Prologue: Precious Innocence
A dog is not a
thing. A thing is replaceable. A dog is not. A thing is disposable. A dog is
not. A thing doesn’t have a heart. A dog’s heart is bigger than any “thing” you
can ever own.
The
buildings are always the same; old rusty cages, the unmistakable smell of fear;
desperate dogs begging for loving homes, their raspy cries echoing throughout
the lonely and frigid hallways.
As
you trudge up and down the aisles of a kill shelter, you see that each crate
houses an abandoned animal whose yearning eyes plead while your heart melts
into a roaring sea of helplessness. How did they get here? Why them? No one
deserves this.
You
want so badly to rescue them. You’d love to take all of them home, but of
course, it isn’t feasible.
As
you look into the innocent eyes of each dog, you know it’ll be less than a week
before the older ones lose their life, and the young “vicious” dogs, as they
have been stereotypically labeled, only have a few more days at most.
While
you’re there, you can’t help but wonder, do they know? Is there any possible
way the dogs realize what cruelty fate has in store for them? Admitting that
painful truth to yourself is harder than you ever imagined.
The
thought races out of your mind as quickly as it had entered. Not because you
don’t care—God knows you care more than anything—but because it is too
difficult to accept the harsh reality.
But,
alas, there’s still that somewhat gratifying feeling of knowing that you are
there to make a difference in at least one of their lives.
You
have a spot, or maybe even two, in your home and more than enough love in your
heart to accommodate these precious creatures and hopefully free up some room
for another unfortunate stray at the facility in the process.
At
least that’s how it happened for Chelsea and Anthony Shelton.
Chapter 1: Love
Unguarded
There will always be detours in
the fascinating game called life. Find the path to your heart’s desires, and
stay on course.
Before
they got back together, they each dabbled in the party scene and enjoyed a few
drinking binges, complete with the dreaded hangovers the next day, but realized
that wasn't the permanent lifestyle they sought after. Eventually, they found their way back into
each other’s hearts in their early twenties and had been together ever since.
Both
became successful, conscientious individuals and though they occasionally had
arguments like every married couple, they respected and genuinely cared for one
another.
They
weren't considered glamorous by any means, but were definitely average in
looks. Chelsea had long, brown hair and light
green eyes and Anthony was blessed with a muscular physique and full head of
thick, sandy brown hair.
Married
only four years, they’d already experienced their share of hardships with
trying to start their family. They wanted nothing more than to have a child of
their own, but after they both underwent a series of medical tests, the doctors
revealed that it just wasn’t in the cards for them. A major disappointment as since the day they
were married, they’d always imagined sharing their lives with at least two
children, and a family dog to complete the picture.
With
the support of their beloved family and friends, they got over the initial
shock of their misfortune, and moved forward with plans to adopt a child. The
downside was that according to the adoption agency, it might take years. And there
were no guarantees.
Although
they were understandably disappointed, they decided that in the interim they
would still consummate the second portion of their plan. After giving it some
thought, there was no valid reason to put their lives on hold.
They'd
been prepared to rescue a shelter dog and each time they sat through the
tear-jerking commercials on the television, they realized in their heart that
now was as good a time as any.
It
was an early Saturday morning when they drove down to the town shelter. The
building itself rested at the end of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by nothing but
trees and a broken-up parking lot to match the brokenhearted pups inside.
When
they ambled in through the double-glass doors, the middle-age volunteer greeted
them with a personality as lively as a crumbled piece of that parking lot. Barely
acknowledging their arrival, she merely pointed the way toward the gray, metal
door that housed the dogs. Then she buried her face in her fitness magazine.
This
establishment was known as a kill-shelter, and Chelsea speculated that to
volunteer in the facility, it was probably better off that one didn’t show any
emotion, as demonstrated by the detached woman occupying the front desk.
With
so many dogs being neglected, abandoned, dumped, abused, and everything in
between, there are never enough facilities to provide shelter for all of them. What
adds to the devastation is that often shelter dogs fail to get adopted due to
their seemingly aggressive behavior, even if they were once friendly on the
outside.
Nine
times out of ten, something changes their disposition once they get locked up. Their
personalities shift, whether it be from the fear, the isolation, the confusion,
the cold cement floors, or the lack of toys. Or it may be from being bereft of exercise,
deprived of love, or simply because they can smell the death of their canine
peers from the euthanasia rooms. The necessity to survive causes them to lose
their trust and more importantly, their confidence.
The
unfamiliar noises and lonely environment do nothing to mollify their fears. Since
they appear aggressive, the likeliness of them finding a good home diminishes. It’s
the same doleful story in every facility, yet their population continues to
increase daily.
As
the door slammed behind Chelsea and Anthony, it resonated, setting off a chorus
of frenzied barks from the distressed occupants. The couple walked gingerly
past the countless rows of crates, trying their best not to frighten any of the
dogs, each one looking more desperate than the last.
Had
it not been for one dog’s demanding howl, Chelsea might have run out of the
building empty handed. The absolute realization and heartache was too much for
her to bear.
