Two older Irish Wolfhounds in Austin need home

[macybean]

This was posted in the Austin Pets Alive! No-Kill Handbill, a nightly email that goes out to rescuers in Austin, TX. I asked if I could repost it here and received permission from the poster. She has been in contact w/ a rescue in North Texas, and they found a potential foster in San Antonio, but that person has a small dog, which these two won't get along well with most likely. If anyone can help these babies, please let me or Mairi know:

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Irish Wolfhound Rescue in Austin?
I have a dear friend whose parents have recently passed away and left two elderly (8 years old) Irish Wolfhounds, Dublin and Belfast. My friend's mother died a year ago, and her father just passed away last Friday. My friend and her husband are unable to care for the hounds (her husband is terrified of dogs and they have four cats) and are trying to find a rescue group that could take them. They are very willing to provide financial support for their rescue and care. The hounds live in Austin.

Dublin and Belfast are brother and sister. They both have arthritis but are still pretty active (they take daily walks) and can get up and down easily. Belfast has cataracts but is not blind. Other than that they seem to be in remarkably good health given their age. Both dogs are incredibly sweet-tempered, and good with other dogs. I have a German Shepherd and we've gone on walks together several times and been in their home without any issues. The hounds have never lived with cats.

My friend's father had a long battle with leukemia and had made provision for the hounds to be adopted by a friend of his should he pass away before they did; unfortunately this friend recently died of lung cancer herself. I told my friend I would help her try and find some rescue options if there were any. She will not take the dogs to TLAC, and she is aware that as elderly, enormous dogs, finding a good home for them will be difficult. If any Handbill readers have any suggestions or options for finding the hounds a good retirement home, I'd appreciate knowing about them. You can contact me at mairi_reyer@yahoo.com and I will pass the information along to my friend.

Thanks very much,
Mairi Reyer

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Thanks for your help everyone!
Annie

[Kermit]

If I were ANYWHERE near there, I swear I would take them. Even if it meant I would then have 9 dogs!

[chaos270]

My dad would kill me and I'm too far away..it's so tempting after the three I met today.

[macybean]

Well, if anyone can take them, I can definitely help with transport to the Texas border (anywhere from 5 hours to a day's drive, so it should help).

[longshadowfarms]

Wish I could!  I LOVE IWs!!!  They are such sweet, majestic dogs!  Unfortunately I'm already full in the old folk's home.  I have 3 now who are so old they could go at any time, one of them probably has cancer though it does seem to be growing very slowly.  I've promised them not to add to the mix until they go in peace.  Two of mine came from a friend who died of cancer.  I kind of enjoy seeing them into their sunset years.  Call me a sucker but I like old dogs. Here's to hoping someone can take them!  Bump!

[Leah...]

i am in albuquerque, NM if that is any help. i MIGHT be able to foster them until i found them a new home. would that be to much bouncing for a old dog? at least they would have each other. i would have to ask my mom, so don't get your hopes up, but we all love IWs here, so its a MAYBE!

Leah

[macybean]

I should have updated this post this week. I got an email saying the people who had taken them in had fallen in love with them and were keeping them.

Thank you for the offer, though.