Our Urgent Tails
Stories from the Heart
It was late January of this year. I went to the Animal Control
facility to do my usual rounds. I walked in and was greeted with
a list of animals to be euthanized that day. My heart pounded
with fear dreading the few hours I would have to be there
making decisions pleading for their innocent lives. I knew we
were limited between space and funds and hated the decisions I
had to make. Who should I take? Who can I take? The shelter
worker took my hand and pulled me to a dog. He was remarkably
beautiful. Can you believe his time is up? Isn’t he gorgeous? I
looked at him and I said, “They are all beautiful. Well, maybe he
is a bit more beautiful.” His coat was absolutely gorgeous it had
a luster like I have never seen. His eyes looked sad but clear.
I took him for a walk and talked to him. He knew shake, sit and
lay down. He was calm and gentle and he licked my cheek. I
looked in his eyes and I named him Louis. He was number one and
he was safe now. I only had enough room for five dogs. The list
was long, longer than usual. That day I spent three hours there,
person I knew. I begged, I pleaded but no one would help. I
heard the usual “I would if I could, but…” “I could next week…”
“If only you asked me yesterday…” I wanted to scream at them
and call them names, I wanted to tell them I hated them, then
the final straw was “didn’t you have a plan?” …A plan? How do
you have a plan when it comes to saving lives??? At that point
I drove back to the shelter as fast as I could. The shelter
worker looked at me as if I was nuts. I took out my checkbook
and wrote out another check. I piled them all into my Van and
I prayed. What was I going to do with all these orphans?
I had animals everywhere. I had to juggle them because some
liked other dogs and some didn’t. I didn’t have enough crates.
I took Louis and put him in the back part of the van. I had
three puppies and no crate and they were so frightened. I sat
It was finally quiet and Louis was my partner and my babysitter.
That night I took all the dogs to the kennel. It cost a fortune. The Pet Adoption was the very next day. The
day of the Pet Adoption I picked up the dogs being kenneled. I wrote out a check and went on my way. I had all
the dogs in the Van except Louis. He stood by my side. He looked at me and snuggled up to me. He was
absolutely breathtaking.
The day of the Pet Adoption everyone and their mother wanted Louis. There was something very innocent about
him. Something almost magical. Well, Louis was adopted and three months later he was in quarantine… Louis’s
owner made claims that Louis was aggressive. The man called his vet and said things about Louis that was so
hard for me to imagine. I talked to his Vet and both the Vet and Louis’ owner wanted permission from me to
put him to sleep… I talked with his owner and he seemed odd. In one breath he wanted permission to put Louis
down but in the same breath he seemed reluctant. He would vacillate back and forth. Something didn’t seem
right. He had a horrible attitude and was demanding and cold. I tried to talk calmly to him but he was not
making any sense. He would say one thing and then another. Something inside me told me he wasn’t telling the
truth but I knew I had to be responsible at the same time.
I wanted to find out what really happened…
absolutely no sign of aggression.
I just got an e-mail the other day from one of our volunteers. She
said her daughter talked to one of Louis’ previous family members.
She said Louis never bit anybody, he just growled that one time…
It cost Almost Home $3,500 to save Louis’ life and he never even
had an issue. If I didn’t stand up for Louis he would be dead today.
His life would be gone, wiped out, destroyed. All because of the voice
of an angry man. It’s frightening that anyone can say anything they
want but people can defend themselves back with words. Some you can
choose to believe, some you can choose not to. Louis could not speak.
Please send donations to: Almost Home, P.O. Box 250602, West Bloomfield, Michigan 48325. Please make
checks payable to Almost Home and put "The Louis Fund" in the memo or please send donations by
clicking the DONATE button below.
online donation.
