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Lend Me A Puppy
I will lend to you for awhile a puppy, God said,
For you to love him while he lives and to mourn
for him when he is gone.
Maybe for twelve or fourteen years,
or maybe for two or three.
But will you, till I call him back,
take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
and (should his stay be brief)
you'll always have his memories as solace for
your grief.
I cannot promise that he will stay,
since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught below
I want this pup to learn.
I've looked the whole world over in search of teachers true And from the folk that crowd life's land I have chosen you.
Now will you give him all your love, Nor think the labour vain Nor hate me when I come to take my pup back again.
I fancied that I heard them say "Dear Lord Thy Will Be Done," For all the joys this pup will bring, the risk of grief you'll run.
Will you shelter him with tenderness Will you love him while you may And for the happiness you'll know forever grateful stay.
But should I call him back much
sooner than you've planned
Please brave the bitter grief that comes
and try to understand.
If, by your love, you've managed my wishes to achieve,
In memory of him that you've loved, cherish every
moment with your faithful bundle,
and know he loved you too.
"To my mind the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."
~Ghandi~
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A Prayer for the Animals
Hear our prayer O Lord ... for animals that are overworked, underfed, and cruelly treated; for all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death.... And for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words.
~ Albert Schweitzer ~
A Walk With An Old Dog
Because you will not be forever
Hope against time though I may
I paint your picture in my memory
Eyes blue with age, muzzle gone gray.
Because you walked with me in springtime
Puppy-clumsy, running free.
As you grew, we grew together
You became a part of me.
Because you shared with me my sorrows
Not understanding, simply there
Often spurring me to laughter
My friend, you know how much I care.
Because the years have slowed your fleetness
Though your spirit still is strong
I promise I will take more time now -
So that you can go along.
Because you do not fear the future
living only in the now. I draw strength from your example -
Yet time keeps slipping by, somehow.
Because the day will soon be coming
When I will no longer see
You rise to greet me but in memory -
You will always walk with me.
by Gayl Jokiel
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My Name Is Sam
On the first day of "Speech" class our professor explained to us that he was
going to leave the subject manner of our talks up to us, but he was
going to provide the motivation of the speech. We would be responsible for
six speeches, each with a different motivation. For instance our first
speech's purpose was to inform. He advised us to pick subjects that we were
interested in and knowledgeable about. I decided to center my six speeches
around animals especially dogs.
Finally the semester was
almost over and I had but one more speech to give. This speech was to take
the place of a written final exam and was to count for fifty per cent of our
grade.
The speech's motivation was to persuade.
After agonizing over a subject matter, and keeping with my animal theme, I
decided on the topic of spaying and neutering pets. My goal was to try to
persuade my classmates to neuter their pets. So I started researching the
topic.
There was plenty of material, articles that told of the millions of
dogs and cats that were euthanised every year, of supposedly beloved pets
that were turned in to various animal control facilities for the lamest of
reason, or worse dropped off far from home, bewildered and scared. Death was
usually a blessing.
A couple of days before our speeches were due, I had the bright idea of
going to the local branch of the Humane Society and borrowing a puppy to use
as a sort of a visual aid. I called the Humane Society and explained what I
wanted. They were very happy to accommodate me. I made arrangements to pick
up a puppy the day before my speech.
The day before my speech, I went to pick up the puppy. I was feeling very
confident. I could quote all the statistics and numbers without ever looking
at my notes. The puppy, I felt, would add the final emotional touch. When I
arrived at the Humane Society I was met by a young guy, named Ron. He
explained that he was the public relations person for the Humane Society. He
was very excited about my speech and asked if I would like a tour of the
facilities before I picked up the puppy. I enthusiastically agreed.
We
started out in the reception area, which was the general public's initial
encounter with the Humane Society. The lobby was full, mostly with people
dropping off various animals that they no longer wanted. Ron explained to me
that this branch of the Humane society took in about fifty animal a day and
adopted out twenty.
As we stood there I heard snatches of conversation, "I can't
keep him, he digs holes in my garden" "There such cute puppies, I know you
will have no trouble finding homes for them." "She is wild , I can't control
her."
