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Monday, January 5, 2009

What rescued pets give that's special


Often my pampered little pit bull Lizzie will trot into the kitchen where I'm working, plop herself into a sit, and look up at me. She looks good now; she's an adult, her weight is perfect, her coat is healthy and beautiful. What makes her look especially wonderful—and what makes me feel especially good—is flashing back to what she looked like on the day she was rescued.

She was a five-month-old skinny puppy, soaking wet and shivering, sitting in a puddle in a Safeway parking lot, waiting for someone to rescue her. She had practically no hair and she had hot-pink raw spots all over her body, due to mange. Her former owner had probably dumped her there, hoping someone else would have the patience and financial resources to deal with a stinky, itching puppy with a weak immune system.

Lizzie hit the Lotto that day. She found us; we found her. It was meant to happen.

When I look at her now and remember how she was, I also wonder how it might have been if we hadn't found her. What would have happened to this precious dog who has enriched our lives so greatly? I also feel a gut punch, thinking about all the other absolutely wonderful, one-of-a-kind dogs, cats, horses, and other big-hearted critters out there suffering, unable to even imagine what a really good life would be like. And I feel for the people who could have rescued them and experienced the extra joy and satisfaction that can't be bought by purchasing a fancy, professionally designed, pedigreed dog from a breeder.

Let's face it, we have pets because they make us feel good. Rescues make us feel just a little bit better, because they give us that bonus burst of “warm fuzzy,” knowing we saved such a valuable life, and knowing we have a truly unique dog that can't be duplicated. That actually makes rescues “rare and exquisite,” and all the more valuable...to you.

Right now, shelters across the country are overflowing with big-hearted dogs and cats that will make you feel like you've won the Lotto. Check them out at http://www.petfinder.com/ where you can locate the pet of your dreams in your own hometown (or close to it).

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank You. May God Bless You.