Southern Dutchess News March 11, 2009

WAPPINGERS FALLS - Ginny Perre-Dowd and her husband Pete of Wappingers Falls weren't looking for another pet. They have two cats and there hadn't been a dog in the household for three years, but late last year they changed their minds.

In September, CockerPals Rescue had a picture of a blind, female cocker spaniel named Charity for adoption in the Southern Dutchess News. After looking at the picture, Ginny felt compelled to find Charity a new home. "I can't take her, but maybe someone at work can," she said. Ginny indicated there was some interest at work and she thought that Charity would be adopted into a new home.

In late December, Ginny was reading the Southern Dutchess News and she was surprised to see Charity's picture still in the paper. Charity was still in need of a new home. "There she was again," said Ginny. She told Pete, "We really need to let her come live with us the rest of her life."

Pete and Ginny have had many dogs as pets over the years, but decided their two cats were sufficient as house pets, or so they thought.

"This was different," said Ginny. "This was just taking a dog who needed us, rather than us just wanting a dog." Ginny said the reason she called CockerPals Rescue is because Charity is a special needs dog. She's between eight and 10 years of age.

Little did Ginny realize that she would have some extra time to bond with Charity. She broke her leg recently and is home, spending time with Charity.

Pete said he had no experience with a special needs dog and wondered if he and Ginny would be able to care for Charity. "Ginny is the real dog person in the family,"he said. "She more than loves dogs. It's deeper than that."

He was a little ambivalent about the decision, but after he and Ginny went to see Charity, he too had a special place in his heart for the dog. "Okay, let's do it,"he said. "I don't regret it,"Pete said with a smile. Ginny said Pete has done most of the work for their pets. "All the walking, all the feeding, all the medications." She said the bulk of the activity rests now on Pete's shoulders. "They're all (pets) special needs at this moment,"she said with a laugh.

Ginny said the three pets seem to get along. She said Charity can't see the cats and probably doesn't know what a cat is. One of the felines keeps his distance to play it safe. Ginny was considering changing Charity's name to Clarity, thinking with the loss of the dog's sight, the other senses would be more pronounced. Not so for Charity. "Then when she arrived, we realized that wasn't quite the case," she said. Ginny said Charity has acclimated very well since coming to their home. She knows where all the rooms are inside the house, including using the stairs. "Which is so amazing to us," said Ginny.

Charity likes to play with her yellow ball, pushing it around under furniture and around corners with her nose.

Pete said Charity has developed certain routines, including when she needs to go for a walk. "She knows what the word 'outside' means and she gets excited." She also knows the evening routine when it's time to go to bed. "She climbs the stairs (and) comes up to us. Settles herself in a chair right next to my side of the bed."

Charity also knows where the kitchen is. Most pets know that's where the food is. "If anyone's ever out in the kitchen, she will find her way fairly fast and sort of sit or stand between your legs," Pete said. Sheila Van Tine has been involved with CockerPals Rescue for over three years, after she adopted a blind, cocker spaniel from that rescue organization. She has since adopted three other dogs from the group. "It's amazing the need for adoptions out there," said Van Tine. "It's a business unfortunately that will never go out of business." She said the rescue organization is receiving more dogs in part because of the economy. CockerPals Rescue also obtains dogs from shelters that euthanize, attempting to get the animals in time. She said a special needs dog is more difficult to place, like Charity, "because the average person is not going to want to take that on."

Van Tine said she uses the classified section in the Southern Dutchess News every week for dogs that need new homes. She said Charity is the second dog locally that was adopted through CockerPals Rescue. "These little dogs just have so much love to give."

She said a blind dog will be able to survive, "because everything else (other senses) will compensate." When Van Tine adopted her first blind cocker spaniel, the dog had her entire house "mapped out in two days." She said she forgets her pet is blind, because of her ability to adapt.

"People should know what a happy ending we had. There's such a need for adopting dogs versus getting that (new) puppy."

If anyone is looking to adopt a dog of any breed, Van Tine said you can go online to www.petfinder.com. List the specific breed you're looking for, your zip code and the mileage radius. That information will bring up any shelters or rescue groups in your area. The CockerPals Rescue group is primarily for cocker spaniels. For more information, go to www.cockerpals.petfinder.com. That website is listed in the classified section of the Southern Dutchess news.

Van Tine devotes a lot of time to fundraising to pay for medical bills because every dog they rescue for adoption is evaluated by a veterinarian. The animals receive shots if they're needed and if they're not spayed or neutered those procedures are done. Some rescue dogs have had eye surgery as well, before they were adopted. "We make sure that they're (dogs) medically sound as much as we can before we put them up for adoption." Their website also has links for making donations, a sponsor page for a particular animal, online applications for adopting, dog biographies on pets who were adopted and a memorial section for pet owners in the group who lost dogs.

Pete said since Charity has come into their home, his quality of life has improved. "Getting a lot more fresh air than I have in a long time," he said. "Caring for the animal, like it used to be with our previous dogs and cats. I guess I didn't realize that I had missed it."

Ginny said Charity is a gift. "There's always a void in my life, I'm not complete without a dog." She added, "Really and truly we got her to hopefully add to her life."