A rescue Dog's Christmas Poem

18 years ago

A Rescue Dog's Christmas Poem

Tis the night before Christmas and all through the town,

every shelter is full - we are lost, but not found,

Our numbers are hung on our kennels so bare,

we hope every minute that someone will care,

They'll come to adopt us and give us the call,

'Come here, Max and Sparkie - come fetch your new ball!!

But now we sit here and think of the days...

we were treated so fondly - we had cute, baby ways,

Once we were little, then we grew and we grew

now we're no longer young and we're no longer new.

So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,

they reacted so quickly - why were they so rash?

We 'jump on the children:, 'don't come when they call',

we 'bark when they leave us', climb over the wall.

We should have been neutered, we should have been spayed,

now we suffer the consequence of the errors THEY made.

If only they'd trained us, if only we knew...

we'd have done what they asked us and worshiped them, too.

We were left in the backyard, or worse -let to roam-

now we're tired and lonely and out of a home.

They dropped us off here and they kissed us good-bye...

'Maybe someone else will give you a try.'

So now here we are, all confused and alone...

in a shelter with others who long for a home.

The kind workers come through with a meal and a pat,

with so many to care for, they can't stay to chat,

They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer...

we know that they wonder how long we'll be here.

We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads...

of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.

Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears -

our friends filled with emptiness, worry, and fear.

If you can't adopt us and there's no room at the Inn -

could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?

We count on your kindness each day of the year -

can you give more than hope to everyone here?

Please make a donation to pay for the heat...

and help get us something special to eat.

The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,

and more of us will, if more people will give.

--Author Unknown

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Comments (10)

brenda_in_tx
18 years ago
Oh lord I wish I hadn't read that ..........
chubby_rat
18 years ago
I was just having a talk with Rover this morning...Larry says I'm weird! LOL! I was asking him if he remembered being in that awful cage and if he remembered when I first saw him and stood and talked to him,crying at the same time....and if he remembered how he wagged his tail and stood up at the front to get me to pet him...He laid his head on my arm and wagged his tail and moaned.He's a moaner when you talk to him! LOL! I think he's happy here,I'm glad we got him.He's such a happy -go-lucky guy.I don't think he misses that cage!
We got him from Gaurdian Angels....a rescue place.
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Trisha, My heart really goes out to you on losing your GENTLE GIANT, McDuff. That's what I feel about St.Bernards.My Bailey also had the bone cancer and the vet said since hers was in her front leg, they could amputate, but because St.Bernards are so front heavy she did not think she would do so well. She said it would probably mastisize (sp?) some place else anyways. It just seemed like it went so fast. They recommended we just take her home and LOVE her for as long as we can and we will know when the time comes to have her put down. We had her an additional five weeks when we knew the time had come. She had stopped eating and drinking. It just broke our hearts. A few months before that we were in Fl. visiting my parents and we met a neighbor of theirs, and he loved to paint. He showed us some of our paintings, and he had a picture of a St. Bernard. I told him how much I loved them and that I had one, he told me to send him a picture of Bailey. I sent it to him and he painted a picture of her for me. Sent it back home with my parents, when they came north for the spring. They brought it back to me and it was just a few weeks after we had to put her down. What a beautiful picture. Your pain is so raw right now, but shortly it will start to lessen and you will find yourself smiling and laughing at some of the antics McDuff and you had. If you do a picture with the poem I would really love to see it. Have a good day.
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I get drop in company all the time, living in a small town. While my coffee is still brewing in the morning I do a 10 minute front house sweep (just in case). Then I chill with a cup of coffee. I usually get up around 5:00 am, and most company doesn't drop by before 9:00. So, sometimes around that time I do a little self grooming so I don't scare anyone. But, my jammies go on as early as 7:00 pm. But, none of my jammies are revealing in any way. So, if I get caught in jammies at least I can still my head out of the door. Gayle
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You can't imagine how wonderful it makes me, and the other volunteers feel, when we do this for a deserving dog or two or three... As I sat at the turnpike Park n Ride waiting for the driver before me to meet me there, I saw many other cars pulling up, and other lucky dogs from other organizations getting into the next car, either to continue their journey or go home with the person picking them up. I'll admit to other pet lovers that I had happy tears in my eyes as I watched those dogs jump around on grass, get a drink, and continue their journey to a loving home. I 'failed' on my very first transport, when suddenly asked if I could foster her for a few days, as the head of NEBR had to go to MA to pick up a large un-neutered male who was heartworm positive. I did, and when that little girl greeted me with kisses, and jumped into my car, it was all over. Brought her home, and my three at the time welcomed her, and I asked if I could adopt her. My BIL said that I did great on the 'transport', but failed the 'delivery' part! Who could turn down this face??
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All of you, this thread has been sooooo helpful. I wish I had the time to address each of you individually. Know that your comments are being read and carefully pondered. Lukkiirish, a group gift would be a wonderful idea. I'm an only child, mom is divorced (and dad passed away last year.) My mom, one of six kids, has one remaining brother who lives several states away, and we only see him every few years. Our formerly tight-knit family has dwindled so much. I did find out the name of the rescue organization last night, so I plan to see what they have to say. As we talked about Shortie I was encouraged to hear that Shortie does get excited to see mom and her Man Friend, enjoys cuddling with them, and now has a routine where he enjoys playing for a half hour or so each night. They live a very routine, habituated lifestyle, so that is in their favor. MF has suggested getting another dog might be helpful, too. Who gives up their well-adjusted dogs, though? Part of the reason they went with a rescue was that the dog would be older, past the puppy stage. Now I realize how important that puppy stage really is! Mom said last night how she wishes she could wave a magic wand and say, "OK, you're a real dog now!" She also made reference to wishing there was a dog whisperer in her area. She will be going into semi-retirement starting in the new year, so technically there would be the time for her to work with the dog. I do feel working one on one with someone who could point out specific techniques to help, in addition to what they might be doing to undermine Shortie's confidence would be beneficial. But if the training involved keeping the dog off the furniture, "putting him in his place", or withholding affection, ain't happening! I really don't think that is the style of trainer I found, though. I wanted the gift to be a surprise...but it might have to come down to some conversation...
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okwriter
18 years ago
Thank you for sharing that... pass the tissues.
msmarion
18 years ago
Thanks for sharing that. Can't see the keys to type. I need tissues.
summer_tx
18 years ago
I'm passing this on to our local SPCA and Humane Society for their next news letters. Thank you. Where's the kleenex.
lindyluwho
18 years ago
Yep, that's a real tear jerker. I will be passing this along too. Thanks for sharing it.

