In Loving Memory of “PETE”

For Pete’s Sake Rescue is in memory and honor of Pete, a young, handsome retriever mix that fell victim to euthanasia at a high kill shelter in Tennessee.  

Verbal arrangements in place with the shelter, Pete had a pre-approved foster home waiting for him and I could not wait to get off of work to pick him up. Imagine my dismay when I ran up the steps of the shelter to give him a hug and a home when I heard  “we put him down” earlier today.  A broken promise to me and to Pete.  My heart sunk, I felt weak and burst into tears.  Pete came so close to a furever life of love and happiness.

As rescuers, we cannot responsibly take on anymore animals than we have a place to house them, either foster homes or boarding facilities.  We gauge each week who we think is on death row and make arrangements for that animal to get out of the shelter.  Each week is a gamble. Foster homes and finances are scarce, which limit which dogs we rescue.

Pete was young and vibrant, just getting a start.  Dumped at the shelter by someone who no longer had time for him, his last days were not his best days. When I visited him, he always wagged his tail and knew that I was a  friendly face and loving heart.  Just waiting for the foster home to open up, we were so close to providing Pete with a safe, secure and caring home. We failed Pete. But for his sake, we formed our rescue to honor this fun loving pup that never got a chance to run and play in a furever home (he was less than a year old when destroyed).  Rescue animals give back ten-fold as they seem to know what it is like to be on hard times.  They love us no matter our mood, what type of house we live in, or how much money we have or don’t have.