Tag Archives: humane society

13 years


it was 13 years ago today that ivan said goodbye to his friends at the humane society on 59th st. and headed 4 blocks south  for his new home at 340 e. 55th street.  he was wearing a little yellow rain coat that the staff gave to him as a farewell gift.  i remember our walk down second avenue like it was yesterday. while holding his leash in my right hand, bursting full of puppiness, ivan sped down the avenue while i tried to keep up, schlepping his crate stuffed full of his belongings in my left hand.  the entire way home i kept thinking  ”wow, you’re mine.  you’re going to live with me.  i have a dog.  you’re mine.”

funny how i thought he belonged to me.  it didn’t take long for me to realize that he didn’t belong to me at all, but i belonged to him. he stole my heart and now owns it completely.

ivan, december 8th 1999

he was the cutest thing i ever saw.

ivan’s first day at home

and he still is!  happy day boo!

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ivan, december 2010

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ivan, e. 52nd street, 2012

ivan, e. 52nd street, 2012

“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
- Helen Keller

the inept society


i know they are doing the best they can.

they are probably over worked and under staffed.

their work environment is crowded, loud and stinks like dog pee - so instead of ranting, getting over emotional, screaming at the top of my lungs and possibly hurting someone, i will simply state the facts.

ivan has cushings disease.  in april the vet said he could wait until symptoms worsened before having to go on meds.

symptoms: panting, excessive hunger, excessive thirst, excessive peeing, among other things.

by excessive, i mean he needed to pee a river every two hours – until it became every hour and 15 minutes – or less.

monday:  ivan gets blood test at humane society. he is there from 8:30 am until 6:00 pm.

i am told results may be in on tuesday, if not, call on wednesday.  i am rationing ivan’s water and he is panting a lot.

tuesday:  ivan peed in the lobby on his way to get out the front door as fast as he could.

wednesday:  after calling 3x and being put on hold for so long i had to hang up due to fear of going over my allotted  at&t  minutes for the month, i finally waited it out and around 5:00 pm i got through.  i left  a message for the doctor.  he did not return my call.  ivan peed in the elevator just  1.5  hours after he had last been out.

thursday:  called 8 times during the day and got a busy signal each time.  ivan peed in the kitchen 1 hour after we had been out.  it is his very first  ”accident”  since i got him in 1999.  i am no longer giving him water, only ice cubes.  he goes to his water bowl every 15 minutes or so to check the water status.  ivan woke me at 4:00 am to take him out.

friday:  i called at 9:30 am and the line was busy.  i decided to walk to the humane society and wait for the doctor in person.  after waiting over an hour, i had to rush back home to let ivan out.  i did not see the doctor but felt confident that the receptionist would not forget to tell him i had been there looking for meds.  ivan peed on the carpet in the hallway while waiting for the elevator.

saturday:  i was put on hold 4x by the inept humane society receptionist and hung up each time after five minutes.  at 3:30 I called back and held for 19 minutes and 50 seconds before the receptionist answered.

receptionist:  ”thank you for holding, how may i help you?”

me:  ”this is my 18th time trying to get through to doctor rubenstein, who promised to have test results for me on wednesday, and i’ve just been on hold for 19 minutes and 50 seconds!”

receptionist:  ”that’s actually not bad, our average hold time is over 30 minutes!  and dr. rubinstein doesn’t work weekends.”

Ivan Thanksgiving 2008 026 (2)

it has been challenging to remain zen in the city . . .

Difficulties increase the nearer we approach the goal”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe     

a new designer dog


they used to be called mutts.  and it always seems as though their owners are so proud of their designer pet brand.  kind of like owning a genuine hermes.

ivan and i just met a very cute 8 month old puppy on first avenue. a tiny little long haired golden ball of cuteness.  when i asked what kind of dog she was, her owner prouldy told me she is a hybrid - dachshund and  yorkie -  she’s  a  ”dorkie.”

i just wish i had my camera so i could show you a picture  .  .  .  .  of the woman.

here are some more mutts i found online:

Beabull (Beagle / English Bulldog mix)
Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle)
Biton (Bichon Frise and Coton de Tulear)
Boggles (Boston Terrier and Beagle mix)
Bull Russel (American Bulldog / Jack Russel Terrier mix)
Buggs (Boston Terrier and Pug mix)
Carlin Pinschers (Muggins (Pug / Min Pin) mix
Cavallons (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Papillon mix)
Cava-Tzus (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Shih Tzu mix)
Chinese Frise (Chinese Crested and Bishon Frise mix)
Chi-tzu (Chihuahua/Shih Tzu mix)
Chonzers (Bichon Frise / Schnauzer mix)
Chorkie (Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier mix) aka Yorki-chi, Yorky-chi
Chug (see Puha below)
Chuggles (Chihuahua, Pug, Beagle mix)
Chug-Tzu (Chihuahua and Pug and Shih-Tzu mix)
Cockalier (Cavacocker) (Cocker Spaniel/Cavalier King Charles Spanel mix)
Crusties (Chinese Crested and Yorkshire Terrier mix)
Dachsadors (Doxadors) – Miniature Dachshund and Labrador Retriever mix
Deagle – (Beagle and Dachshund mix)
Dorkie (Dachshund and Yorkshire Terrier mix)
English Bulldog and Boston Pug mix
English Bulldog and Boston Terrier mix
English Bulldog and Olde English Bulldogge mix
Foxxy T Poms (Toy Fox Terrier / Pomeranian mix)
Golden Chessies (Golden Retriever Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix)
Golden Labradoodles (Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and Poodle mix)
Havachon (Havanese and Bichon Frise mix)
Havahuahua (Havanese and Chihuahua mix)
Havorkies (Havanese and Yorkie mix)
Jug ( Jack Russell Terrier and Pug mix)
Lachons (Lhasa Apso and Bichon Frise mix)
Lhasaliers (Lhasa Apso and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix)
Maltese mixes (Variety of mixes year round)
Maltichon (Maltese/Bichon Frise mix)
Maltipom (Maltese and Pomeranian mix)
Maltion (Maltese and Papillon mix)

i don’t know if i would ever get another dog.   if i do,  i will consider a crustie havorkie,  but i know i will never find a better breed than this:

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“Breed a Boxer with a German Shorthaired Pointer, you get a Boxershorts. A dog never seen in public.”

 - Good Dog! magazine