Scattered Thoughts From A Maryland Cottage

Scattered Thoughts From A Maryland Cottage
The Yin and Yang of Thankfulness

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Adopt a family pet...



Please consider adopting an animal from a local rescue or shelter
- they need homes and families NOW. I don't know whether you've ever taken a tour of a local shelter but it is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. They have pure-breeds and mixed breeds of every shape size and disposition waiting to be love and love you right back. We adopted "Spice" a Chesapeake Bay Retriever (now 13 - gray and grizzled) from a family that had too many dogs for they neighborhood covenants. They were tying her in the basement with a phone cord that had grown into her leg. She still shies away from peoples hands. "Elaine", "Thomas" and "Jasmine" are from shelters. "Jasmine" was removed from an elderly lady's home that had 67 cats. She had no hair on her ears or tail from fleas and pneumonia. "Palmer" is from the Delaware Puppy Rescue and he was removed from a backyard breeder at an auction. I won't deny it's not free, it's an adjustment for everyone, it takes patience - but the love you are given is so much more than you will ever give... that is the gift of an animal's love. When our "Annie" was dying of Cancer last summer she was down to 35 pounds from a healthy 60 pound Chessie. My husband and I dredded taking her to the vet because she kept eating and rallying. She would sleep all day but bark and run to my husband's truck when he came rolling up our hill, tail wagging. We just didn't know where the last remnants of energy came from. When we said our good-byes, she was ready and the vet explained "animals are different than we are - you have no idea how much energy they are capable to giving us just to show their love." WE were wearing Annie out so we let her go. Our gift to her was to help other dogs - her gift to us was devotion and teaching us that humans should be more like their loyal pets.
Aren't we lucky? Do all dogs go to heaven?


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