A Sad, Forsaken Woofing

A while back Nefarious’s mother got rid of Nefarious’s little Chihuahuas “Timmy and Butters”, and it turns out that they’re up to give away on the Canadian Chihuahua Rescue and Transport website… It made me really sad to see that, and I wish I was in a position to adopt them myself (and I’m very strongly considering doing it anyway!), but I mention it because by all accounts they’re charming dogs (and the most recent caretaker has finally gone to the effort of housebreaking them… mostly) and if someone that I know adopts them in the Toronto area, I’m sure Nefarious would be absolutely thrilled to see them again.

Anyway, click the picture to visit the CCRT website.

It’s sad how many “vanity” dogs are up for adoption… It’s terrible that we treat living, emotional creatures as throw-away objects that we dispose of as soon as they become too much trouble — and all too often repeatedly. Really heartbreaking.

30 Comments

  1. estrojenn wrote:

    terribly heartbreaking. i am a partner in a beagle rescue, and we get more calls/emails every single day than you can imagine. these dogs are often euthanized (the polite term for killed) because a human saw their pet as disposable. i hope you do adopt them shannon!

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 12:11 pm | Permalink
  2. treyci wrote:

    wow. those poor adorable little guys. i hate to see animals that aren’t ‘cute enough’ anymore once they’re no longer puppies or they no longer are easy to deal with for whatever the reason. i have a cat that is a rescue, she was basically thrown away in the garbage (or rather stuffed into a hamster cage that was too small for her and then tossed into the dumpster because they thought she was dead) and she’s now a very loving healthy cat in my house. granted, she can be a pain in the ass but at least she’s loyal and has a good home. i think you should adopt them. nefarious would love it and you know it would make you feel good too. besides, how can you resist those adorable little faces…

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 1:43 pm | Permalink
  3. Danielle wrote:

    Oh. My. God. That is… crazy! I have a Chihuahua myself and I check ccrt.net weekly for my “cute fix”. I love Timmy and Butters and I was annoyed to see that one Butters is overweight. I would put in an application to adopt them both in a SECOND if I could have another dog right now. Unfortunately, living with my parents in a condo and not having much money is making me just able to care for my current dog.

    They actually have my dog’s look alike in foster care at ccrt right now! Sparky. He’s another I’d put an application in for in a second. They’ll get a loving home soon, don’t worry. And if not, CCRT has wonderful volunteers who will care for them until they do find a forever home.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 1:44 pm | Permalink
  4. Danielle wrote:

    I can totally see you walking two Chihuahuas through downtown Toronto ;)

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 4:03 pm | Permalink
  5. Jason wrote:

    Wow! That little chihuahua looks just like my moms! How cute!!

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 5:41 pm | Permalink
  6. Nicole wrote:

    It shows so much about a persona character..

    I hope you end up adopting them, Shannon.

    We currently have a third dog, we rescued Matthews dog that his mother abandoned- it’s alot of work and money but it’s worth it, especially for your child.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 5:57 pm | Permalink
  7. Mars wrote:

    I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. The 3rd cat was a foster cat that I had for several months and then just couldn’t adopt out because I loved him too much. No one on this earth could pry those animals out of my cold dead hands.

    I hate that some people see pets as disposible. They are living beings, not much different than children. When you agree to take an animal, you agree to take them for life. A person that repeatedly buys pets and then gives them away, shouldn’t be allowed to have animals.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 7:39 pm | Permalink
  8. Gracie wrote:

    It makes me sad that so many people view animals from shelters as second-rate, when the opposite is so often true. My cat Gordon was from a shelter, and he was one of the finest people–human or animal–I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 7:48 pm | Permalink
  9. kaie wrote:

    makes me sad to see animals passed around and used like this :(
    I have to agree with Gracie…I think shelter animals tend to have more character and spunk. My dog is a shelter pup and I can’t imagine life without her. I hope you, or someone just as caring, is able to adopt the little guys.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 9:02 pm | Permalink
  10. Violetsoda wrote:

    awww That is very sad. Feel free to drop them through my mail slot anytime ;-)

    The nose nibbling sounds JUST like my chinese crested, Fidel. They’d fit in great here <3

    Very very sad to see any living creature bounce from home to home.

    Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 11:20 pm | Permalink
  11. T.L.E. wrote:

    Adopt them !!

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 1:42 am | Permalink
  12. Allahkat wrote:

    Didn’t the same thing happen to Leeta?

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 5:30 am | Permalink
  13. DON wrote:

    It speaks volumes, I think, about the character of anyone who can treat a poor defenceless animal in such a cavalier fashion. To simply abandon a dog or a cat to an animal shelter – or even worse, throw it out onto the streets to fend for itself as happened with the bearded collie we adopted – has got to be the ultimate act of selfishness.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 7:59 am | Permalink
  14. Nicole wrote:

    Allah:

    She’s gone through numerous dogs. She also had another chihuahua previous to these two cuties.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 8:41 am | Permalink
  15. lilish wrote:

    Why does the CCRT site say they were surrendered from an elderly owner? Is that a mistake or does it make it easier to adopt with that back story?

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 9:42 am | Permalink
  16. Shannon wrote:

    Lilish, apparently the CCRT had been told by whoever donated them (and I don’t know the chain of custody so I’m not accusing anyone) that the main owner of the dogs was an elderly woman that was no longer able to care for them due to illness. Not sure why that mix up occurred or why they were told that.