We left the reception area, Ron lead me into the staging area where all the
incoming animal were evaluated for adoptability. Over half never even made
it to the adoption centre. There were just too many. Not only were people
bringing in their own animal, but strays were also dropped off. By law the
humane society had to hold a stray for three days. If the animal was not
claimed by then it was euthanised, since there was no background information
on the animal.
As we went through the
different areas, I felt more and more depressed. No amount of statistics,
could take the place of seeing the reality of what this throw away attitude
did to the living breathing animal. It was over overwhelming.
Finally Ron stopped in front of a closed door. "That's it." He said. "Except
for this." I read the sign on the door. "Euthanization Area." "Do you want
to see one.? He asked.
Before I could decline, he interjected, "You really should, you can't
tell the whole story unless you experience the end." I reluctantly
agreed.
He knocked firmly on the door. It was opened immediately by a middle aged
woman, in a white lab coat. "Here's the girl I was telling you about." Ron
explained. Peggy looked me over. "Well I'll leave you here with Peggy and
meet you in the reception area in about fifteen minutes. I'll have the puppy
ready."
Peggy motioned me in. As I walked into the room, I gave a audible gasp. The
room was small and sparten. There were a couple of cages on the wall and a
cabinet with syringes and vials of a clear liquid. In the middle of the room
was a examining table with a rubber mat on top. There were two doors other
then the one I had entered. Both were closed, one said to incinerator room,
and the other had no sign, but I could hear various animals noises coming
for behind the closed door. In the back of the room, near the door that was
marked incinerator, were the objects that caused my distress. two wheel
barrels, filled with the bodies of dead
kittens and puppies. I stared in horror. Nothing had prepared me for this, I
felt my legs grow weak and my breathing become rapid and shallow. I wanted
to run from that room, screaming.
Finally, Peggy seemed to noticed that I
was not paying attention to her. "Are you listening?" She asked irritably.
"I'm only going to go through this once. I tore my gaze from the back of the
room and looked at her. She told me that behind the unmarked door were
the animals that were scheduled for euthanasia that day. She picked up the a
chart that was hanging from the wall. "One fifty three is next." She said as
she looked at the chart. "I'll go get him." She laid down the chart on the
examining table and started for the unmarked door.
As Peggy open the unmarked door I peered into the room beyond. It was a
small room, but the walls were lined and stacked with cages. It looked like
they were all occupied. Peggy opened the door of one of the lower cages and
removed the occupant. From what I could see it looked like a medium size
dog. She attached a leash and ushered the dog into the room in which I
stood. As Peggy brought the dog into the room I could see that the dog was
no more than a puppy maybe five or six months old. The pup looked to be a
cross between a Lab and a German shepherd. He was mostly black, with a small
amount of tan above his eyes and on his feet.
He was very excited and bouncing up and down, trying to sniff everything in
this new environment.
Peggy lifted the pup onto the table. She had a card in
her hand. which she laid on the table next to me. I read the card. It said
that number one fifty three was a mixed Shepherd, 6 months old. He was
surrendered two days ago by a family. Reason of surrender was given as jumps
on children. At the bottom was a note that said Name: Sam.
Peggy was quick and efficient , from lots of practice, I guessed.
She laid one fifty three down on his side and tied a rubber tourniquet
around his front leg. She turned to fill the syringe from the vial of clear
liquid. All this time I was standing at the head of the table. I could see
the moment that one fifty three went from a curious puppy to a terrified
puppy. He did not like being held down and he started to struggle. It was
then that I finally found my voice.
I bent over the struggling puppy and
whispered "Sam." " Your name is Sam." At the sound of his name Sam quit
struggling. He wagged his tail tentatively and his soft pink tongue darted
out and licked my hand And that is how he spent his last moment.
I watched
his eyes fade from hopefulness to nothingness. It was over very quickly. I
had never even seen Peggy give the lethal shot. The tears could not be
contained any longer.
I left the room. That night I
went home and spent many hours playing with the orphan puppy. I went to bed
that night but I could not sleep. After awhile I got up and looked at my
speech notes with their numbers and statistics. Without second thought I
tore them up and threw them away. I went back to bed.
