This rather rotund fellow is blind Zach, who came from the same shelter as Darla. After we had agreed to take Darla and just before our transport arrived, the shelter director emailed me to say:
So the luck of this is like getting hit by lightning - we just had another dog that is blind surrendered to us. The dog is approximately 10 years old and has lived with an older woman that passed away this last week and her family surrendered the dog to us.... Let me know please. I will understand if the answer is no, but I had to try.
[People: If you think your family is going to take care of your beloved pets if something should happen to you, think again. We see this all too often. Please don't make any assumptions.]
Here's what he looked like when he was turned over to the shelter:
The shelter took him to a groomer right away, and after getting him bathed and clipped up, they could see he had a very large growth between his eyes.
So last week I took Zach along to Burlington to get that growth checked out, as well as a general geriatric screening so we'd know what kinds of medical issues he might have.
Here's our internal medicine specialist, Dr. Tanya Donovan, holding him for the blood draw:
The good news is that the pathologist found the cells were mostly inflammatory, not cancerous, so we don't have to worry about a tumor at this stage. But it still needs to come out to make sure it doesn't become something lethal later. He'll be having that surgery in a few weeks.
On ultrasound all of his organs looked good, too:
His blood work was all normal as well, so other than being blind, Zach's in great shape. We have him scheduled to see the ophthalmologist in a few weeks as well. At this point I can't tell what he's blind from. I tested his eyes with the Tono-Pen and his eye pressures were on the border between the high end of normal and just above, so he may be developing glaucoma ... though there seems more going on.
Now, enough about Zach's medical status -- let's talk about his personality. As in, there's a lot of it! He is a bundle of love and affection, and is so very sweet. He actually likes to roughhouse with us, pawing and twirling and trying to get us to play with him. It's just endearing. When I was taking photos of him in the dog room this morning for this post, he could tell I was sometimes down on my knees for various shots, and he thought I was inviting him to roughhouse. He's wonderful with all the other dogs, too.
He seems to really like Darla, too, as if he knows he has her to thank for coming here!
Zach looks good to me. One of our beagle's many nicknames is meatloaf for obvious reasons. Some dogs like Zach can carry the look off. Even our vet says ours is "solid".
Posted by: Bob | May 24, 2013 at 07:57 PM
I believe the state of N.H. allows for pets to be beneficiaries of their owner's will. That's a good way to see that they don't get packed off to the pound. They own it "all" whatever that may be and the rest of the family better be nice! :) :)
Zach, you are awfully cute and it sounds like you have a personality to match.
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | May 24, 2013 at 03:05 PM
Welcome Zach to the best home you could ever have! What a cutie, he looks like an ewok in that one shot. Kudos to you both for your wonderful doggie heaven!
Posted by: Katy | May 24, 2013 at 01:45 PM
Welcome Zach! It was certainly his lucky day. He looks like he has settled right in. I'm sure the grooming helped him feel a lot better, and his new home is no doubt much more active and interesting than his older one. Keeping fingers crossed that his blindness is curable.
Posted by: Tonya Allen | May 23, 2013 at 06:44 PM
Thank you to the shelter director for thinking of little Zach (he looks to be full blooded Shih Tzh) He now has some playmates to share his life with. Welcome home darling baby Welcome home. Thank you both for all you do. P.S. This is bittersweet for me as his face looks exactly like my darling Shih Tzu Bradford who passed away last summer.
Posted by: Mae - Jefferson City | May 23, 2013 at 05:34 PM
Such a bunch of cuteness!!! Welcome to the Farm, Zach!
I,too, have a provision in my Trust that designates caregivers for my dog(s) who survive me and also includes a bequest for their upkeep. (Inclusions such as these are easily done in a Trust; I have no idea about inclusion in a Will.) If anyone tried to take my dogs to the pound, I would come back and haunt them!!!
Posted by: Shirley and dachshunds Sunnie & Dieter | May 23, 2013 at 01:34 PM
Good Morning and **WELCOME** to cute little Zach!! Lots of ((( HUGS )) sent to you dear one!
