A. Wray (Taking a Break)

I recently rescued a Border Collie mix from a VERY bad situation and had the "rescue" owners tell me at first she had been checked out by a vet and was fine. Then after having MANY questions about the state of their facility (there was around 30 dogs in stacked cages in ONE small room, with kibble on the dirt outside and no other signs of feeding/cleaning), I heard one of the dogs cough. She explained to me the dog had been treated for kennel cough and is through with the required antibiotic treatment, but still coughs quite a bit.

She HAS A VET APPOINTMENT tomorrow but I am thinking about reporting this "rescue" and need more information to do so. Here are my questions:

1. How do you treat kennel cough?

2. How should the dog react afterward?

3. How do you report a mill like environment masking itself as a "rescue"?

I had several other key tips that this wasn't a good place for people to leave pets, but will add that info if people ask (or email, not enough characters to type).

I know there has been a lot of problems lately in the dogs section and would really hate to see our TC and other great contributers (with or without the TC banner) leave out of frustration. I hope this give them the encouragement they need and the realization they ARE appreciated.

1. Please list something you have learned from an answer in the dogs section.

2. What is a reason for the TC (dogs) and others to continue to help those with questions, with all of the negative events that have been happening recently (i.e. freezing, deletion of valid questions, coping profiles, etc)?

My answer: because I have learned a lot about the care for my new GSD and a lot about the bogus myths people have (some of which I myself believed)--thank you (TC banner or not) for improving my understanding of my favorite animal.

1. At what age did you realize you were an atheist?

2. How did you feel afterward (even a few years, just after becoming a non-believer)?

3. What were the circumstances behind that realization (i.e. where you struggling with faith, was it a conscious decision or something you happened upon)?

4. Where you raised an Atheist? If no, explain (please).

5. When was the first time you meet another Atheist?

I'm interested to know what other people's experiences are and how they came to the same realization as I have. I'll post my own answers if anyone is interested, but don't want this to be so cluttered the questions are lost.

Thank you in advance for sharing!