The next morning I arrived at my Speech class with Puppy Doe. When my turn
came to give my speech. I walked up to the front the class with the puppy in
my arms. I took a deep breath, and I told the class about the life and death
of Sam. When I finished my speech I became aware that I was crying. I
apologized to the class and took my seat. After class the teacher handed out
a critique with our grades. I had got a "A". His comments said "Very moving
and persuasive."
Two days latter, on the last day of class, one of my
classmates came up to me. She was a older lady that I had never spoken to in
class. She stopped me on our way out of
the class room. "I want you to know that I adopted the puppy you brought to
class." She said. "His name is Sam."
~~Author Unknown~~
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Her name was JUBILE
Leviticus 27:23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.
When she came into my life, she had nothing.
No food, no home, no love, no name even. She was a stray and was extremely emaciated; just skin and bones.
She had had a hard life, but she was a sweet cat anyway; mostly black with white markings. She liked to kneed anything soft, including me. She could hardly "meow" right because she was too busy purring, as she followed this stranger around closely. Though her tail wagged more like a dog than a cat, when she was near it was firmly stayed upon my leg.
Though her stay was only two short days, she had much love and attention.
She had her own food bowl, with plenty of good food, which she ate with gusto. She had a water bowl with clean, sparkling water; all she could drink. She had a soft bed to lay upon; suitable for the finest of cats. She had a litter box, all her own, with clean litter to suit her neat habits. She had a heated room; she would not have to endure the cold again. She even had toys, all her own.
And, she had a man's heart, captured in the sparkle of her eyes.
She is at peace now and she has something new; his tears......
Her name was JUBILE
by Gary Schooley
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I Found Your Dog Today
I found your dog today.
No, he has not been
adopted by anyone.
I know you hoped he would find a good home when
you left him
out here, but he did not.
When I first saw him he
was miles
from the nearest house and he was alone, thirsty, and
thin.
How I wish I could have been you as I stood
before him.
To see his tail wag and his eyes brighten
as he bounded into your arms,
limping from a burr in his paw.
knowing you would find him,
knowing you had not forgotten him.
To see the forgiveness in his eyes for the
suffering and pain
he had known in his never-ending quest to find
you...
but I was not you.
And despite all my persuasion,
his eyes see a stranger.
He did not trust.
He
would not come.
He turned and continued his journey;
one he was sure would bring him to you.
He does not understand you are not looking for
him.
He only knows you are not there,
he only knows he must find you.
This is more important than food or water
or the stranger who can give him these things.
Persuasion and pursuit seemed futile;
I did not even know his name.
I drove home, filled a bucket with water and a
bowl with food
and returned to where we had met.
I could see no
sign of him,
but I left my offering under the tree
where he had sought shelter from the sun and a
chance to rest.
You see, he is not of the desert.
When you
domesticated him,
you took away any instinct of survival out here.
His purpose demands that he travel during the
day.
He doesn't know that the sun and heat will claim
his life.
He only knows that he has to find you.
I waited hoping he would return to the tree;
hoping my gift would build an element of trust
so I might bring him home,
remove the burr from
his paw,
give him a cool place to lie and help him
understand
that the part of his life with you is now over.
He did not return that morning and at dusk
the water and food were still there untouched.
It is hours later and a good distance from where
we first met,
but I have found your dog.
His thirst has stopped, it is no longer a torment
to him.
His hunger has disappeared, he no longer aches.
The burrs in his paws bother him no more.
Your dog has been set free from his burdens,
you see, your dog has died.
I kneel next to him and I curse you
for not being here yesterday so I could see the
glow,
if just for a moment, in those now vacant eyes.
I pray that his journey has taken him to that
place
I think you hoped he would find.
If only you knew what he went through to reach
it...
and I agonize, for I know, that were he to awaken
at this moment,
and I were to be you,
his eyes would sparkle
with recognition
and his tail would wag with forgiveness.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
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I Stood By Your Bed Last Night
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew ...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning
and say "goodnight, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out ... then come home to be with me.
~~ Author Unknown ~~
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