Posted by: Valerie | May 23, 2013 at 11:47 AM
WELCOME HOME ZACH WELCOME HOME
Posted by: Eric | May 23, 2013 at 10:43 AM
Welcome Zach! He's too cute. I'm glad to read that, save for his eyesight, he's in such great shape.
Posted by: Ashley | May 23, 2013 at 08:53 AM
Very important point about people assuming family members will step in and take care of their pets if they die. I am involved in rescue and currently fostering a 14 year old cat. Her owner who had the cat since a kitten passed away at 93 years old and the family was going to bring "Sissy" to a shelter. Perhaps a blog post in the future about what to put in place in the event of your untimely death (I say include all pets in your will!!). Thanks for all you do.
Posted by: Trisha | May 23, 2013 at 08:08 AM
"Bolster-shaped" dog. I love your description!
Anyway, welcome, Zach. I'm so glad there was room in the Inn for you after getting dumped. Life is good.
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | May 23, 2013 at 07:58 AM
Welcome to doggy heaven, dear Zach!
You sure look cute!:-)
Thank you so much, Alayne & Steve, for just being the great human beings that you are.
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | May 23, 2013 at 05:29 AM
He is adorable. What you said about family not taking care of your pets after you die is so true. A gentleman I worked with recently passed, his family took his dog and cat to the pound. We (his co-workers) raised money to get them rescued and two wonderful team members stepped up to give them loving homes. Made me and my husband start thinking about preparing for our "babies" if something should happen to us.
Posted by: AZ Fan | May 23, 2013 at 04:13 AM
Oh, gosh, Zach is adorable...he's a little chunky monkey! In that first picture he looks like he's ready for a good ole' roughhousing session. I'm so glad he made his way to you with Darla and that he seems healthy and happy. Looking forward to an update on both Zach and Darla's exams.
Welcome to RDF, Zach!
Posted by: Ann | May 23, 2013 at 01:42 AM
OMG what a difference. Welcome adorable ZACH!
We have gone to an attorney and each one of our pets is in our Ttrust as to where they will go and how much money is designated---they are very well provided for--this ALWAYS gives us peace of mind when we travel.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND and will never understand family members can have such little regard for the deceased family member's pet. When my sister passed we took in her VERY old 14 year old BIG lab and he lived with us 7 more months. We already had 2 big dogs too!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | May 22, 2013 at 07:05 PM
Again with the new kid info and accompanying cute photo! Again with me sitting in front of the computer crying in the middle of the afternoon! And yes, again, me giving thanks there is a special place in this world called RDF! Welcome to sweet Zach!
Posted by: Mary H./Washington state | May 22, 2013 at 05:47 PM
Welcome to Zach, the bolster-shaped dog! He sounds like the life of the party. May he fare well at RDF along with all the others.
Posted by: Moon Rani | May 22, 2013 at 04:47 PM
what a sweet face and such a cute personality! if I was the woman who had passed away, I know whose house I'd be haunting... ;)
best wishes for both him and Darla!
Posted by: Jessica, NL | May 22, 2013 at 04:32 PM
What a little barrel of sweet stuff! I'll bet it's been a long time since he got to really play. He's home, he's loved, a wonderful future for the little man.
Posted by: Miranda Brooks | May 22, 2013 at 01:02 PM
Welcome Zach! Steve, your point about family taking care of your pets when you are gone is a very good one. Just because they love you does not mean the rest of the family loves your pet the way you do. Hard to think about, but a reality.
Posted by: Anne in FL | May 22, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Well talk about endearing! That first photo of the little fatty is precious. And now he has a great summer haircut. Who could not love him. And he's probably happy to roughhouse and play. It's probably his personality to be outgoing and playful and maybe he gained the weight when his older guardian was not able to play with him. He seems so happy already. We'll be awaiting the news of his and Darla's eye exams. Welcome Zach!
Posted by: Barb Ribinski | May 22, 2013 at 12:13 PM