one animal rescuers story

[abnormalandbitchy]

I found your dog today,No he hasnt been adopted by anyone.
Most of us who live out here own as many dogs as we want.
Those who do not own dogs dont because they chose not to.
I know you hoped he would find a good home when you left
him out here,but he did not.When I first saw him,he was
miles from the nearest house and he was alone,thristy,thin
and limping from a burr stuck in his paw.How I wish I could
have been you as I stood before him,to have seen his tail wag
and his eyes brighten as he bounded into your arms,knowing
you would find him,know you had not forgotten him.To see the
forgiveness in his eyes for the pain and suffering he'd known
in his never-ending quest to find you.....but I was NOT you
and despite all my pursuasion,his eyes beheld a stranger.He
didnt trust me,he wouldnt come.
He turned away from me and continued on his journey---one he was
sure would bring himto you.He doesnt understand that you arent
looking for him.He only knows that he must find you.To him,this is
more important that food or water,or the stanger who gave him these
things.Persusaion and pursuit seemed futile,I didnt even know his name.
I drove home,filled a bucket with water and a bowl with food,and returned
with them to the place we had met.I could see no sign of him,but I left my
offerings under the tree were he had sought shelter from the sun and a chance
to rest.You see,he is not of the desert.When you domesticated him,you took away
any instinct of survival he might have once had.His purposedemands that he travel
during the day.He doesnt know that the sun and heat will eventually claim his
life.He only knows that he must find you,even if its the last thing he ever does.
I waited,hopeing he'd return to the tree,hopeing that my gift would build an
element of trust so I might bring him home,remove the burr from his paw,and give
him a cool place to lie down and rest.I would help him understand that the part of
his life he shared with you is now over.But he didnt return that morning,and at
dusk the water and food were still there,untouched.I worried.You must understand
that many people wouldnt even attempt to help your dog.Some would run him off,others
would call the county,and the fate you though you had saved him from would be preempted
by his suffering from days without food or water or shelter.I returned again before dark,
but again didnt see him.I went again early the next morning,only to find the food and water
still untouched.If only you were here so you could call his name,your voice is so familiar
to him.I began pursuit in the direction he had taken yesterday,doubt now overshadowing my hope of finding him.His search for him was desperate,it could propel him many miles in a 24 hour
period.

Hours later,a good distants from where we first met,I finally found you dog.His thrist has
been quenched,it is no longer a torment to him.His hunger has disappeared,he no longer aches,
and the burrs in his paws bother him no more.Your dog has been set free from his burdens.You
see,your dog has died.I kneel next to him and curse you for not being here yesterday so you could have seen the glow,if just for a moment,in those now vacant eyes.I pray that his journey
has taken him to that place he hoped he would find.If only you knew what he went through to reach it! I agonize,because I know that if he were to waken at this very moment,and if I were to be you,his eyes would sparkel with recognition,his tail would wag with happiness----and all would be forgiven