Linda
littlebit_gw
18 years ago
I too am sending it to the Humane Society that we are a very active part in. I may even ask our director to put it on our Pet finders site..

littlebit
Linda Wayman
18 years ago
Here come the tears. I'm going to meet the local leader of Save1Pets this week to give her a donation. I'll also give her a copy of this.

Linda
drewsmaga
18 years ago
As I read this, Holy is laying on the floor at my feet. My DD rescued her last March. She's almost 4 and has a few "issues" still but is the sweetest, most loving being on the planet (OK, I'll clean up the pee when she feels imtimidated and we're still dealing with the jumping up -- those muddy paws.) DD's husband who was getting home early enough from work to let Holly out has gotten an apt. -- and we have Holly. And we've grown so attached to her, even with the "issues" when DD gets an apt. closer to her work and takes Holly back (she misses her terribly) we'll be getting a rescue dog of our own. It's time for another dog. We had 17 yr. old blind & deaf AWESOME Shadow put down 2 1/2 yrs. ago when he couldn't walk and stopped eating and drinking. He was a stray puppy that showed up when the 10 yr old son was walking the 14 yr. old dog! Rescue dogs, even dealing with the "issues" are a blessing (like "stray" puppies that show up.) When Holly goes back to DD, I'll be finding OUR dog (and maybe before she goes back.) Ah, yeah, save a life. . . . (Holly is SUCH a joy! And she was on death row before our DD chose her!)
jannie
18 years ago
Any time you adopt a rescue animal, you save two lives. The one you take home and the one who gets the next space at the shelyer. This is a great poem and a great time to adopt an older animal from a shelter. Older pets are better begaved, usually hwutered, housebrokem, and already socialized.

A rescue Dog's Christmas Poem

Comments (10)

brenda_in_tx

chubby_rat

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