How could you?

The following was inspired by Jim Willis' essay with the same title.
Jim Willis, Director, The Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust, accredited member of The American Sanctuary Association, and Program Coordinator, International Society for Animal Rights
E-mail: jwillis@bellatlantic.net

YOU brought me home in your strong and safe arms when I was just a tiny pup. YOU loved my puppy antics, and I made YOU laugh. I was "your girl", YOU used to say. I ate your shoes and ripped the pillows -- and YOU would shake your finger, laugh, and say: How could you? - and we would be friends again... and I would get my belly-rub. YOU knew that I was just a baby and I loved YOU for that...

I do remember those perfect nights of nuzzling your face in bed when I was growing up. I listened to your worries and your secret hopes, kissing the tears off your face, supporting all your dreams.

Then slowly, your hours away from home got  longer; YOU worked hard on your career, and spend more time with your human friends. I waited every day patiently; to comfort YOU through your heartbreaks and disappointments, to approve of every decision YOU were making. I greeted with joy your every success...

...and I was happy when YOU fell in love.

She was not a "dog person" - still, I welcomed her into our home, showing her affection, and respect. I was happy because YOU were happy. When human babies came along, I shared your excitement. I was curious, and concerned when they cried. I wanted to help and mother them, too. But she, their human mother, thought that I might hurt them, I was just a big hairy thing to her. She would complain about the dog hair around and muddy footprints in the kitchen. And I was told to stay in the back room. When I cried, to remind YOU I was there, YOU said: How could YOU? and YOU put me in the garage.

By then, YOU did not carry my photos in your wallet any more to proudly show around when telling others about us. I was not "your girl" anymore --I was "just a dog",

And then the day came for a big decision; to move to a better town. "It is good for the family", YOU said.

I was so excited to be together again, going together for a car ride...

When we arrived, it smelled of strange dogs and cats, of fear, and desperation. YOU said: "Please, find a good home for her, too bad we can't take her with us". YOU gave me a last pat on the head, and left quickly without looking back. Maybe YOU did not want to see How could YOU? in my eyes, maybe,  I want to believe, YOU wanted to hide the tears in yours.

Ladies in the shelter were nice to me. They fed me, of course, but I was not hungry. Every time the lock rattled, I got excited, hoping it was YOU - that YOU had changed your mind... YOU were coming back for me... With time, I was just hoping that it would be anyone, anyone who cared, anyone who would take me home, far from this sad and noisy place. The time came when I knew that no one was coming for me. Visitors were choosing the youngsters to take home with them and rarely even looked in my direction. Finally, I accepted that I was just an old dog that had nothing left to share any more. I curled at the back of my cage to dream of our times together when I still had so much to give, and when we were so happy together.

I hardly heard her footsteps when she came for me at the end of one day. With tiny shred of hope still flickering in my heart, I followed her along the hallway to a room in the back - a clean and blissfully quiet room. She rubbed my ears, telling me not to worry and the last flicker of hope was gone... I knew why I was there.

I looked in the lady's face and there were tears in her eyes.  I wanted to comfort her the way I used to comfort YOU. With the kiss, which she allowed me to give her; I wanted to make her feel better. I was so sorry that I made her cry.

She hugged me, and still crying a bit she told me it was time for me to go to a better place, where no dog is neglected, or hurt, or abandoned, or unwanted... Then I felt the gentle prickle in my leg... With the last bit of strength, with the wag of the tip of my tail, I started telling her  what to tell YOU if YOU ever come back looking for me: I don't want YOU to worry; I want YOU to know that I will wait for YOU at a Rainbow Bridge, so YOU will not have to cross the Bridge alone...

Maybe she did not understand, because the last thing I heard, was her soft whisper: How could YOU?

The End

The above fictional story is just of one of the millions of formerly "loved pets" who die each year in North America's shelters...  I hope that it is not YOU in that story...
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