By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President
My early days are kind of fuzzy—some time on a chain and lots of time fending for myself, raiding trashcans and laying low. But I’m not one to dwell on the past. What’s the point?
Then these nice people took me in, fed me and tried to find me a home. When they couldn’t, they loaded me into a truck and took me to big building with lots of dogs and people called the Shelter.
“Uh oh,” I thought, “more scary humans.”
Turns out, I was wrong. Things started to look up as soon as I got there.
First, I was taken to see a smart lady in a white coat named Dr. Levy. Doc petted and fussed over me, and I didn’t mind one bit because she was so gentle. Doc was particularly worried about my eye, and to tell you the truth, I was worried about my eye, too. It had been bothering me something terrible ever since I got chased around a chicken coop by a very mad rooster and crashed into some barbed wire beating a hasty retreat. Not my highest moment, but what can I say? I was hungry.
The next thing I knew, Doc stuck me with a needle and I fell asleep right there on the table, and when I woke up, that bum eye was history. No need to fret, seriously—one good eye’s plenty for a tough gal like myself.
A couple of days later a FOTAS volunteer lathered me up with shampoo in a big tub. What a mistake that was! She scrubbed off the heavenly aroma of dead squirrel on my neck. What was she thinking? Jeez, rolling on a dead squirrel is one of the great joys of life.
But here’s the thing: after the bath, those nasty fleas were gone. Whoa! Okay, so I don’t smell so good anymore, but I’m not scratching myself to death either. I can live with that.
I have so many pals at the Shelter. FOTAS volunteers take me for walks every day. We stop at a bench in the shade for a nice belly rub and a treat. Who knew there were so many kind humans out there?
It’s a miracle: thanks to the Shelter and FOTAS, I went from being a no-name, scruffy, hungry black dog who slept in the cold and ate out of trashcans to a shiny, sleek princess named (are you ready?) Tiffany who sleeps in a warm, dry place and gets two yummy meals a day. Only in America!
Thank you shelter staff for taking care of me. Thank you FOTAS for the bath, the flea meds, the fenced-in play yards, the beds, my rubber toys and the yummy treats. And thank you FOTAS volunteers for the endless walks and all that love.
Maybe one day some kind human will take me home to a place with no chains and lots of love.
Every day this Holiday season, shocking numbers of bewildered animals are being surrendered to the Shelter by heartless owners. Help us save them—bring joy to their lives and yours: adopt a pet this month for $25 or less.
Their lives are in our hands.