But
that howl.
It
was the single thing that caused her to laugh when she was on the verge of
tears. That demanding howl, combined with the act of the dog maneuvering his
scrawny paw through the cage in a sincere effort to grab her leg, as if to say,
“Hey, get over here. Come be my new mom.”
Aside
from his disheveled exterior, he was indubitably striking. Like most shelter
dogs, he was in dire need of a thorough grooming, as his knotted hair was
course and his skin flaky. The hardened goop under his eyes appeared as if it
hadn’t ever been cleaned.
Underneath
that tangle of golden fur was a bright-eyed, energetic sweetheart of a dog. His
fox-like ears bent forward toward his light brown eyes, which revealed an
expression that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but hope.
His
sparkling personality shined through like an illuminating star, and those same
hopeful eyes translated a heartfelt story that words would never be able to accurately
describe.
In
the cage directly across from him sat a more demure canine that appeared to be
his twin. She wasn’t nearly as vocal, but just as stunning, if not more so. Her
golden fur was also knotted right behind the ears, and her paws were caked with
mud, presumably from yesterday’s rainfall. She sat erect, the previously white
tuft on her chest now gray and soiled. Both of the dogs had clearly been
neglected even before they had arrived at the shelter.
Chelsea
had already made up her mind when she turned back to catch Anthony’s eyes, who
was grinning from ear to ear. He didn’t have to say a word.
“Both?”
she whispered, knowing her husband well enough to read his mind.
He
nodded. “Absolutely.” Though he was a man broad in stature, he was normally not
flagrant with his emotions. This time, however, tears pooled in the corners of
his hazel eyes. Apparently, the dismal environment was heart wrenching for him
as well.
While
they discussed it, another volunteer turned the corner and greeted them. This
one seemed to have notably more compassion than the woman occupying the front
desk. She smiled warmly at them before realizing that they were interested.
“Have
you decided on which dog you’d like to take home today?” she asked Chelsea. After
helping out at the shelter for so many years, it was easy for the volunteer to
recognize the vibrant sparkle in Chelsea’s eyes that could signify only love at
first sight—the special kind that often transpires between human and dog.
Chelsea
couldn’t wait for Anthony to speak, so she took the lead. “Yes, please. We’re
interested in these two.” She pointed to the female and male. The male was ignoring
the conversation, focusing on reaching through the bars, trying to grasp the
shoelaces on Chelsea’s sneaker.
They
asked the volunteer a number of questions, including whether or not the dogs
were related, wondering if perhaps they were brother and sister. The volunteer said
that, to the best of her knowledge, they were not.
She
informed them that they had been surrendered within two days of each other. The
male’s age was estimated to be approximately a year and a half, while the
female was about a year old.
Both
were unmistakably purebred Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers. They had all
the markings, the white tuft, the fox-like ears, the pink nose and lips, and
the light eyes that matched their golden coat.
While
some families have no other choice but to surrender their dogs because of
hardships, financial difficulty or medical issues, these dogs were given up
needlessly.
Apparently,
the male was given up because he barked incessantly, and his owners couldn’t
handle the atrocious noise level. They admitted that they didn't have the time
or the patience to train him.
The
female was turned in because she wasn’t housebroken yet, even though that was
due to no fault of her own. Rather than train her, the previous owners argued
that dogs should instinctively know how to take care of business. They voiced
their frustration and said they wanted her out of the house as soon as
possible. The shelter took her in that
same day.
Hearing
their heartbreaking stories further confirmed their decision, and it took only moments
for Chelsea and Anthony to fill out the necessary paperwork.
Within
an hour, the dogs were on their way to their new home, finally given a second
chance at enjoying their lives as they should, which was an opportunity many
other dogs are never granted.
Sadly,
the pair was hesitant to meander out of the facility. Both dogs tucked their
tails between their legs, both were frightened and shy—most likely stemming
from their stay at the shelter.
But
once they walked outside with their new owners, the warm breeze wafted a
plethora of new scents to their keen noses, allowing them to do what came
naturally to them—just be dogs. To a dog, smelling the scents of other dogs,
humans, or creatures that had visited a path before them is a luxury in itself.
Hearing
the natural songs of the wildlife, even smelling something simple such as
flowers that are in bloom, is a wondrous joy. To them, each unique scent tells
a captivating story and is a vibrant indication that they are still alive, and
more importantly, it signifies that there is hope.
Before
long, the two dogs slowly began to wag their tails with unbridled enthusiasm. Moments
later, they even danced around each other, demonstrating the customary canine
greeting that initiates a friendship and builds the foundation for an everlasting
relationship. It was a sight to remember.
Before
leaving the shelter, Chelsea and Anthony had been advised that the female had
been spayed, but the male had not yet been altered. So the first thing they did
once the adoption was finalized was make an appointment at the vet to have
Spice neutered. The appointment was set for the first of March, three weeks
after his adoption date. Sugar wouldn’t have to go to the vet for shots until a
month later.
Copyright © 2012 Elizabeth Parker
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