[myteddybear]

A Dog Sits Waiting

A dog sits waiting in the cold autumn sun,
Too faithful to leave, to frightened to run
He's been here for days now with nothing to do
But sit by the road waiting for you
He can't understand why you left him that day
He thought you were stopping to play
He's sure you'll come back and that's why he stays
How long will he suffer? How many more days?
His legs have grown weak, his throat's parched and dry
He's sick now from huger and falls with a sigh
He lays down his head and closes his eyes
I wish you could see how a waiting dog dies.
Author unknown

I saw this poem this morning and it sends tears running down my face for a all the dogs I know are discarded but for one in particular I saw several years ago who's scared little face is burned into my memory. I don't talk about it because most people don't understand how such a thing could scar me in such a way. It was seven years ago and still in my eyes when I close them as though it was only minutes ago.

We were driving across country from Florida to Alaska and several days into our trip as we crossed a long bridge along some mountains there he was. A medium sized, shaggy dog on the bridge. There was quite a bit of traffic and it was moving too fast to try and stop. There was no shoulder to pull off on. He had nowhere to go as there was a high fence on both sides of the bridge. With little space off the main lanes he looked terribly panicked. I only saw him for a split second but looked right into his scared little face and it is forever burned into my soul. I still cry as I am right now with heart ache over the fear he was going through and my inability to stop and help him. I feel so guilty.

I have gone over and over in my head how he came to be on that bridge that day and there is only one answer. He was dropped there. It was a very long bridge as I said with no shoulder and he was just about smack in the middle. This bridge was also in a very desolate place with no houses or buildings that we could see for hours, he just could not have wandered there on his own.

Why do people not understand that animals feel?

I know I am talking to a bunch of serious animal lovers here so likely my story won't teach anyone here anything but I have gotten it off my chest and to be able to tell people who understand might somehow make me feel better. Thanks for listening and hug your babies tight today.