Big Black Dog

Those of you who know me well know that I always present the happy side of rescue. . .not the sad stories, but the happy endings. But today, my heart is broken and I just have to tell it like it is.

Meet Moose. Moose was really just " a big black dog", but my rescue friend Valerie gave him a name, even though she hadn't even met him. . .she gave him a name because he deserved it.

Moose was an old man. . .around 10, who found himself in a local shelter. He was old and missing lots of hair from fleas. Unlike many shelter dogs, Moose didn't seem sad. I'm guessing that's because the shelter was probably the best place Moose had ever been.

A kind and caring volunteer called me to see if I could help Moose. The shelter was too crowded to even put Moose up for adoption because they had "younger, cuter, more adoptable dogs already waiting for space in the adoption runs". . .Moose didn't have a chance in hell. Moose was big and old, a mutt of mutts, and his hair was in bad shape. . . .why would anyone want that when they could adopt a young, cute little fluff ball . . .why even try right?

Well, Valerie and I tried. Money wasn't the issue, the issue was where could he go during the interim. Valerie has her fosters, I have mine. . .neither one of us have a "quarantine" option where Moose could be outside/inside. But, we tried. . .we tried to find someplace temporary to buy him some time until we could figure it out. But we failed. And tonight, an old dog that still had a lot of love to give, still had a smile and a wag for anyone he met, a dog that thought the shelter might just be the best place he had ever been because maybe it truly was. . . .that dog died on a stainless steel table all alone, with no one who gave a damn holding him tight. . .no one to whisper in his ear that they were sorry and that it would be okay. No one.

And it's killing me.

Moose is not the only old dog that died today all alone on a cold steel table. Thousands of dogs with similar stories, all across our country have joined him on the other side of the rainbow bridge on this very day. Old dogs that no one wants. Old dogs whose joints are a little stiff, eyes are a little blurry, and well, they may only hear what they want to.. . .but they are amazing nonetheless. They are truly the bottom of the barrel in the world of rescue and I cannot stand the thought of an old dog that still has not given up hope dying with no one.

Take the time to say a little "something" out loud or in your heart for all the dogs that died today because they were simply "unadoptable". . .may they find the peace they so deserve.