    Having dogs is a major commitment, so I can certainly understand why someone would choose to give them up (sick and elderly or not). Dogs are marketed by popular culture as cute, fun accessories, and the reality is that most people are very susceptible to that sort of propaganda, and then get in over their heads once the initial charm wears off and the work required to care for them (and do the initial training) sets in. I’m not sure that I’d *entirely* blame the owners who give up the dogs, but no matter what, the dogs are the losers in the situation.

    * * *

    I will make my decision later today, but the good news is that there’s also a nice home in Brampton that’s willing to adopt them permanently, so in this case, no matter how it turns out, they should be happy dogs.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 10:04 am | Permalink
  17. estrojenn wrote:

    re: the comment on rescue dogs being viewed as “lesser” than puppies etc. my experience is completely the opposite. our rescue dog is the *best* dog we have ever owned. he was a mess when we got him (had 7 teeth removed from being kicked in the face by his last owner) and was terrified of everything. its the most rewarding thing to save an animals life.

    oh, and i do entirely blame the owners for giving up their pet. its a lifetime commitment to adopt an animal (just like having a child is a lifetime commitment) and if someone is willing to drop that responsibility on a whim then it really speaks volumes about who they are as a person.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 10:16 am | Permalink
  18. talby wrote:

    That’s a big decision, undoubtedly Nefarious loves her little friends a great deal, but high-rise living with dogs is no easy matter- and even the tiniest ones like to have a bit of outdoor space.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 10:17 am | Permalink
  19. Twwly wrote:

    I hope they wind up in their ‘forever’ home soon. Cuties.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 11:21 am | Permalink
  20. Richard Larratt wrote:

    Shannon

    Let them go to Brampton.
    It’s not about ARI
    it is about what is best
    for the pair bonded dogs.

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 11:33 am | Permalink
  21. Shannon wrote:

    You’re probably right…

    Friday, August 8, 2008 at 6:51 pm | Permalink
  22. Richard Larratt wrote:

    royal jelly
    violin to develop perfect pitch
    chess to develop perfect mind
    tennis to develop hand to eye
    art to teach the eye to see

    I think that is enough to
    assure she’ll be just fine

    and oh yeah
    as nasty as rachel is
    she like kv gave ari
    a gift most are denied

    will-to-power

    Saturday, August 9, 2008 at 8:31 am | Permalink
  23. Dayna wrote:

    I was sooo surprised lloking for piercings to find Timmy and Butters!! I have rescued 2 dogs from CCRT and in fact they were fotered just up the road from me and a good friend of mine was there foster mom!! They are GORGEOUS and if the bi laws here didn’t say only 2 permanent dogs per house hold I would have adopted them in a heart beat!! Thanks for sending out the message about vanity dogs and how cruel it is to have them and then abandon them because something cyter came along or you realized they were not only cute but work!! Thise of us who fight the fight appreciate your words!!

    Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 5:16 pm | Permalink
  24. Dayna wrote:

    Apparently I should look at the screen when I type my spelling is HORRIBLE!!

    Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 5:17 pm | Permalink
  25. wlfdrgn wrote:

    In a wolf ethology class I took some time ago, this issue was addressed this way…

    A wealthy client walks into your vet clinic with her dog. The woman asks you to put the dog to sleep. The dog is three of four years old and is in perfect health. You tell the woman that the dog is in good health and should have years of good, healthy life left, and ask why she wants it put to sleep. She replies, “I just got new drapes in my living room. She clashes with them.” How do you respond?

    Yes, this was based on a real case of a real woman, a real dog, a real vet, and real drapes. I believe the original vet ended up adopting the dog, but it’s way too common.

    Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 3:40 pm | Permalink
  26. Jack wrote:

    There is also the story I heard from my sister (a vet) that a vet lost his license because he told a client he would put his healthy, young dog to sleep but ended up keeping him. The previous owner came across the vet walking the dog sometime later and the vet lost his license for a breach of ethics.

    Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 11:01 am | Permalink
  27. Mimi wrote:

    Whatever happened to Leta?

    Friday, August 15, 2008 at 12:31 am | Permalink
  28. ELY_M wrote:

    I think you should adapt the dogs if Ari can take good care of them. Im sure Ari will love them.

    Friday, August 15, 2008 at 5:16 pm | Permalink
  29. Skylar wrote:

    Im a foster momma for 4 rescues… I deal with this sadness on a regular basis; but remember, once a good rescue has them… the tough part of their lives are over! They will find a loving forever home! Volunteers like myself take it as a personal mission to insure happiness by the babies that were lucky enough to find their way to us! Keep the faith!

    They will be alright, and if you tell the rescue the full truth; they would probably allow Nef to see the lil fuzzbutts! I sure would! (hugs to you both!)

    Monday, August 18, 2008 at 10:06 am | Permalink
  30. Erin wrote:

    Hi, I just happened to stumble across your site when searching Timmy and Butters in google.

    I own Timmy and Butters now, I’m the adoptive mother from Brantford, not Bramptom. My husband and I are like wow, it’s neat to see someone write about them and care about them. They are doing amazing! They are spoiled, and they have a little baby human on the way to take care of. I would love to send you pictures! Let me know, Erin and Scott.

    Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 8:42 am | Permalink
Wow Shannon, that's really annoying! What is it, 1997 on Geocities? Retroweb is NOT cool!

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