On my mind......

I'm going to keep this story 100% anonymous. Recently, I heard some disturbing news about someone who adopted a dog from a pound so that his dog would have a new buddy to play with. When the dogs were introduced, it seems that the "current dog in the home" bullied the new dog. So, instead of this person EDUCATING themselves on how to socialize two dogs and train them to live together, the new dog was taken back to the pound to be put on death row. (This was a breed that is first to go in pounds, that is if the pound will even accept them in the first place. Can you guess what it was? Yeah. NOT sitting well with me.) That's right, the dog was dropped off at the pound it came from because of an owner who was not responsible or selfless enough to learn how to handle two dogs.

I've seen pictures of this dog and his cute face keeps burning in my mind. I'm having nightmares about the poor guy's UNNECESSARY fate and wondering WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD? Seriously, can anyone answer me?

Michelle, who loves animals just as much as I do, and I have been talking about this and other related situations such as people still breeding dogs and cats in this day and age. It is very troubling that so many people in this world are either ignorant to the animal overpopulation epidemic, or know about it and just don't care. These issues cannot be ignored! If you have knowledge and choose not to use it, then you are just as guilty of "putting a dog down" as the person at the humane (give me a break, who are they kidding?) society that literally does it is. I know, it sounds harsh, but think about it. It's the truth.

We live in a very privileged country and are blessed to have the sources for learning that we do. If you do not know how horrible dog fighting is, how many animals are killed a year in U.S. shelters by means you would never imagine, about the baby seals that are clubbed to death in Canada for their fur, that most of the "fake" fur you buy actually contains real fur as well, how to be a responsible pet owner, about spay and neutering your pets, how breeding is really killing the animals in shelters waiting for a home, how our country slaughters horses for consumption around the world.....PLEASE get educated!!! If you do know, DO something about it!

You might feel that you can't change these things because they are so overwhelming, but you can. You can make a difference by sending an email to your congressman about your feelings- there are always bills going through the house to be passed on issues such as these. You can donate a couple of bucks to an animal charity. You can volunteer at a no-kill shelter. You can open your home to an orphaned dog or cat or bird or mouse even. You can be a foster home for local rescue organizations. Whatever it is you can do, DO IT. Every little bit helps. And don't forget to TALK. Tell people about these awful things and what they can do to help. Spread the knowledge and act on it. The only way anything will get done is by word of mouth and action.

My great grandma always said that "we are all God's creatures." We were given a voice....a voice to speak up for the animals that are not able to. A voice to make a difference. A voice to tell your best friend how good of a dog (cat, fill in your blank) they are and how much you love them.

It breaks my heart to think about how the poor dog in my story was SO close to having a home and a good life, and then to have it ripped out from under him for no other reason than pure ignorance and selfishness.

SO..........I know that was a little long and lecture-y, but I'm using my voice. Because the dog that was taken back to the pound cannot. He doesn't have a voice to say how awful it is to not have anyone love you. I'll say it for him.

I'm sure I have offended a few people with my opinion, and that's okay. I don't mind....Because I am "a weird obsessed animal person." Swear. :)