I took in a new dog

I almost didn’t notice him, driving along a small highway through the forest on the way back from camping. The car stopped violently when I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the poor puppy.

It wasn’t moving. I pulled over to the side and went to check on it. He didn’t seem like a stray, more like someone abandoned him in the middle of the road, leaving him badly injured. He was barely breathing and all skin and bones.

Sadness welled inside me. Who could possibly have the heart to hurt these creatures? 

There was a blanket in the car which I used to pick him up, careful not to make his wounds worse, and then placed him in the passenger seat. I needed to get him help, and the nearest clinic was about half an hour away. I prayed he could hold on until then.

My driving was probably ticket worthy but I was worried for the little guy. I pulled into the parking lot and rushed into the building with him in my arms, swaddled in a flurry of pink polka dots. A doctor immediately took him into another room. They told me it would take some time to nurse him back to health given the state of his condition.

Over the next three months, I kept visiting the clinic to make sure the dog was recovering well. I was elated to see him get better and better over time. He regained his mobility and energy. My visits were met with happy barks and tail wags.

I’ve never thought about taking a dog in before, but I’d already fallen in love with him way before I realized.

Once he was cleared, I took him in immediately.

It took some time for him to adjust to the house, but he soon made himself comfortable.

I had already done some research beforehand and bought everything he needed. I got him his own bed, food bowls, treats, and a leash and collar for his walks.

Of course, it wasn’t limited only to these things.

I took care of him. I trained him the best I could, using positive reinforcement and plenty of practice during our walks.

He was the best dog I could’ve asked for. He always listened to my commands and was my cute and cheerful boy. It was nice to have someone waiting for me when I came home from work.

But one day, he suddenly started acting different.

He was angry.

He stopped listening. He growled and barked at me in a frenzy everyday, distancing himself from me. He broke things he shouldn’t have.

My cute boy. My sweet boy. My poor boy. My ungrateful boy.

Putting all my effort to waste.

I tried to get him under control and to find out what made him this way, I really did.

But I’d had enough of this behavior.

One night, I tied up his hands and feet.

I drove back to the forest…

and dropped him back on the road.

Sadness welled inside of me.

Who could possibly have the heart to hurt these creatures?