What to do With Your Pets When You Go

Most of you know I’m the proud mama of quite a brood: 8 rescue animals—3 big dogs and 5 cats. Every single one of them has issues—different issues—that make caring for them an amazing dance that I’ve learned how to do over time. I’ve only ever left them overnight and haven’t even done that very often. I’ve NEVER left Finn before (see previous post Rescue Dog: Meet Finn (Survivor)). As most of you also know, I’ve just returned from a trip to the northwest where I went to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday. The biggest stress I had in preparing for this journey was trying to figure out what to do about my fur family.

I’m happy to say I came up with a wonderful solution. My friend, Kathy Kessler, who lives in Massachusetts and knows my kids, agreed to come all the way out to New Mexico to take care of everybody! Thank you Kathy! She arrived two days early so she could watch me do all the various chores. I tell you, I just couldn’t have found a better person to do this. Kathy is kind and gentle and all of my animals, even Skye (see previous post Night Skye) love her. Kelee (see previous post A Three Legged Man of the West), in particular, has the kind of relationship with her that almost makes me jealous. He gives her something we’ve come to call “love eyes.”

Kathy is a writer. Spending a week in the peace and quiet, not to mention the inspiration, of New Mexico was a draw she could hardly refuse. But she mostly did it because she’s a very good friend who lives with her own animals that she loves as much as I do mine. She understood my dilemma and she wanted to help.

So on the day of her arrival, I left for Santa Fe before the sun was even up to meet her at the Railrunner. We’d planned to have breakfast on the Plaza, which we ended up doing at the La Fonda Hotel, considered by many to be Santa Fe’s landmark hotel. An interesting historical note: Reports of an inn on this corner stretch back nearly 200 years, or twice as long by some accounts.

We spent those two extra days walking on the land, with the dogs, and discussing everybody’s various needs and peccadilloes. Just knowing she was going to be there took an enormous load off my mind.

So I was able to leave knowing my kids would be allowed to stick to all their routines, in their own home, and that they would be lovingly tended to. What a huge relief!

But when I checked in with Kathy from the island the day after leaving, she expressed concern about Finn. He was despondent and acting out. Oh no! It appeared my dear boy thought I’d left him and was never coming back. This after having been abandoned before and after having placed his fragile trust in my care. Everybody else had experienced my leaving and returning, but not Finn. My heart broke for him. Kathy assured me that he was fine and that she was giving him extra attention and love. She just wanted me to know.

Being many miles away there was nothing I could do, so I had to put my heartache aside and try not to think too much about it. In subsequent calls the reports were better but Finn was still behaving in ways that weren’t normal for him. My poor, dear, sweet man. I was counting the days before I could get home.

And I want to tell you my homecoming was wild. Everybody was happy to see me, certainly, but FINN nearly jumped out of his skin. He howled in delight when he saw me get out of the car and jumped up and down, all four feet leaving the ground, as I walked in the door. He spun round and round with a goofy grin on his face. And, I swear, if he could talk he would have been screaming, “You’re BACK! OMG! I never thought I’d see you again! You’re home, you’re home, you’re home! Oh happy day!” Then he collapsed, settled in, leaned all his weight against me and sighed.

And me too. I’ve collapsed, settled in, leaned all my weight into this Truchas life and sighed. It is SO nice to be home! I won’t be leaving again soon.

Love to you all,
Jeane