Thursday, May 24, 2007

getting a dog

Recently, I have been just a little obsessed with getting a dog. I don't know why I want a dog so badly. Well, sure I do - they are soft and nice and they will always love me no matter what.

BUT...they do bark and poop and dig and sometimes chew on nice things.

I have been calling newspaper ads about puppies and checking the humane society website. I have been reading a puppy book that Paige lent me. I have even started to not let the "oh god" dogs bother me every time they start barking - which is EVERY TIME someone steps into the alley. But it's fine - I'm fine with it. I am changing how I think. I love dogs.

Tonight I even visited the humane society. As I walked in the smell almost turned me around. Then I just stood there - looking at all the cages of cats. So MANY cats. The woman pointed me to the dogs. I walked down this narrow hall to the dogs and opened the door. There was a German Shepard puppy sitting there only moving its head up to look who had come in. There was an old fuzzy poodle whose eyes followed my every move. And then there was a beagle that kept bouncing up and down up and down and trying to hold back its excitement but finally letting out some barks. Tears started to well up in my eyes and I couldn't take it anymore. I ran out of that room as fast as I could.

They were so alone.

And there was nothing I could do to help them and it was so so so sad. I am crying right now just thinking about them. Who were these dogs and why were they there? What happened to the people who had them before? I was so sad thinking that no one would ever adopt them and take them home. I went there knowing I could not have taken one home but I went anyway. I felt selfish for going and for looking at them helpless in their cages. I couldn't take it and as I drove home crying I knew I shouldn't have gone, I wasn't ready.

2 comments:

amanda jane said...

ok anne, i must admit it does sound very, very sad. but, for all those dog-lovers out there, who will likely post and tell you to adopt one or maybe even two, i must offer my own statement (having known you a very, very long while):

"blogs, not dogs"

Cheryl said...

I volunteered once at an animal shelter here in Chicago and it was SO sad. And dogs just so much want to be loved, they got so excited just to have someone take the out to the yard to poo and play with them. It was so much sadder to see the dogs than the cats, who seemed more indifferent.