I don’t remember much from the place I was born. It was
cramped and dark, and we were never played with by the
humans. I remember Mom and her soft fur, but she was often
sick, and very thin. She had hardly any milk for me and my
brothers and sisters. I remember many of them dying, and I
missed them so much.
I don’t remember the day I was taken from Mom. I was so sad
and scared, my milk teeth had only just come in, and I
really should have been with Mom still, but she was so sick
and the Humans kept saying that they wanted money and were
tired of the "mess" that me and my sister made.
So we were crated up and taken to a strange place. Just the
two of us. We huddled together and were scared, still no
humans hands came to pet us or to love us. So many sights
and sounds, and smells! We are in a store where there are
many different animals! Some that squawk! Some that meow!
Some that peep! My sister and I are jammed into a small
cage. I can hear other puppies here. I see humans look at
me. I like the little humans – the kids – best. They look so
sweet, and fun, like they would play with me !
EUTHANASIA is a procedure performed by a vet in which the
animal is painlessly killed by a lethal injection. For our
pets that are in pain or terminally ill or just old, this
can be the last humane thing we can do for them
All day we stay in a small cage, sometimes mean people will
hit the glass to frighten us, every once in a while we are
taken out to be held or shown to humans. Some are gentle,
some hurt us. We always hear "Aw, they’re so cute! I want
one!" But we never get to go with any one. My sister died
last night, when the store was dark. I lay my head on her
soft fur and felt the life leave her small thin body. I had
heard them say she was sick, and that I should be sold at a
"discount price" so I would quickly leave the store. I think
my soft whine was the only one that mourned for her, as her
body was taken out of the cage in the morning and dumped.
Today, a family came and bought me. Oh, happy day! They are
a nice family, they really, really wanted me! They bought a
dish and food and the little girl held me so tenderly in her
arms. I love her so much! The mom and dad say what a sweet
and good puppy I am. I’m named Angel. I love to lick my new
humans. The family takes such good care of me, they are
loving and tender and sweet. They gently teach me right and
wrong, give me lots of good food, and lots of love. I want
only to please these wonderful people! I love the little
girl and I enjoy running and playing with her.
Today, I went to the veterinarian, it was a strange place
and I was frightened. I got some shots, but my best friend
the little girl held me softly and said it would be OK. So,
I relaxed. The vet must have said sad words to my beloved
family, because they looked awfully sad. I heard "severe hip
dysplasia", and something about my heart……I heard the vet
say something about backyard breeders and my parents not
being tested. I know not what any of that means, just that
it hurts me to see my family so sad, but they still love me,
and I still love them very much.
I am 6 months old now. Where most other puppies are robust
and rowdy, it hurts me terribly to move. The pain never lets
up. It hurts to run and play with my beloved little girl,
and I find it hard to breathe. I keep trying my best to be
the strong pup I know I am supposed to be, but it is so
hard. It breaks my heart to see the little girl so sad, and
to hear the Mom and Dad talk about "Now might be the time".
Several times I have gone to that vet’s place, and the news
is never good. Always talk about congenital problems. I just
want to feel the warm sunshine and run, and play, and nuzzle
my family. Last night was the worst, the pain had been
constant. Now it even hurts to get up and have a drink. I
try to get up but can only whine in pain.
I am taken in the car one last time. Everyone is so sad, and
I don’t know why. Have I been bad? I try to be a good and
loving dog – what have I done wrong? Oh, if only this pain
would go! If only I could soothe the tears of my little
girl. I reach out my muzzle to lick her hand, but I can only
whine in pain. The vet’s table is so cold. I am so
frightened. The humans all hug and love me, and they cry
into my soft fur. I can feel their love and sadness. I
manage to softly lick their hands. Even the vet isn't so
scary today. He is gentle and I sense some kind of relief
for my pain.
The little girl holds me gently and I thank her for giving
me all her love. I feel a pinch in my foreleg. The pain is
beginning to lift, and a peace descends upon me. I can now
softly lick her hand. My vision is becoming dreamlike now,
and I can see my mother and my brothers and sisters in a far
off green place. They tell me there is no pain there, only
peace and happiness. I tell the family goodbye in the only
way I know how – a soft wag of my tail and a nuzzle from my
nose. I had hoped to spend many many moons with them but it
just wasn’t meant to be.
"You see" said the vet, "pet shop puppies do not come from
ethical breeders!" The pain ends now, and I know it will be
many years before I see my beloved family again. If only
things could have been different.
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