One Nation Under Dog

I just got through watching an HBO special named, "One Nation Under Dog:  Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal."  When I saw the commercial promo for this show, I was not so sure it would be good for me to watch.  My husband thought I would like it so he DVRed it for me.  I don't think he knew what the show was really about.  Otherwise I know he would have not recorded it for me.

So I am hanging out with Tiger, Motor and Jack, trying to find something decent to watch on TV.  Couldn't find anything so I decided to try the special.  In my head I am thinking, "I can turn this off at anytime if it is too sad for me."  But there is another part of me that knows, once I start watching it, I will not turn it off.

I cried through practically the whole show.  Part of the special showed a husband and wife making the decision to euthanize their dog because it repeated bit people.  The next part was a monthly grieving group for people who have lost a pet, telling their stories of how their lives have changed and how much they miss their pet companion and friend.  Another part was a rescue at a puppy mill where the owner really neglected the dogs and left them without food and water in awful conditions.  The last part was about dogs being abandoned by their guardians, being brought to shelters, some of them being rescued, others being left to be euthanized.  That was heart breaking.

I am a person that is very sensitive to any and all types of injustice, abuse, neglect, abandonment, and in the case of animals, euthanizing them just because there is no more room in a shelter.  I could go on and on about the need to spay and neuter cats and dogs, and the need for people to educate themselves before they bring home a pet, and then decide they do not want it anymore.  A pet is not a piece of furniture that you just dispose of when you get tired of it. 

That was my little rant.  I'm done now.

I am signed up to go to an orientation presentation at one of our local animal shelters.  This is to start volunteering there every couple of weeks.  At first I thought it was a good idea.  I love animals.  This way I can be around them more and help the shelter try to get them adopted.  My husband has all ready talked to me about no more pets for us.  In my dreams, I think I would like to live on a ranch and rescue as many animals that needed care and shelter.  I all ready know taking care of 3 animals is time consuming enough.  So the ranch idea is really just a dream.  At least for now.

But back to volunteering.  I'm not sure I can do it.  I don't think I am strong enough to be able to witness the homeless animals in the shelter, waiting to get adopted.  It will break my heart.  I don't feel I am strong enough emotionally to work at the shelter.  The HBO movie showed footage of animals in cages at a shelter.  They looked very sad to me.  And I would be very sad too.

I think I will find another way to help homeless cats and dogs.  Raise money and donate it to an organization all ready established like the Humane Society or the ASPCA.  I think my efforts would be better used that way.  That is one thing the HBO special really brought home to me.  And a lot of other things to think about.