I didn’t mean to, but that’s the thing about mistakes… nobody really MEANS to make them.
And, as things so often happen, I had really meant well at the time - but it almost cost me my dog.
It started when I came across an article about pheromones helping ease tensions between cats and dogs. Because I’ve been concerned about the ongoing difficulties between Milo and Skimble, the idea of having an additional tool to help me with retraining them made me very happy. I immediately posted a link to the article and a description of the problematic behavior to the Companion Pet Rescue Alumnae Facebook group. I don’t recall exactly what I wrote… perhaps that when he sees the cat, Milo goes very still, staring, before launching into a chase. Whatever I said, though, it certainly got a reaction… just not the reaction that I’d hoped for.
Almost immediately, I had a reply from Molli Bowen, president of CPR. She was very concerned about the safety of my cat, she wrote, and felt that I really ought to return Milo to CPR immediately. They would help me to find a dog who was a better match, she said.
I went cold from head to toe. I hadn’t been asking for sympathy or assistance; I’d been sharing a tool I hoped would help my situation. What had I said that had generated such an instantaneous response?
As I was formulating a reply, my Facebook messenger dinged. This time, it was Milo’s foster mom. She, too, was extremely worried about the Milo-Skimble situation. She couldn’t recall listing Milo as “good with cats,” she said, though it could have been a mistake (the marker for “good with cats” is close to the marker for “good with kids;” that’s what she had been meaning to indicate). She also shared her own experience with a cat-aggressive dog that hadn’t ended well. She urged me to bring Milo back to CPR before something happened that couldn’t be undone.
At this point, I was close to full-out panicking. I didn’t remember exactly what the adoption contract for CPR had said; could they, somehow, force me to bring Milo back to them? Was I about to lose my dog? I called my husband at work, but couldn’t reach him. I left a message. Next, I jotted a quick but frantic email to Donna, the dog trainer I’ve been working with. She wouldn’t be able to answer soon, though. I was on my own. I took a deep breath, forced myself to get into a somewhat calmer state, and jotted a response to both CPR ladies.
I thanked them for their concern for Skimble before saying anything else. That was from the heart; I really did appreciate their caring for my cat’s wellbeing. I explained that were working with a good trainer, one CPR had recommended, and I really, REALLY wanted to give retraining Milo a shot. He was doing very well in obedience class, and we had arranged for a private consultation with Donna about the cat situation. If retraining Milo didn’t work, I said, we would certainly think about returning him to CPR.
By this time, my husband had sent me an email. Take down the post, he said. Take it down, and pull out the adoption contract. Make sure there was nothing in there that would give CPR a reason to take Milo back. And for heaven’s sake, stop posting personal problems on social media. I took the post down.
Shortly after, I heard from Donna. She was putting us on her fast track for consultation- the earliest open time was the end of July, but if she had a cancellation, she’d get us in earlier. Until then, keep the animals apart, keep Milo on a leash inside, and keep working on the commands “stay” and “leave it.” If CPR wanted, she would be happy to let them know her opinion of the situation.
I didn’t hear anything more from the CPR president, though Milo’s foster mom seemed relieved that we were taking the situation seriously. Though I was still nervous, I appreciated the fact that CPR wanted the best for its adopters and adoptees… they’re good folks, and in it for more than just the day of adoption.
But I’m definitely going to be more careful about what I put on Facebook from now on.
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