Steve and Robin have adopted a puppy named Ethel.
They now have a Lucy and an Ethel

I can’t fix this picture alone, but one of my personal goals is to make some sort of dent so the following story – a common one at shelters, no longer happens as often:

A random person comes into Chicago’s Animal Care and Control (simply put, the city pound), and dumps a litter of gorgeous but clearly not well cared for sneezy, itchy and wormy puppies. PAWS Chicago (a no renowned no kill Chicago shelter) picks up the pups.

What’s wrong with this picture? Well, for one thing it happens all the time. Certainly, these pups should have been better cared for, it’s actually to there benefit they were scooped into the procession of PAWS Chicago. But, of course, these pups never should have been in the first place. The mother of these dogs should have been spayed.

Well, Robin and I were looking at adopting an adult dog. We were considering Brittany rescue – but after losing Chaser (the dog I can weep still weep for instantaneously – and probably will always miss her more than I can say), we were just not ready for another Brittany. Maybe one day.

Another reason for going for adult was that we didn’t want to do the ‘puppy thing’ again. And, also, you’d have to be an idiot to adopt a puppy in Chicago in December (and as it turns out the coldest early December in over 50 years).

Well, call me an idiot (you won’t be the first).

So, why this dog when were planning on adopting an adult? Whether it’s the fact that this litter was clearly part Australian shepherd (Lucy is a miniature Australian shepherd – and we love Aussies), or maybe because I figured a puppy might ultimately be less threatening for 11 ½-year old Lucy to deal with. Maybe it was this particular puppy’s amazing calico coat (I figured Roxy our cat may like that). Perhaps her blue eyes wooed us. She’s been spayed, and she’s about 8 weeks old.

Her name: Ethel.

My fantasy, a life time ambition, may now come true. When Ethel is old enough to go to the dog park, I can call my dogs:

”Lucy, Ethel, come! I have some ‘splainin’ for you!”

Ethel has a new home – and just in time to be home for the holidays!