The elderly love pets. I have known this for a long time. I just met
an elderly couple that have rescued five dogs over the last few years.
The funny thing is they are all Maltese. Now the couple didn't plan it
that way.Tthey didn't specialize. It just happened. Maybe people just
don't want to brush them or take proper care. Anyway, they told me the
stories of two of their dogs.

One day they saw an animal, they couldn't tell what kind, across the
street in the park. They went to see what it was. At first they
thought of a porcupine. but as they drew closer  they realized the
so-called needles were sticks and twigs caught in the fur. It was so
matted and dirty and bugs were crawling through the fur. But the poor
animal came to them.Tthen they realized it was a small dog. It had
been eating bugs and digging up earthworms!

The couple took the dog to the groomers to be shaved and bathed and
then to the vet. Daisy came to her new home and found the best of food
and all the love and attention she could want and she never ate
another bug.

Baby had a different type of story. She was bought as a puppy by a
rich lady with no sense or heart who was gone from home 12 or 14 hours
a day. She fed the puppy and let her outside to potty for a few
minutes morning and night. But the shtupid lady didn;t want the puppy
roaming the house and messing with her furniture or anything. So she
kept the puppy day and night in the bathtub.

The tub was slick porcelain. There were no toys to occupy the puppy.
No water or food and no blanket. Just slick, white porcelain...all day
and all night. The puppy could get no purchase on the porcelain. Her
legs didn't properly develop. With no stimulus or love she became
neurotic and depressed and quit eating. That is when the shtupid lady
said, "I paid $700 for you and you are going to eat!" So she fed the
puppy with a turkey baster!

The puppy vomited it up and was near death when the elderly couple
heard about it. They rescued the puppy and took her to the vet. Her
liver was almost gone and the vet gave her only a short time to live.
But the couple took her home and loved her and gave her good food.
That was 3 years ago and her liver regenerated. She particularly
adopted papa and he carries her around in his large, secure hand. She
never developed properly. Her head is bigger than her body, which is
smaller than a Chihuahua. But, other than that, she is healthy and
happy and she adores her new family.

The elderly couple live in a rambling Victorian home with a
wrap-around porch. There are feeding stations on all the porches for
the neighborhood cats. Sometimes deer and wild turkeys visit the
feeding stations. This couple have hearts full of love for God's
creatures and live tv out of every window. :-)

God bless the elderly,
CATherine