As we approach St. Patrick's Day, I am always reminded of this photo of our dog, Moe, that I embellished for the holiday.
Moe was always very easy going when it came to wearing just about anything. We lost him at the age of 16, in December of 2021, and our lives haven't been the same without him.
Was It Luck?
Moe's story with us began on a March day in 2006. He needed a foster home. He was in Massachusetts at that time, a puppy of about 4-6 months old, and very shy. I heard about him through the rescue I was working with and had adopted from in the past.
We just happened to be going to pick up a horse for a young lady in Massachusetts, and decided to foster Moe, as we would be very near where he was currently located. We were approved to foster, and after picking up our equine transport, we picked up Moe. His name was Sherlock at the time.
It was MARCH, after all, and St. Patrick's Day was just around the corner, so maybe a "wee bit o luck" was involved with this story. It's partially why the "I'm a Wee Bit Irish" seemed to work for Moe.
Love Plays Its Hand
Moe basically slept with his head on my husband's lap all the way home on that trip. We delivered the horse to his new barn, and headed to our house to introduce this new, very quiet puppy, to our gang of delinquents. At the time we had 4 dogs: Daisy, Ike, Ollie, and Bethy.
Moe had absolutely no problems fitting in from the moment he met them, and within 24 hours we decided to adopt him. He was a smoochable, unassuming lovebug, who was a pudgy, quiet puppy.
Moe was always very easy going when it came to wearing just about anything. We lost him at the age of 16, in December of 2021, and our lives haven't been the same without him.
Was It Luck?
Moe's story with us began on a March day in 2006. He needed a foster home. He was in Massachusetts at that time, a puppy of about 4-6 months old, and very shy. I heard about him through the rescue I was working with and had adopted from in the past.
We just happened to be going to pick up a horse for a young lady in Massachusetts, and decided to foster Moe, as we would be very near where he was currently located. We were approved to foster, and after picking up our equine transport, we picked up Moe. His name was Sherlock at the time.
It was MARCH, after all, and St. Patrick's Day was just around the corner, so maybe a "wee bit o luck" was involved with this story. It's partially why the "I'm a Wee Bit Irish" seemed to work for Moe.
Love Plays Its Hand
Moe basically slept with his head on my husband's lap all the way home on that trip. We delivered the horse to his new barn, and headed to our house to introduce this new, very quiet puppy, to our gang of delinquents. At the time we had 4 dogs: Daisy, Ike, Ollie, and Bethy.
Moe had absolutely no problems fitting in from the moment he met them, and within 24 hours we decided to adopt him. He was a smoochable, unassuming lovebug, who was a pudgy, quiet puppy.
Archive photo of Moe as a puppy.
Moe loved our Golden Retriever, Ollie, more than anything, and luckily, they had a number of years together before Ollie passed. Ollie loved Moe's toys.
Our Golden Retriever Ollie was the best babysitter for Moe.
Adoption is More Than Luck and Love
As our lifetime story with Moe unfolded, it wasn't always a glamorous plot.
Moe contracted kennel cough, and dealt with whip worms early in life. Once past that, he developed skin allergies that would take us literally YEARS to figure out (with the help of various vets and a skin specialist) and finally conquer for good, at about age 6.
He was always extra-specially good at every vet's office, no matter what the procedure, and all of his vets and staff loved him. BE LIKE MOE, was often the mantra we used in our house with our other dogs, who were not always the picture of cooperation at the vet's.
For photos, Moe was ideal.
As our lifetime story with Moe unfolded, it wasn't always a glamorous plot.
Moe contracted kennel cough, and dealt with whip worms early in life. Once past that, he developed skin allergies that would take us literally YEARS to figure out (with the help of various vets and a skin specialist) and finally conquer for good, at about age 6.
He was always extra-specially good at every vet's office, no matter what the procedure, and all of his vets and staff loved him. BE LIKE MOE, was often the mantra we used in our house with our other dogs, who were not always the picture of cooperation at the vet's.
For photos, Moe was ideal.
He would wear just about anything, and sit where you placed him, never moving until you actually moved him. We had some fun with many things, and, of course, I would always make him wear antlers at Christmas or shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day.
Moe was also the emissary the other dogs sent if we were beyond their treat time clock. He had the best whine, so our hearing dogs picked him to act on their behalf.
In terms of LUCK and LOVE then, it's we humans who feel lucky to have shared part of our life with Moe, and I know he loved us as much as we loved him.
Moe shares a spot with our dog Danny as the masthead of this blog page. They had a special relationship. Moe was Danny's Ollie. I am not sure how much more time Danny has with us, but I AM SURE that when he leaves, Moe will find him.
Adoption Statistics
Some statistics on Pet Adoption are below. If you'd like to learn more about adoption in the U.S., click here.
Americans adopted 1.9 million pets in 2020. Though pet adoption statistics indicate that the number of pets adopted is in decline, fostering has become more popular.
Click Into the Circle
I am part of a weekly blogging group of professional pet photographers located all over the planet. To see what others have blogged about in this week's topic, start here with Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography, Dallas - Fort Worth's award-winning pet photographer, who is lucky to spend so much time with puppies as part of her job. Then find the link at the end of each blog to click to the next photographer.
We are in for a snowy weekend. I hope you have sunshine. Enjoy!
Moe was also the emissary the other dogs sent if we were beyond their treat time clock. He had the best whine, so our hearing dogs picked him to act on their behalf.
In terms of LUCK and LOVE then, it's we humans who feel lucky to have shared part of our life with Moe, and I know he loved us as much as we loved him.
Moe shares a spot with our dog Danny as the masthead of this blog page. They had a special relationship. Moe was Danny's Ollie. I am not sure how much more time Danny has with us, but I AM SURE that when he leaves, Moe will find him.
Adoption Statistics
Some statistics on Pet Adoption are below. If you'd like to learn more about adoption in the U.S., click here.
Americans adopted 1.9 million pets in 2020. Though pet adoption statistics indicate that the number of pets adopted is in decline, fostering has become more popular.
- 1.1 million cats were adopted; 50.4% of them were kittens.
- 871,296 dogs were adopted; 25.3% of them were puppies.
- Nationwide adoptions declined 31% year-over-year (YoY) in January 2021.
- Adoption rates among shelter animals, however, increased 8.9%, due in part to significantly lower shelter intake.
- The foster pet population increased nearly 19% in 2020.
Click Into the Circle
I am part of a weekly blogging group of professional pet photographers located all over the planet. To see what others have blogged about in this week's topic, start here with Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography, Dallas - Fort Worth's award-winning pet photographer, who is lucky to spend so much time with puppies as part of her job. Then find the link at the end of each blog to click to the next photographer.
We are in for a snowy weekend. I hope you have sunshine. Enjoy!
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