You can have her. I don’t want her any more. She’s causing me too much trouble.
It was my dad’s voice over the phone. I heard him say it to the shelter worker who had called him. We were in the waiting room at the emergency veterinary office.
I’d been hit by a car. My leg really hurt. All I really wanted was to feel better and go home and get in my bed and get some rest.
But by the look on the shelter worker’s face, that wasn’t going to happen.
They fixed me up at the hospital. I had to have my leg amputated. It was so scary. When I woke up from surgery, I wasn’t really sure what had happened, but everyone around me was so nice. I did what they asked, and they gave me medicine that helped me sleep.
I live in the shelter now. Some nights my heart hurts because I can still hear my dad’s voice.
You can have her.
Too much trouble.
I don’t know what I did to make him think of me like that. I always did what he asked. I never went to the bathroom in the house.
Never.
I held it as long as I had to because I knew he’d be mad if I didn’t. I tried so hard to be good. I didn’t mean to get hit by the car. I was running in the yard trying to find my dad. I didn’t know where he’d gone. I just wanted to be with him.
I didn’t see the car come up over the hill. I really didn’t.
Sometimes when I dream, it’s happening all over again, and I wake up scared. For a few seconds, I look around for dad, but then I remember he didn’t want me any more.
Too much trouble.
The longer I’m at the shelter, the more I realize what it actually is. We’re supposed to find our “forever home” here.
I thought I already had mine.
What if I’m too much trouble for anyone? What if no one wants me and my dad is right?
You can have her.
The shelter staff is so nice. They take care of me and make sure my leg is healing – it’s weird to walk with only three, but I’m getting the hang of it. I get kisses when I take my pills with the treats. I know the people here really love me, but I’m not supposed to live here forever.
I’m supposed to find my new, forever home.
What if no one else will love me?
Maybe I really am too much trouble.
—
This is an absolute true story about the sweetest dog who came into the shelter after being hit by a car. Her dad didn’t want her any more, and he told us so on the phone. It was so incredibly heartbreaking.
Thankfully, a wonderful family adopted her, and she is in a place where she will never have to fear that she’s too much trouble or that no one will love her.
Her dad may have given up on her, but we didn’t.
And neither did the people who gave her a truly loving, forever home.
***
Jennifer Vanderau is the public relations coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, readers may call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
