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*** Notes ***

This web page will be referenced as part of a limited outreach to our network of friends, neighbors, co-workers, and their immediate contacts.

This is not intended to be an outreach to the general public.

Statements on this web page are made to the best of my knowledge.

Please help this lovable, playful dog "Sunshine"

Would you like to help Sunshine avoid an animal shelter and potentially a life cut short...so she can live the wonderful life she deserves and bring you lots of love and joy?

Contact xxx

Sunshine's Background

Sunshine is a playful, happy, loving, smart, devoted dog

She absolutely loves being with her family, playing, and going for walks

My relatives (her elderly owners of 8 years) love Sunshine dearly, but they're no longer able to keep her

I'm trying to find a good home for her so another relative does not take her to a shelter, where she might eventually be put on a termination list. I've been told that termination is sadly the fate of many healthy dogs over 7 years old, since many of them are not adopted during a shelter-specified time frame. Rescue groups contacted have no foster homes available for pet surrenders from individuals. More info on this topic is available at the bottom of this page.

Based on input from vets and breed-specific rescue groups, she appears to be a Terrier mix. Per online resources, some terrier breeds have an average life expectancy ranging from 13-17 years. After recently conducting a comprehensive wellness exam, her vet estimates she might live 5-6 more years. She has received loving care at my relatives' home for many years, and on-going great care might help extend her life span beyond the average.

Sunshine is energetic and playful at ~10-11 years young, with lots of love to give!

Health: Apparently healthy. Her recent medical records will be shared with her adoptive or foster parent(s).

Shots: Up-to-date on shots

Spayed: Yes

House-trained: Yes

Microchip: Yes

Weight: ~18 pounds

Coat: Nice, full, shiny black coat with tan markings. Short, smooth fur. In photos, the whitish spots on black fur (on her head for example) are places where light is reflecting off her shiny black coat (they are not spots with less fur).

find a good adoptive or foster home

Adoptive or Foster Home

We need to find a good home for Sunshine as soon as possible to avoid a shelter/termination situation

An adoptive home is ideal

Alternatively, a good foster home would be very much appreciated if an adoptive home is not yet available

We can try an adoptive or foster home on a trial basis to be sure it will work well for Sunshine and the adoptive or foster parent(s)

She needs a home with a secure fenced-in back yard

Her previous home had no small children, which is probably best for her going forward also

No other pets lived at her previous home, though she got along with dogs who visited with her there. If you have one or more dogs, we could see how well Sunshine and they get along, and assess their potential to live together.

Some terrier groups recommend no cats or other small pets such as hamsters in the household with terriers, since terriers may see those animals as prey. Per these groups, there have been cases of terriers and cats living together compatibly, but some terriers have harmed cats in their households, perhaps thinking they are only playing.

Special Offer Possible: Support Available for Sunshine at Her New Home

Since I, too, love Sunshine, I'd be happy to discuss support that I might provide if her new adoptive or foster parent(s) and I agree on it, for example:

Buy her food

Pay for her annual exam and standard annual shots

Offer to occasionally take her for walks, when convenient for her parents and me, if her new home is close enough to mine. We live in Plano.

Help cover a portion or maybe all of her medical expenses if the need arises in the future

I would need to periodically assess the costs and her situation to determine how much support I could provide.

If you'd like to talk about the possibility of adopting or fostering Sunshine:

Please contact drogers1000@yahoo.com

Sunshine and I thank you for your kind consideration.

~~~~~~~~~~

Info for Those Who May Be Wondering Why I'm Trying to Selectively Find Sunshine a Great Home

Sunshine needs a new home soon so she won't have to go to an animal shelter and potentially land on their termination list. I've been told this is sadly the fate of many healthy dogs over 7 years old since many of them are not adopted during a shelter-specified time frame.

Rescue groups contacted so far do not have any foster homes available at this time for her. It seems most rescue groups obtain dogs from animal shelters rather than accept them from individuals, but if she goes to a shelter, there is no guarantee a rescue group would rescue her. There is a shortage of foster homes.

I don't want to surrender her to a no-kill shelter or rescue group, since dogs adopted through those venues are still at risk of being taken later to an animal shelter that does terminate dogs. For example, if someone adopts a dog from a no-kill shelter or rescue group and later feels at some point they can no longer keep the dog, they may try to surrender the dog to no-kill shelters and rescue groups but find that they are full with no capacity to accept the dog - some adoptive parents will then take the dog to a shelter that does terminate lives.

Therefore, I'm selectively searching for a reliable adoptive or foster parent/family that would return her to me if they ever need to give her up, so I can try to find her another home again and ensure she never ends up on a shelter's termination list. Hopefully, the adoptive parent(s) would not need to give her up, of course. I'm trying to cover the contingencies. My husband says I should work in risk management. :>)

Partial financial support for Sunshine is available in her new adoptive or foster home