I wrote this story to inform people of the behaviors of the dogs at the pound, and why fostering is so crucial. This story is based on a pound that keeps dogs for around 3 months. A lot of pounds kill dogs after 72 hours, legally.
A Dog's Story
(as told by the dog)
One time I was having the greatest time running down the street enjoying some freedom. I couldn't even think about my owner or my dog friend at a time like that. I was having to much fun. Then I saw three friendly strangers and happily walked over to them. There was a little kid so I wagged my tail and gently gave him a kiss. The man told his friend, "Oh he is a friendly dog. He doesn't have any tags on. We shouldn't let him run around the streets. But I don't really want a dog at my house right now either. He seems like a really nice, easy going dog. He didn't even jump up on Tyler. He seems really well mannered. I guess I will take him to the pound. He will probably get adopted fast because he is so friendly and seems like a good dog." So he took me to the pound and handed me over to an officer. All I could hear was tons of dogs barking. Then they pulled me down the isle and put me in a cage. The sound of everything going on was complete chaos. I was scared. I didn't understand why I was there. As time went by I became very protective of my kennel around other dogs, so I would lunge at them through the bars and try to be intimidating. But when I was in the yard and I saw other dogs through the fence I so badly wanted to play with them. People would say, "Pull that dog away! He is aggressive to other dogs. He is dangerous." I didn't get enough excersize and was bored to death sitting in a cement kennel with no toys, so when people actually did come in my kennel to put a leash on me I was jumping off the walls in excitement, and people didn't like that. They had a hard time getting the leash on me. Gradually as time went by, some dog walkers didn't want to try to get me out of the cage any more. So I got walked even LESS. I got more antsy and more bored and could hardly stand it. Then on the rare ocasion when someone ACTUALLY did walk me I was even MORE hyped up and I would be jumping a lot at them in excitement, grabbing the leash and mouthing their arms (sometimes a little to hard). After our walk, when they would put me back in the kennel and they would turn to leave I would bite the leash or snap in the air towards their ankles because I so badly didn't want to be left alone again. After 2 1/2 months of being at the pound, one time a potential adopter wanted to see me in the yard. I ran around so fast like lightning, like a crazy wild animal because I just had so much pent up energy, that I didn't know what to do with. The person said, "This dog is to hyper for what I am looking for. He is to wild and doesn't seem to have manners." I am so stressed here in this chaotic environement where all these dogs are barking constantly that I cannot sleep enough. I bite my tail and do nervous, obsessive behaviors. I jump along the walls to where the fur rubs off my sides. I cannot seem to get enough human interaction either. I just beg for it. I started out as a good boy before I ended up at the pound. If people could just see me for WHO I WOULD BE if I was out of the pound.... I WOULD BE MY OLD SELF. Someone just needs to give me a chance. The staff says to people, "He has issues. He is aggressive with other dogs. Also when people go in to try to put the leash on him he jumps up like crazy and bites the leash and their arms, he is a high energy dog and has little manners. He shouldn't go to a home with kids. He also is obsessive compulsive and has nervous behaviors. He may have separation anxiety because when people are leaving his kennel he snaps toward their ankles." Now they think of me as a bad dog. I want to be a good dog though and just want to please. I just want things to be like how they used to be. I want to be in a home and feel comforable. Now 3 months have gone by. Two people were talking in front of my kennel today and said, "Is that one of the dogs that is on the euthenasia list?" The woman answered, "Ya, he's not a very good dog though."
The End