Nellie
Today I’m barking about Thanksgiving and what it means to us mutts at Asherpark.
Me, I’ve always had it good. If you’ve read my barks, you know I am the only chosen one in the pack. Mom picked me when I was a little pup and raised me herself.
Next came Tess. She was a stray and got adopted out of a shelter. Tess is goofy and has some big time phobias, but she wasn’t homeless for long. Now she’s got the good life too. Sleeps every night on the big couch with her feet in the air.
Jack had a home where nobody cared. He was hungry and sick. He spent five long months in the slammer till Old Dog Haven pulled him out. Now Jack’s a happy boy.
And then there’s little Nellie. Old Dog Haven saved her at the last minute. She was scheduled to die on a Saturday but the shelter gave Old Dog Haven till the following Monday to get her out.
Mom picked Nellie up from the shelter transport volunteer. Nellie was saturated in urine, stunk like a skunk, had rotten black teeth and could hardly walk. Deaf and mostly blind the volunteer said there wasn’t much reason to keep Nellie going.
It’s true. Nellie took some work. She leaked all over the house. Had to wear diapers for a while. Nell had surgery for a bunch of stuff. She had a lump taken off her eyelid, a rotten tooth pulled, her black teeth polished to a creamy white, and her dragon toenails clipped.
Mom never minded all the extra laundry and cleaning up after Nellie. She just wanted Nellie to get stronger and know she was safe. Us mutts ignored Nellie at first because she was old and kinda boring. But then something strange happened. We all fell in love with the stinky little rag of a dog.
Caring for Nellie brought us closer together as a pack. What started out like a burden became a gift. Our little Nellie….. She ain’t heavy, she’s our sister.
Us mutts at Asherpark give thanks for the good life we enjoy. To all the people who care for, rescue, or sponsor some mutt, thank you. The kindness you show to the animals will come back to bless you many times over.
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!