"How Could You" (a must read)

A man in Grand Rapids, Michigan incredibly took out a US $7,000 full page ad in the paper to present the HOW COULD YOU? (By Jim Willis, 2001)
I believe it is worthy of being passed on to all animal lovers. It is awake up call for prospective pet owners to evaluate and give consideration to as what the pet has to look forward to if the owner falls down on his/her commitment to the pet (cats included or any little creature).


How Could You?

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. ...

Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?" -- but then you'd relent and roll me over for a belly rub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were
terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of
nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and
I believed that life could not be any more perfect.

We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream
(I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I
took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the
day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more
time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you
through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad
decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in
love.

She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -- still I welcomed her into our
home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you
were happy.

Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was
fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them,
too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my
time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love
them, but I became a prisoner of love."

As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and
pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated
my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and
their touch -- because your touch was now so infrequent -- and I would've
defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and
listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the
sound of your car in the driveway.

There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you
produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me.
These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had
gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every
expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they
will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the
right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only
family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It
smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the
paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged
and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a
middle-aged dog, even one with "papers."

You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed, "No,
Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what
lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and
responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely
refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and
now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably
knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me
another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?"

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules
allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago.

At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it
was you that you had changed your mind -- that this was all a bad dream...
or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of
happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and
waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and
I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet
room.

She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My
heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a
sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears
weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her
cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years
ago.

She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting
and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked
into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She
hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a
better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to
fend for myself --a place of love and light so very different from this
earthly place.

And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my
tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her. It was directed at
you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait
for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much
loyalty.

----------------------------
A Note from the Author:
----------------------------

If "How Could You?" brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to
mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions
of formerly "owned" pets who die each year in American and Canadian animal
shelters.

Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a noncommercial purpose, as
long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice.

Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal
shelter and vet office bulletin boards.

Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important
one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding
another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any
local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and
that all life is precious.

Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay and neuter
campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. Jim Willis

 

Someone posted this on the old forum a while back and it was as sad then as it is now to read. It does made you think though.

 

Very sad and unfortunately, very realistic. :cry:

 

Your a good man Jim Willis, thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

:cry:
That was so sad...
Sniff...Sniff...

 

that was so sad....

 

That was really sad. :cry:

 

So sad but so true

The tears are still running down my face.... :cry:

 

Absolute reality. Every day, in every city. Animals are a lifelong commitment. Spay and neuter them so that fewer instances of this story occur. Congratulations and gratitude to the man who paid for this to be shown to thousands of people.

 

This is soooooo very sad !
Most humans have NO resepct for animals.
ugh...I am in tears !

 

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

thats horrible :cry:

 

just saw this post...computer has been down.

couldnt read the entire thing. made my heart hurt.

 

I couldn't read all of it either, Im crying to hard as it is now... :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

Wow...(somethings you shouldn't read at work) I had to finish reading this in like 3 separate pieces.
This is the type of thing that needs to get distributed on people's doors rather than chinese food menus.
People who participate in forums such as these are the people who will always do what they can for their pets.
I know someone who has this dog (well she hasn't been taken to a shelter yet and I don't think she will be) it's sad to know that a loved companion can become just an animal in someone's eyes.

 

Its true.. its heart-wrenching how people dis-own their animals so very very quickly... When I was 5 or 6 we had a dog named patches that my dad took to a shelter "in the best intestest of the family"... best intrest of the carpet is more like it, I think thats the longest time i'd ever gone withotu speaking to my dad, I guess when your 5 or 6 or even 30 grief like that is so much easier to distrubuite in anger.. I still havent quite forgiven him for it even when I try I remeber how we were rather well off back then and he could have easily got her some training. well thanks alot for posting it, im not very emotinoal when it comes to things bescides physical pain but this makes my chest ache which is just as bad.