No Dog Left Behind

I know the economy is bad and seems to be getting worse, not better. I know that you have your hands full just coping day to day. But, I have a plea to make to you on behalf of my brothers and sisters all across the country. From the bottom of my heart, please don’t leave us behind. What I mean is, please keep us in the family.

Many humans are placing their furry companions in shelters or even tying us to highway signs hoping that someone else will take care of us. Even pet euthanasia is being used to cut down on family expenses.

We understand tight economic circumstances. We really do. And we know you are trying to care for us in the best way that you can today. But, you are our family. Wherever you are is our home. We want to be there with you, offering you all the support and cheer that we have, and that’s a lot.

So, if you’re thinking about splitting up the family, we can help keep us all together. We know how to tighten our collars. We can eat macaroni and cheese, too. We can go without toys. Fetching sticks is just as good as chasing tennis balls to us. And we don’t need anything new. Old is great. In fact, old is better. Old has all of those good scents and comforting feelings that make our days so happy.

And through good times and bad, our loyalty never wavers. In fact, for us there aren’t any bad times if the family is together. We are happy to see you in the morning. Excited as we can be to greet you when you come home. Simply delighted to be with the family.

Of course, if we are ill and our care is too expensive, we understand being placed in a temporary foster home. Shelters can provide the healthcare that too often is beyond the reach of our families.

But, if we do have to be separated for a while, please make sure we are placed in a good shelter. We know you’ll be back to get us when things get better, and they will get better. We want to be there, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, when you come to reunite our family.

Thanks for listening. And thanks to all those families who manage to keep us all together each day.

See you on the left side.