On one of my morning walks with our dog Buddy he sniffed out a sickly skinny stray cat. The cat was so desperate he wasn’t even hiding, he even let me pick him up. But Buddy’s enthusiasm for all living things made it impossible for me to carry the cat back to our place. I put him back under the bush we found him, took Buddy home, found our cat carrier and returned to take him home and feed him. I decided I would take him to the Humane Society later that day after he rested and ate a little. I prayed they would be able to take him because my household could not embrace another cat. I could, but not everyone else I lived with…
After school, my 11 year old daughter and I went to the Humane Society and had to wait our turn to speak to someone. While waiting a young man, looking a bit rough and worn for his youth had a frisky mutt sitting beside him while he filled out paper work on a clipboard. When it was his turn, he told the a staff person at the Humane Society that he recently adopted this dog but lost his job and had to move back in with him mother. His mother’s dog did not get on with his new dog and he was forced to surrender his new best friend. There was no judgement in her voice when she said of course they would take him back. He said he hoped once he got back on his feet he could come back and get him.
We couldn’t help but overhear this transaction. It was heart breaking on so many levels. At one point I had to get up and walk across the room to read something, anything on the wall because I was just about to burst into tears.
When another Humane Society worker came out, she recognized the dog and called him by name. She gave him lots of strokes and kisses and chatted with the soon to be Ex-Owner of the dog. The dog was taken away and the young man was left on the couch to finish his paper work.
I was so glad my name was called and I didn’t have to sit in the sadness of the situation. Our stray cat was allowed to join the others and I was thankful that this little skinny guy would get the help he needed.
I was so impressed with how the Humane Society staff handled both the people and the animals. Good grief, life can be so volatile and rough. But mostly I was so impressed with how well this young man handled his situation and made sure his dog would be okay even he wasn’t going to be his anymore. I feel certain, if I worked at the Humane Society I would be crying all day. I’m so glad for people who have the skills, personality and gifts to care for animals and people in gracious ways.
When Pam and I were discussing the upcoming watercolor class to take place at her historic Bed and Breakfast Hollymead House, she wanted me to choose an organization that we could make a donation to as part of the Pumpkin Class. It didn’t take me long to decide on the Humane Society. We will be so thrilled to donated a portion of the sales from the Pumpkin Watercolor Class at Hollymead to our local Humane Society with thanksgiving for their ability to care for animals and yes, their ability to care for people too.