The coming of Nyx

This time we signed a foster contract so that we can be sure we're on a good path prior to the final adoption decision being made. Cayley has named this brindle-coated young lady Nyx (pronounced "nicks"), after the Greek goddess of the night. She's one year old and, if I average out the staff opinions, she's a Catahoula / Australian Shepherd mix (the dog we had for 14 years when I was a child was predominantly an Australian Shepherd and I immediately noticed behavioral similarities).


We picked her on the basis of personality after visiting her across two days. She clearly remembered Cayley when we returned today, and she refused to leave Cayley's side after our arrival. She's definitely more calm and responsive than the dog we attempted to adopt last year. Totally unexpected bonus: she comes fully-loaded. Her previous owners allegedly had to travel for business and could not keep her, but they made sure she had every possible vet bill paid in full prior to dropping her at the shelter (which is what I did with last year's dog - spent hundreds on her to maximize her chances of re-adoption by a more suitable owner). She's had every shot and parasite treatment, is already spayed, and is heartworm-negative.

The Galveston County shelter told me that they have taken in almost TWO THOUSAND abandoned animals so far this year - and it's only mid-April (for comparison, there are only about 280,000 people living in the County). That's an average intake of almost three animals PER EACH HOUR that they are open for business. They are overwhelmed. Nobody, neither the staff nor a volunteer worker, would hint at how many of those animals are actually adopted back out. The staff said, "We do what we can." The volunteer lady said, "I don't have the courage to know [how many are euthanized]."

Fingers crossed that Nyx works out.