DUMA

Hmmm, where do I begin...?

This story is about my dog named Duma.  A dog that has been with me for quite some time and has done nothing but strain this household each and every way.  Why do I keep him?  Because I love him and he would just move on to the next family and take his bad habits with him.  So, I live with it.

It all started almost 11 years ago when we were just finishing up on building the house. Two big scary looking dogs showed up out of the blue and start hanging around. They looked like large pit bull mixes. Well, next thing you know, I started to feed them.  Probably the biggest mistake I ever made.  Anyway, before you know it, they continued to lounge around the pool, the driveway, under trees, and where-ever else they desired.  Eventually taking off for hours, then only to come back again.  This went on for days and no one seemed to care nor be looking for them.  Gypsies they were.

The last thing I wanted was another dog. Let alone 2 more!  We already had a 7 month old puppy, Major at the time, Molly my one eyed dog, a 7 month old baby, along with 3 other boys and 3 cats. (My zoo at the time pictured below). At that point, I think that was more than enough to handle.  But apparently not.  Dan, my ex, felt it would be good to adopt these two as they would protect our home if kept outside.  We planned on fencing in our lot and figured it wouldn't hurt. I still felt it was the best interest to call the pound, have them picked up, yet let them know we would be interested in adopting both.  This way the owners may possibly find them or we get them back.  Well, less then a week later, Duma and Buddy were our newest pets. 

Duma

Buddy

Molly

Major

Max

Magic

Monty

Then the nightmare began.....

The fence was up and they still continued to run off to who knows where.  Duma jumping the fence as Buddy dug under.  This began to put a big stress onto myself and everyone else.  Four dogs and four boys?  How much more can I handle?  Thankfully, Dan placed wire under the fence to stop them from digging, which worked for a bit, but by then, it didn't matter.  I left for a weekend to Wisconsin as my Mom covered me, and on the first day I left, they ran and away and Buddy was never to be seen again.  Sadly, I clearly remember looking at the both of them at 4 in the morning before my flight. Talking to them, asking them to stay good and not run away.  That I loved them and will be back soon.  In my gut, when I looked into Buddy's eyes, I felt that would be the last time I saw him.  And it was. 😢

I spent practically my whole vacation on the phone trying to track down those dogs.  Then I get a phone call days later.  The police had called Dan at 2 in the morning. Duma had been found on the side of the road miles away, apparently hit by a car.  He was covered with mosquitoes and clearly injured. Buddy was no where to be seen.  Later I found out they had been in that neighborhood many miles away, just visiting everyone as they usually did.

I came home to Duma lying in my office, leg completely swollen and in pain.  Why my ex did not take him in for help, I cannot understand to this day.  I took him in immediately and tests revealed his leg had been severely fractured and I had a choice to either spend $5,000 for surgery or $1,500 to have it amputated.  Well, duh, I took the latter.

Since then, fast forward 10 plus years now, and Duma continues to run away at any given chance he sees.  Three legs and all.  Sometimes I think he continues to run to find Buddy.  I never gave up on that search either.  I spent months doing flyers and visiting shelters all around.  But he vanished without a trace. Even having a microchip in, to no avail.  Very sad really.  I do miss Buddy. I miss him alot.

Thankfully over that time Duma did have another buddy, and it was Major.  They spent a good ten years together and became brotherly-like.  Molly too, but she was my dog, never leaving my side, so really they had no relationship.  I put Molly down back in 2010 of old age.  She was my sunshine and lived to almost 17 years.
 

Major and Duma November 2016

To this day, Duma has to be chained up with a runner. He can't go out and run with Major like he used to.  Major never left the area.  Maybe to take a dip in the canal and come back, but that's about it.  Sadly Major was put down this past November.  He was only 11, but had a good life.  I had to put him down because he had been fighting a cancerous growth in his mouth for too long.  It was maintained for months but it got to the point the antibiotics and steroids could not longer work. Picture above was Majors last night. 😭

So back to Duma.  The icing on the cake happened just yesterday, February 16th.  Years of continued running away, being picked up by numerous neighbors or the pound, it was both his last and my final straw. I just didn't want to take another day dealing with this dog.  This past week he had run away four times and thankfully three of the four he was returned.  The last was unfortunately the pound.  I knew a $200 fine was coming and I was truly ready to surrender him. I couldn't deal with him any longer.  Especially now, him knowing how to open doors in the house.  You know, the lever type handle.  One paw up, push down, and tah-dah!  Door opens.  FREEDOM!!

So this was my post on Facebook yesterday while I was leaving Domestic Animal Services.  The post speaks volumes....

DUMA - My 3 legged pain in the butt!

4 Hours of pet ownership class (Save $107 to attend)
3 Offenses as a frequent flyer (runaway)
2 New door handles so he can no longer open them -$48
1 citation that cost $100 (Discount $50-get out of jail card)
Free continued reprimands to my kids that can't lock the doors! Ugh!

TOTAL-$98 bucks plus class.
(Oh, and they laughed and gave me a free leash. Hahaha)

Next offense.... Court!!

As you can see, I couldn't surrender him.  Though I did ask what would happen if I would.  They said at his age and record, they would euthanize him.  I couldn't bring myself to do it.  So for now, all I can say is, wish me luck!