hopeful thought, thank you Tina

Today a friend - an internet friend- had her dog put to sleep due to a heart condition. It is a sad moment but also a kind end to an amazing story. My friend works at a shelter and last August this old brown dog was turned in and in poor condition and health. It was thought she would only live a few weeks at best. My friend decided she didn't want this old girl to die in the shelter so she took her home.
She was heartworm positive and had a host of other issues but his old girl had life in her and warmth and love and joy. My friend gave her a home and nursed her to better health. Little Agnes the old brown dog got toys and a bed and scrumptious healthy food. She never met the huge contingent of "Aunts" she had scattered across the country but she knew they were out there.
And as her heart faded she got the best care possible.
But when it became too much for her, my friend took her to cross the bridge with dignity, with an owner, with love.
Powerful stuff.
Amazing stuff.

The stuff that helps balance the ugly part of humanity - the people that mistreat their dogs and the ones that give them up because they had a baby or because they don't have time or some other typically self-centered and lame excuse.
I understand that not everyone can afford the very best food or thousands of dollars for specialist veterinary care but dogs can get by on much less - but they do need love.
They need some of your time.
Dogs - unlike cats - are truly companion animals - we humans made them such.
They want a place to sleep, inside with you.
They want to join you for a walk or a silly game in the back yard.

I could go on but I'll stop, however I will say this........
If you are thinking of getting a dog, be honest with yourself about your dedication level. Dogs need training and exercise and time and love.
Their lives are short in comparison to ours - in my opinion each of their moments bears more weight than each of ours for this reason.
A dog will love you unconditionally do not take advantage of this, treat them right. But before you get a dog, ask yourself how much you are going to give to that dog? If you are unwilling to do the training and exercise and deal with slobber and hair and puke, please don't do it, dogs deserve better.

Tina, thank you for restoring some sense of the good part of humanity for me. I get a little overwhelmed but the bad sometimes.
Run free and breath free sweet Agnes!