I can still remember when I had a real home and was part of a loving family. I had a bed and a food bowl and was even given special treats sometimes. My family told me what a good boy I was and I got hugs and kisses and had toys to play with to keep me busy when my family went away. I took long walks and, at times, even got to run and play until I couldn't run any more. And every night I slept peacefully knowing I was loved.
One day that all changed. I found myself in a cage next to dogs I did not know and was being taken care of by people I had never seen before. At first I thought I was just going to be in the new place for a little while, I just knew my family would be back to pick me up. They wouldn't leave me here, they love me. I am part of the family...
Every day I looked for them and every time I heard the door of the room I was in open I strained to see if it was them. But it wasn't. The only people I ever saw were our caretakers and strangers who looked really sad and I never saw again.
Where is my family?
I never went on long walks or got to run and play until I couldn't run any more. I cried and barked a lot and rarely slept at night. I did finally make friends with Barney, a dog living in a cage next to me, and at night we'd sleep as close as we could get to each other and that helped me to be less lonely. He'd been there longer than me and had given up on his family ever coming back for him. But I still hadn't given up on mine.
Then one day one of our caretakers came to get Barney and she was crying. Why was she crying? Barney wagged his tail as he walked away and I barked for him to come back. He looked at me for a moment then went happily on his way. I waited all day for Barney to come back and I cried that night as I laid as close to his cage as I could. I knew he wasn't coming back.
Once in a while some nice people would come to take me for a walk in the dog yard. They would talk about me, pet me and tell me what a nice dog I was. At first I thought my family sent them to bring me back home but they always took me back to my cage and I never saw them again.
I started noticing that one by one, all the dogs that had been brought to live in the cages around the same time I had were leaving and not coming back. Sometimes they left to go live with a new family but most of the time a caregiver came to take them for a walk somewhere--each time the caregiver was crying--each time the dog never came back. I think their family was waiting in another room to take them home and the caretaker was taking them to meet their family.
And then it happened. A caregiver was walking towards my cage and she was crying. As she took me for a walk she told me what a good boy I was. I was happy, really happy, for the first time since I'd been living in the cage. I was going home, finally going home...
Jackie Deems
Shepherdess Blog Copyright 2011
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see
Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm
Written by Richard Carpenter & John Bettis
*According to The Humane Society of the United States, "Four million cats and dogs--about one every 8 seconds--are put down in U. S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.
Many cats and dogs who die as a result of pet overpopulation could have made wonderful pets.
A solution is possible and starts with each of us taking one small step: getting our own pets spayed or neutered. To help stop pet overpopulation further, consider adopting your next pet from an animal shelter."
Most communities have reduced or low cost spay/neuter programs. For more information on these programs contact your local Humane Society or Animal Shelter.
