Dear Old Bill

We don’t know this dear old boy’s name, but we call him Bill.

Bill’s been in this concrete yard for fourteen years. Once he had a companion dog, but when his friend died, he was alone.

After seeing the video a neighbour sent us (below), we went repeatedly to see for ourselves, as we always do, to make sure that he really was there all day, and all night. He was.

His twisted old legs are probably because of torn knee ligaments, often caused by repeated jumping, begging for attention. They would be extremely painful, especially in the cold.

The house is full of people and there is no way into this yard that isn’t alarmed, so rescuing him as we normally would, is not possible.

But we can’t let Bill die there as his companion had, alone and in pain. Our only choice is to offer so much money for Bill, that his owners will let us buy him.

We’ve been told other times, when we’ve been forced to offer money, that we ought make a low offer, and even haggle. My answer is: Ask the dog if he wants us to try to get him as cheaply as possible and risk being refused.

No, the only thing that works is to simply ask how much money would they like for us to be allowed to “adopt” their dog. I am friendly and I’m careful to never insult by criticizing. I say that I had a dog just like theirs, but he died last year and I really miss him, and I just thought I’d ask. And I have at least $1,000 in one pocket to show the owners, and another $1,000 in another pocket as back up.

Sometimes we are told angrily to...! But sometimes it works. And if it doesn’t work we bide our time and watch until something changes and a new way to rescue is found.

With every dog we rescue the vet is always first. Bill will have an exam and a geriatric blood panel done to determine the health of his organs. If he needs surgery for his knees he will have it, even though it will cost from $4,000 to $5,000 for each knee.

If Bill needs to, he will stay in AAS’s care forever to make sure that all his future vet needs are taken care of, no matter for how long or for how much. For almost three decades, that is what AAS has done for all its old dogs. All have lived long, happy lives, though that promise has cost us over one hundred thousand dollars.

But that is what we are here for. No dog is rescued and then killed because it is costing too much to keep it rescued. That is what too many “rescuers” do. We never have and never will.

Please be one of Bill’s rescuers by helping to pay his bills. For Bill’s sake, please go to animaladvocates.com/donate.

There are more Animal Advocates' True Rescue Stories here.