She was discovered one cold day at the side of an old, country road in Clarksdale, Mississippi, cuddled up with a litter of dead puppies. She was skin and bones, and her collar was so deeply imbedded into her skin that it would later have to be surgically removed.
Clarksdale is the heart of the boonies down in Mississippi, and homeless, abandoned dogs roam the streets by the thousands. The problem is so prevalent and shelters so over-crowded that police and animal control officers often shoot stray dogs on site.
Most likely, Rosie would have met the same fate—but because she was protecting her lifeless litter of puppies so fiercely, she tugged at the heartstrings of the officer who came to get her. After much cajoling, he was able to lure her into a box, but she refused to leave her puppies behind. He brought the box to the nearest pound.
It was there that they took her puppies away from her, put her in a cage and dated it. If no one claimed or adopted her within three days, she would be euthanized, just like four million other dogs and cats every year in this country alone.
Somehow, a local animal shelter by the name of Southern Jewel intervened. They rescued her from the pound and placed her in foster care in Connecticut, since they ran out of volunteers in the South. They put her face on petfinder.com and crossed their fingers.
Meanwhile, I had just declared myself the winner of the dog wars and typed “beagle” in the search bar of petfinder.com. Rosie was advertised as a sweet, friendly dog who adored children. She had one of those faces that looked right past the camera, through my eyes and into my soul. I sent in my application.
Once Rosie arrived, she immediately adhered herself to my kids. She curled up with them wherever she could find them, and as they climbed on top of her, played drums on her belly and turned her ears inside out, she patiently remained by their sides. She wouldn’t leave them even when I called out to her. It was as if she was seeking a second chance at motherhood.
Every eight seconds in the United States, an animal with his own story and a heart as big as Rosie’s is euthanized.
At first these statistics made me sad. Then they just pissed me off.
Someone out there named Jen Piwtpitt has a blog entitled “People I Want to Punch in the Throat.” I’ve always be jealous that I didn’t think of it first, because there’s so much material for a blog with that title. And so if I may, I am adding ten more categories of people to her list.
#1. All who participate and profit in the operation of puppy and kitty mills. This one is self-explanatory.
#2. People who buy dogs and cats from pet stores. All their money goes to support people who stuff purebreds in filthy cages and force them to mass breed. (Doug purchased our dog Daisy from a pet store. But we weren’t together then, so he has to take the punch for that one.)
#3. Breeders. Yes, even the “good” ones who love their pets and keep them clean and feed them Science Diet and rotate their females so they never breed the same one more than once a year. “But I provide a product that people want,” they insist. “Some people won’t adopt an animal unless it’s a purebred.” The Humane Society reports that 25% of all animals in shelters are purebred. Do the math…that means a million desperate, homeless purebreds to choose from. Breeders care more about money than animals. We don’t need their “products”!
Along these lines, I’d like to deliver a special punch to the woman who sold me a purebred Pomeranian for $300 of my A&P money when I was 17. Rather than taking my money, she might have said, “Silly girl with your puffball of a puppy and fluffy hair to match. Go to a shelter and rescue someone who needs you. And here, take this punch in the throat for buying from me in the first place.”
#4. People (like the silly girl with fluffy hair) who purchase their pets from breeders. “But my dog has to be a purebred Shih Tzu,” they insist. “I can’t have any of those other breeds’ blood tainting my Precious.” Let’s see…isn’t there a word for people who chose their friends that way? Don’t make me say it. (cough) Doggierracist. Whoops.
#5. People who don’t spay or neuter their pets, then “accidentally” allow them to have litters. “But I found them all good homes,” they say, thinking they’ve done their part. Good job, good Samaritan…you’ve also taken away a half dozen homes from animals wasting away in shelters. You might as well go into a pound, remove six scared and abandoned animals from their kennels, pin them down and inject the needle yourself. Am I being too dramatic?
#6: Family and friends who oooh and ahhhh over irresponsible dog and cat owners’ litters. “They’re so cute!” they say, sometimes taking one or two of them home. And the cycle continues.
All my beloved childhood pets came from irresponsible cat owners who gave their litters “free to a good home,” including Sam, a beautiful black short-haired domestic. We thought it was adorable when the unsprayed calico next door had a litter of black kittens. A punch goes out to me and my parents. Sorry, Mom.
#7: People who instantly disqualify animals for adoption because they are no longer puppies or kittens. Newsflash: animals are babies for two months. After that, they grow up, and they still are deserving of our love and care. You may think you need to start with a puppy or kitten so you can mold their personalities to match your family, but you would be surprised at how quickly most animals can adapt, at any age. Or, you may think an animal who has been neglected or abused makes them damaged goods. Think of who you would be without all your experiences, both good and bad. You would be an empty shell. What you may think of as baggage is what gives an animal soul.
#8: People who like animals and have no allergies or phobias in their families or pet-unfriendly landlords, yet refuse to open their homes to an animal for the simple reason that they don’t want the responsibility. Yeah, I know, it’s their choice and I’m going overboard on this one. But might I punch them anyway?
#9: Sarah McLachlan for making my argument seem melodramatic. You know you’re singing it right now.
#10: People who surrender their animals to shelters or put them down. I’m sorry, now that you’ve decided to move or have children, has your pet become an inconvenience? Did you not understand when you adopted that puppies and kittens get bigger, and they last 12-16 years? When you adopt, you’re making a commitment. Animals are not disposable!
There is a message behind my ranting and raving: please don’t adopt from breeders, pet stores or irresponsible pet owners. If you’re looking for an animal, please support one of the thousands of rescue shelters all across the country. Millions of beautiful creatures are out there are withering away and desperate for a place in your home.
Rosie is by no means a purebred, but her story gives her more heart or soul than a set of pedigree papers ever could.
Ask a dog a favor, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you. (The same goes for a cat—as long as you ask her nicely and give her a week’s notice.) Why in the world aren’t we doing the same for them?