This is Bill. Bill is an insanely happy dog and about 85 to 90 pounds of mischief.
This is Ted. Ted is Bill's littermate. They have never been separated. Ted is also hyper happy, but he's a little more calm than Bill. However, he's probably 100 to 110 pounds.
This is Try. She is about 14 years old, spayed
This is Emmy, a very sweet and funny guinea pig.
As for the dogs, even though they are going on 4 years old (as best I can remember) they still act like puppies. They are so joyful by nature. If I can get them to stop wiggling and jumping for a second, I can put my hands in either of these dogs' mouths. I can take their food while they are eating and they do not offer to bite or even growl. They have lived here on 100 acres of mostly woods and have had free run of the place. That became an unavoidable reality when Bill, who is a Houdini, busted the chain link loose from the bottom bar of their kennel. I had already been fighting other escape attempts and blocking bent places in the kennel for weeks...after making this huge hole in a relatively new kennel, I gave up and let them go. I live at the end of a low traffic road, so the risk of them getting hit was small. I tell all of this to let you know that I have tried to be a responsible pet owner. They were both neutered at 6 months of age, so it wasn't girls they were after - they just didn't want to be cooped up.
As for Try, the kitty, she's a sweet cat but very timid. I suspect someone threw her around before I got her because she freaks out violently when you attempt to pick her up. I do not want to give her up - I hate to think what moving her will do to her, but I hope she can go to a quiet home where she can have space to adjust. Try has not had a vaccine since I got her spayed approximately 13 years ago because I couldn't handle her to get her to a vet - and this is coming from a prior vet tech who fancies herself a pretty decent cat wrangler. I imagine the only way I got her to the vet back then is because she had kittens and wanted to go with them. However, if some kind person would take her to give her better food and a better life, I will find a way to get her to you. Once she got to know you, you could pet her - just don't attempt to lift her off the ground; I swear she acts like a person with PTSD, that's the best way I know how to describe it. I don't mean to cause offense to people suffering with PTSD by saying that. Whoever takes her, I have a very nice carrier that I got for my other cat (now deceased) and 2 big litter pans to go with her.
As for Emmy, the guinea pig, she's about 3-1/2 years old. She demands loudly that you "bring me a shrubbery" every morning and evening to eat. Her cage and water bottle will go with her. I'm having to feed her a lot of grass because buying pellets is getting harder.
I wasn't poor when I got these animals. I worked for a vet when I first got Try and had employee discounts, then after that I worked for a good company that paid perfectly decent money and provided benefits, so I saw my way clear to add to my pet population. I lost the good job 3 years ago and have been trying to make it since, but I have just come to the point that I can't do it any more. The job I have now is part-time at minimum wage. I drive 40 minutes one way to get there, so you can imagine my gasoline expense. I'm basically making just enough money to buy the gas to get there. I had family helping me out, but now that family member is retired and he can't afford to send me much money. I just can't make ends meet any more. It's one thing for me to eat ramen noodles and do without, but these poor animals are innocent. I want the dogs to have good quality food and their shots, flea and tick, and heartworm prevention kept up-to-date like it's supposed to be. I want Try to have good food and not be desperately itchy any more. I want Emmy to have what she needs. I hate it that I can't do for them anymore. I'm ashamed.
If any of the numerous pet lovers that I know hang out here at the Kos could take any of them - or if you know someone else that could - please email me at yzetta @ yahoo dot com
I live in West Virginia, so it needs to be someone here or in a neighboring state - I will go as far as a tank of gas will take me in order to meet someone part way if I need to. I really want to find them good homes. I will let the dogs go separately if I must (I can understand most people not wanting two huge dogs at once) but since Bill and Ted are litter-mates and have never been separated, I'd hate to do that as it would be heartbreaking for them.
When my power was out during the storms, I came to realize something - I can make shift for myself; it was worrying about whether they would die of heat stroke in this all-electric trailer that I couldn't handle. So, if they are not here, AEP can go ahead and cut my power off for nonpayment and it won't matter.
I just want them to have better than I can give them. Can you help me with that? Thanks.