its not my fault i have no home, i have no place to stay.
my family brought me way out here and then they drove away.
i chased the car for many blocks but it just went too fast.
i ran as hard as i could go but then gave up at last.
i sat and stared for quite some time. i could not comprehend.
how they could throw me out that way when i was their best friend.
so now i know wut hunger is. now im just skin and bone.
but worse than that, the loneliness…oh! how i miss my home!
the people look right through me. its as if they all were blind.
why is it too much to ask that just one soul be kind?
im tired and i want to rest but i get chased away.
i never get a minute’s peace, im on the run all day.
i cant take this much longer. sumthin’s got to give.
without kind words or loving touch i just dun wanna live.
wut did i do to bring this fate down on my trusting head?
and why do perfect strangers curse and seem to wish me dead?
its not my fault i have no home, i have no place to stay.
my family brought me way out here and then they drove away.
Each hour, every day, over 3,000 dogs / cats are born. Most of these are unwanted and many end up in shelters. Five million are killed every year because there aren’t enough homes for them.
There are many homeless dogs / cats in terrible trouble. A lucky few are rescued by people who will love them for the rest of their lives. Some unwanted dogs / cats end up in no-kill shelters or with rescue groups who work very hard to place them in permanent homes. Some end up in kill shelters. If they are deemed "unadoptable" they are killed. If they are considered adoptable, they are kept as long as possible, but are killed when their cages are needed to make room for others in need. The unlucky ones wander the streets subject to all kinds of cruelty and suffering. They die in obscurity.
How can u help?
-Never let ur dog / cat to breed. If u do, u are contributing to the overpopulation problem. Even if u find homes for ur litter, u are taking homes away from others. If u want to see the "miracle of birth" or raise a litter of puppies or kittens, serve as a foster home for a shelter or rescue group.
-Never buy them from a pet shop. When u purchase a dog / cat, u are creating a demand. When u buy from a pet shop another dog / cat will only replace him and the breeding will continue. In addition, for every dog / cat purchased from a pet shop, a dog / cat who might have been adopted dies in a shelter.
-Adopt from a Shelter or Rescue Group. There is no need to buy an animal when there are so many in desperate need who are up for adoption. U can probably get the breed, sex and age of ur choice by going through ur local shelter or rescue group. There are a number of other advantages to adopting:
*Many dogs and cats awaiting adoption at the shelter are already housebroken. This is a big help for families who are gone during the work week for 8 or more hours a day.
*When u adopt an older dog or cat from a shelter, u already know how big the animal is, wut his temperament is, how active he is and if he has been trained. Shelter staff will work with u to make the perfect match.
*Most shelters provide all the necessary shots and spaying/neutering before the animal goes home with u. This will save ur time and money.
*Shelters have puppies and kittens and many purebred animals from which to choose.
*U will be an example to others and they may become inspired to visit a shelter.
! Think carefully before adopting an animal. When u adopt an animal u are making a minimum 15 year commitment. Thats a long time. The animal will become a part of ur family for life. The commitment does not end when u get busy on ur job or when u have to move or when u get married or when u have a baby. The animal will be totally dependent on u and the other members of ur family for good food, clean water, a safe place to live, regular medical care, exercise and lots of love and attention. Don’t rush out and get an animal on a whim , it will only result in a tragedy later on.
! Think carefully before surrendering an animal. Many people take the quick and easy route and relinquish their animals when problems arise. U have a responsibility to work through the problem to the best of ur ability. Behavioral problems can often be treated successfully through dog training. Babies and animals can peacefully co-exist. Think twice before giving up ur companion animal at the request of ur boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. Anyone who would ask u to take such a drastic step with such dire consequences may not be the best candidate for a life partner. If u are forced to find a new home for ur animal friend, be extremely careful. There are many people with bad intentions who adopt animals only to turn them over to laboratories or dog fighting rings. Never give an animal away free to someone u don’t know. Legitimate adopters will be happy to pay a small fee. Those who aren’t legitimate will not. Be extremely careful about surrendering ur animal to a pet adoption service. Remember, u have a responsibility to ur animal. Please don’t let ur animal down.