sight to behold. Unfortunately Henry’s hip dysplasia has worsened though. He’s started limping on and off and so it will soon be time for surgery. My kids and I will be home in June for our Fur Ball Gala and Henry will have his first procedure while we are there. I know he has captured many hearts, he is a special guy. I will keep our community updated on our FB page as we know more.
The warmer weather has also seen a tremendous increase in stray dogs, especially puppies and the start of kitten season here. This week we hit our 300th animal through The Safe House in 2022. One of them, the young Ike, is bunking in my house. Ike arrived just barely over 7 oz and 3 weeks old. His mom had died and he could eat on his own. He is syringe fed every 3 hours and I’m happy to say he’s doing great and gaining weight.
As you know we have been unable to start the barn renovations due to supply chain issues and skyrocketing construction costs. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise. After being here for almost a year it is evident that our original plans need to be modified. We are taking in far more puppies than we expected. Puppies are the most at-risk in a shelter environment. They have immature immune systems and can’t be fully vaccinated until they are 4 mos old. Our shelter partners work hard to move puppies out of their facilities as quickly as possible for their safety. In a community without a low cost spay/neuter clinic and where most dogs live outside, often unconfined, puppies seem to be everywhere. Our original plans called for more adult dog housing than puppy housing. We’ll be working with a local architect to re-envision the space to better meet the current needs.
Right now I need to go meet a transporter bringing us three very young puppies who lost their mom. We’ll do all we can to get them stable, and then help them thrive. Later today we’ll be heading to one of our partner shelters to assist with animals seized in a hoarding case. This is life at The Safe House.
