"12 year old female Border Collie. Her time is nearly up.
Very
loving, gives kisses freely. Somebody please help this dog."
I read that and it got to me. For what reason did a loving 12
year old Border Collie end up in a shelter? Well.. It wasn't
something that I could concentrate on because we can't take the
dog into our rescue.
We had no room. As always; there is no room. I shook my head sadly
but did not delete the post. She was a long way from here.
Maybe there a rescuer nearer that would take her, or she would
get adopted... but she's 12 years old. It can be very hard to
find a home for a dog that old - and there are a lot of younger
ones who need our help just as badly, who would be easier to place.
We would probably have her for a long time while others were put
down waiting to come into rescue. But its not her fault she's 12
and ended up in a shelter. Age should not be a penalty. I turned
my computer off. I couldn't think about it. We had no room
for
another dog of any age right now. Instead, I searched for ways to
take this dog into rescue; to find someone who could help but
met without success.
And that night my sleep was ruined by an old dog that I had never
met. In my dreams I saw a slightly heavy-bodied but quiet and
gentle dog, sitting in the middle of a gray concrete floor
surrounded by a woven wire kennel. All around her were anxious,
stressed dogs that paced, panted and barked for somebody to come
and get them.
The old Border Collie sat there quietly trying to shut out the
sounds and motion about her. Her tired head hung a bit low.
In my sleep, she looked at my soul with patient eyes and spoke
to me.
"Please.come."
We had no room - and I pushed this dog out of my mind for a week
as I kept busy with other aspects of the rescue, but still looked
for ways to get this old dog out of the shelter. When night came
and I fell asleep, the old dog was there sitting quietly in the
kennel, waiting for me to fall asleep.
"Please. come."
In the second week another message appeared on my computer.
"Very sweet and loving Border Collie. Gives kisses freely.
Please somebody save her. She deserves better than to spent her
last days in a shelter."
I was beginning to dread going to bed because the old dog would be
there waiting for me, staring at me.. wouldn't leave me alone.
I tossed and turned in my warm and comfortable bed, and the old
dog laid down on the hard concrete floor panting lightly; watching
me in my dreams as I slept.
"Please. come."
"We have no room for you, old one."
"Yes you do. I will stay at your home. I'm a good dog.
I won't cause trouble. Please. come."
"You're very far away and I work every day. I can't come to get
you, old one."
"Send someone. I am very good in the car. Please. come for me."
"My husband doesn't want another foster dog in the house."
"He will like me. I'm a good dog. You'll see. Please. come get
me."
"OK.. I will talk to him."
"So will I."
And by chance, Melissa ended up driving down to pick up two dogs,
and was destined to pass very near the shelter where the old Border
Collie waited. On her way back, she stopped at the shelter
and brought the old one with her.
"I got the old dog - and guess what. She's a he! He's very sweet
and loving. He rides extremely well in the car. He sat
there
with his head on my shoulder nearly the whole way, wanted to be
petted. You should see all the ticking on his feet. Can you pick
him up from my house after work?"
He had no collar, no leash, no identification. He was a stray.
He
walked into my house, looked around, and smiled up at me as though
he knew me. A slow patient wag of the tail and that gentle smile
told me he was happy to be here. His amber eyes were sunken into
his head and they looked like the eyes of a dog who had been
stressed for a long time. He was tired and he desperately needed
to sleep. I led him to the crate that would be his and he
understood. Without a sound, he walked into the crate, circled
twice and laid down to rest. It was the first time in many weeks
he would be sleeping on a thick wool blanket and in a quiet place.
The amber eyes disappeared behind heavy eyelids in peaceful sleep.
And I slept peacefully too.
Grace
SaalsG@cni-usa.com
Border Collie Rescue