SHELTER DOG

A dad brings his 8-year-old son to the animal shelter to adopt a dog. 

The little boy has been anxiously awaiting the day for years. With great excitement, he goes up to the counter and asks to see the dogs that are available for adoption.

An older lady, a shelter volunteer, leads the way for a tour of the area where the eligible dogs are anxiously waiting. They yelp loudly, scratch at their cages, and bark for the little boy’s attention.

"Let me introduce you to some of our favorites here at the shelter."

The volunteer brings a dog to the play area one at a time, where the boy and his father wait to meet them.

“Every boy loves puppies,” the volunteer says as she brings in a high-energy poodle puppy. The little boy sits patiently, waiting for the frisky pup to calm down. After a while, it’s obvious the boy is no match for this dog.

“This one is quite docile.” It’s a German Shepard who promptly nuzzles the boy lovingly and lays his big head on the boy's lap. Still, he was not won over.

Out of the corner of his eye, the little boy sees a hairless mutt sitting alone in a cage. 

“What about that one?”

“He’s in that cage because he needs surgery on his hip socket. He can’t run and play like the others. You really don’t want that dog. He needs a costly surgery that will require weeks, maybe months of physical therapy, and even then, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to keep up with a little boy like you.”

The father doesn’t say a word. The boy is insistent.

“I have the adoption fee, and that’s the dog I want.”

“Well, if you really want that dog, we’ll waive the adoption fee.

There's sure to be additional expenses for vet bills in the future.”

The boy looks at his dad, who simply nods his head, “Yes.” 

“We’ll take the puppy, and we’ll pay the full adoption fee. That dog is worth just as much as any dog here. Just because he has special needs doesn’t mean he’s worth less.”

The father smiles. And the little boy rolls up his pants leg to show the volunteer his prosthetic leg. 

“I, too, needed surgeries and physical therapy. I can't run and play like all the other children, either. This dog needs an owner who will understand him.”

The father and son leave the shelter with a new family member, and the volunteer learns an important lesson that day.

A most important quality and measure of a person is their empathy, their compassion, and their understanding of others.

By Susan Diamond
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