Look at the face in this picture, look really close. A sweet, young dog full of love and life who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Truman entered the shelter and never left. He is the face of millions of dogs that are killed each and every year. Truman lived in the shelter for 9 days. 9 days.. 9 days of looking through steel linked fencing at the outside world. Not touched by human hands. 9 days of not touching grass or lifting his little leg against a tree. No running, no romping. No one knows what he thought or what he wanted to say.
Was he hoping that someone would come get him? Someone would give him a loving home? Did he yearn for that rub on the belly or did he give up once the steel door closed behind him? Where do dogs like Truman end up? The end up piled into a garbage truck and carted off to disposal facilities that dispose of their carcasses in ways you could never imagine. Piles and piles of cold, stiff dead bodies processed into everything from lipstick to dog food to fertilizer. Remember, these are healthy, young adoptable animals that are just like the dogs sold at pet stores across America and around the world.
A friend of mine commented to me the other day, “Why should I adopt a dog at a shelter? Why should I make it my problem, the fact that someone else didn’t want the dog.” The answer is simple, the dog is not at fault and its not a problem. Its a life. Shelter dogs come in all sizes and colors, all breeds and personalities. There are purebreds and mutts.. Its the biggest pet store in the world. There is no problem with them, there are just not enough people who are compassionate enough to go and get them out.
I have a purebred dog that I rescued before it went into the shelter, and it would have. I rescued another dog from the shelter who died after living with me a very short while. I can tell you that my heart was shattered on that day and has never healed fully since. I don’t think I could have loved him more or less because he came from a shelter. He was full of life and spirit, full of love and made my life. I think of him every day. His name was Boots. And, because of Boots I have dedicated so much more of my life to rescue.
Everyone can adopt a shelter dog. If you can’t, you can find someone who can and get one out. Adopting a shelter dog is cool. Much cooler than getting one from a pet store. Shelter dogs have a better personality, have more spunk, have a little bit more of an edge…. and can do anything pet store dogs can do better. They will love you more than a dog from a pet store, because believe it or not, they know YOU rescued them.
I deal with behavioral issues on dogs and I see over and over again the dogs that were rescued have an amazing bond with their owners. I’ve seen dogs that I’ve pulled out of shelters look at me in a way no other dog ever looked at me when I visit their house.
Look at the face of Truman and realize that I came a day to late to get him, and so did a few others. He never stood a chance in the shelter system of today. He was an innocent victim.
BOUND ANGELS is looking for volunteers, warriors for the rights of the innocent victims. Send us an email at [email protected] and get involved. Together we can change the system.