This will bring tears to your eyes

[Guest Anonymous]

Not sure if anyone has seen or posted this, but I had this sent to me in email a year ago and had to save it. I can't read it without bawling...

"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 have 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 goodbye 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 dog speak, 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
you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of. I will think of you and wait for
you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.
The End

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 America's shelters. Anyone is
welcome to distribute the essay for a non-commercial 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. I appreciate receiving copies of newsletters which reprint
"How Could You?" or "The Animals' Savior," sent to me at the last postal
address below. 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 & neuter campaigns in order to
prevent unwanted animals.

Thank you, Jim Willis Director, The Tiergarten Sanctuary Trust, accredited
member of The American Sanctuary Association, and Program Coordinator,
International Society for Animal Rights. email: [email][email protected][/email] "

[sixjollydogs]

:( I just could not read your post...although it is a wonderful and should be read by all . I have read it before and it did make me cry. What makes is so sad is that there are so many wonderful pets that are betrayed by their owners who decide they are no longer cute and cuddly and "get rid of them". :evil:

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh I know! I've had this email for over a year and EVERY TIME I read it (including last Thursday), I can't control my emotions...Here I am, sitting at working bawling and wishing I could be home with my Kenzo and Kika. :cry: Then I think about how I could NEVER do that to them, or even find them a new home. Makes me even more sad to think about when I had to give my cat to a new home (6 yrs ago) because I was SO allergic to him that I would have asthma attacks 20 minutes after going home (even with prescription allergy pills-didn't know I was allergic to cats until after I had gotten him).... :cry: I'll get the allergy shots if I ever have that problem with my babies. I have no children (my husband has a daughter, but we only get to see her everyother weekend :cry: ) of my own, at least not HUMAN children. Kenzo and Kika are my children, and always will be. Most people think I'm pathetic, the way I talk about them and treat them. :x Um, no. I guess they just don't have that bond that we dog lovers have....

[Guest Anonymous]

You want tears? go to the breed index at [url]www.petfinder.org[/url] and then think about the misbreeders here who plan to have more pups that go to low quality homes for the owner to make a buck - mixbred or purebred unless you really know what you are doing I'm with sixjollydogs - spay or neuter your pets!

[Guest Anonymous]

I go to that site all the time and look...and wish I could take them all home with me. :cry:

First time I ever went to an animal shelter I left bawling.

Can't even watch Homeward Bound with out crying at the end when Shadow finally makes it home.

Actually, a person I worked with recently got a pet off of petfinder.org! :lol:

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='gigishiba']I go to that site all the time and look...and wish I could take them all home with me. :cry:

First time I ever went to an animal shelter I left bawling.

Can't even watch Homeward Bound with out crying at the end when Shadow finally makes it home.

Actually, a person I worked with recently got a pet off of petfinder.org! :lol:[/quote]

My feeling is the more people who know about that site the more shelters will have better adoption rates instead of higher kill rates.

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='Anonymous'][quote name='gigishiba']I go to that site all the time and look...and wish I could take them all home with me. :cry:

First time I ever went to an animal shelter I left bawling.

Can't even watch Homeward Bound with out crying at the end when Shadow finally makes it home.

Actually, a person I worked with recently got a pet off of petfinder.org! :lol:[/quote]

My feeling is the more people who know about that site the more shelters will have better adoption rates instead of higher kill rates.[/quote]

I agree with you 100%! Check this sight out. It's a few hours away from me.
[url]http://www.animal-lifeline.com/[/url]

[Guest Anonymous]

Petfinder.com does REALLY well for the shelter I work at. We are constantly getting emails about the dogs, and the adoption rate has really improved =)

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='gigishiba'][quote name='Anonymous'][quote name='gigishiba']I go to that site all the time and look...and wish I could take them all home with me. :cry:

First time I ever went to an animal shelter I left bawling.

Can't even watch Homeward Bound with out crying at the end when Shadow finally makes it home.

Actually, a person I worked with recently got a pet off of petfinder.org! :lol:[/quote]

My feeling is the more people who know about that site the more shelters will have better adoption rates instead of higher kill rates.[/quote]

I agree with you 100%! Check this sight out. It's a few hours away from me.
[url]http://www.animal-lifeline.com/[/url][/quote]

Well I can certainly empathize with their desire to help these animals but as I have done rescue a really long time, I truly question the wisdom of spending money to help seriously defective animals when healthy ones are dying daily for lack of homes, and whelping out pups to add to the mixbred population needing homes does not seem wise to me, nor does forcing a heartworm positive dog to nurture pups seem kind. But its a point of view issue - looking at the bigger picture for a long time has undoubtedly affected my views on this. Not to say the defective dog isn't the one that ends up staying with me 9 times out of 10 :wink:

[Guest Anonymous]

I can see your point. Letting them live, is that better? BUT, I have such a hard time with the death of any animal (except bugs), that I see the other point of view as well. My dad hunts deer, and I hate it. Sure, I understand the need, over population, starvation, etc, but I still hate it when he proudly tells me he got a deer. At least the meat is eaten.

A few years ago there was a freaky raccoon in my parents backyard (it was Christmas Day and I was visiting). He was standing on his back legs rocking back and forth, in the middle of the day. Dad knew there was something seriously wrong with him so he called the sherriffs department and they came out and shot him. I cried so hard...to kill an animal...but then again, I understand that this animal was not "right" and he needed to be put down.

I guess other than my cat allergies, this is one of the reasons I've never chosen a career with animals. I couldn't bear to put one down.

:cry: I went with my friend in January to help her put her dog down (he was very ill) and that was the worst experience I think I've been through.

So, I understand the need to do this (humane), but I also understand the need to NOT do it (humanity).

Either way, I don't like the fact that it has to be done and that there are millions out there waiting in line for their turn as well.

With that said, I am now off work and have to go see my happy, healthy, fixed (well, he is, she will be this month) dogs!!!! :lol:

Take care, and keep loving those four legged friends as much as you do.

[Guest Anonymous]

I just finish reading the story "How could you?" and I want to say thank you. I have a dog called NewNew she is a maltese x scottish terrier. After I read your story, I can have a better understanding of dogs point of view. :roll: Thank you again because now I will try and do things that will make my dog more comfortable and happy from a dog point of view. :angel:

[imported_Cassie]

:cry:

How sad, and how true. I will cross post this, what a tear jerker.

[ellieangel]

Wow that is too sad :cry:

[Bronxie]

I've seen this a lot of times and I never bring myself to read all of it, though I know how it ends. It's really sad. I can't wait to go home and hug Elle and give her a big kiss. :cry: