Rescue Basenji: Almost One Month

Almost every free minute of the past two days since coming back from Manhattan has been dedicated to moving into month two with Guru. After a great dry run with his sitter the previous week when I went to L.A., I was convinced that it would be smooth sailing while I was in New York for four days. It was a disaster, with aggressive behavior and the sitter saying he could not continue the relationship when I am in Portland next week.

When I called the rescue group to seek alternatives, she said that there was no one in the network that could take him on. Then, after a long sigh, she said, "It sounds like we will have to have him put down." I refused to accept this as an option and pushed her, demanded of her that she seek every option to not make this happen. After a few half hearted options offered by her, I spent a couple of hours on the phone seeking out every high end behaviorist and sitter in town, all of whom are far more skilled and three times as expensive as the previous affable but not highly skilled previous sitter.

Tonight, as he sits next to me in his favorite crescent moon position, it's hard to see how anyone could even consider having him "put down" as an option. We are not out of the woods, and I have yet to sign on the dotted line. My hope is that soon I will sign on the dotted line to make him a permanent part of this household. Regardless, I am intent to be part of making certain that he will be able to have a full, well adjusted life in a loving home -- whether that is mine or someone else's.