DILLON

( the story of a “hard to adopt” dog )

 I was a stray.  Brought to a shelter. I remember being on the streets and sleeping wherever I could, eating whatever I could. I don’t know about my past family. I searched and searched and couldn't find them.  I looked for them whenever anyone came into the shelter, but I never saw them. Maybe that was o.k. I remember being hit for things I didn’t understand and being real hungry, and not being able to move because of having a real tight rope on me.

I sure liked the people at the shelter. They gave me something warm to sleep on and all the food I could eat. They were so nice to me and did this thing they called “ PETTING” where they rub and scratch you all over and wow it feels so good! There were so many dogs there. The smells and noise really scared me. I wished they would just keep doing that petting thing but there were so many of us to care for.  

Days went by. Then weeks. So many people I didn’t know walked by me. Many of them thought I looked mean, or was sick because I was thin and had sores on my mouth, or that I would bite them. I tried to look gentle so they might stop and visit, but only the nice shelter people ever did. I was so scared and worried I just stopped trying to be friendly.

Then one day this lady came to look at me.  She put a collar on me and hooked a leash to it.  She started showing me how to do funny things like “sit”, “down”, and  “walk” without tugging. She petted reallll good and talked to me.  She did annoying things like look in my mouth, and in my ears. She was not very pleased when I tried to turn away, or when I tried to bully her by snarling but she kept petting and I realllly liked the petting so I relaxed.

The lady decided I should have a special name and she called me “Dillon”.  She said she really liked me and whispered in my ear “I guess your mine now Dillon”.  I sure liked that name DILLON, and the new words, whatever they meant. Pretty soon everyone at the shelter called me Dillon. I felt special and worked very hard to learn my new words and to be “cute”, but, more weeks went by, and no one would take me out to visit, no one would let me show them the new words I now knew, no one would even ask about me.

I knew that I was there a long time. I heard the nice lady ask about “time being up”. The shelter people told her that there were just so many of us. Everyone sounded so sad.

I had given up. Who wants a skinny, dirty dog that isn’t cute like a puppy or a kitten ? BUT one morning I remember hearing the door open to my cage and those words my lady would say “I guess your mine now Dillon” as she put a leash on me and led me to her car. For some reason I felt scared of the car and she had to lift me into it. I was to scared to move.

I had to go to a doctor first where I got shots.  I didn’t like that much, but the doctor, his name was “VET” was very nice. He said it looked like I had been hit by something, maybe a car because I had some injuries that would heal. No wonder I didn’t like that car, it hits! The lady hugged me so I wasn’t too scared and, after paying something called a “bill”,  said with a sigh  “I guess your mine now Dillon”. Did I tell you how much I like hearing that ?

After the doctor’s we went to the lady’s home and YUK! A bath. I think that is worse than a car. I really didn’t want a bath, but the lady got into it with me, I don’t think she meant to, and I wasn’t so scared. When I was clean I smelled like flowers. So I shook off as much of that flower smell as I could and lay in the sun till I was dry. She wouldn’t let me roll in good stinky things though. Some people just don’t appreciate good smells I guess.

I got to meet the other dogs that were there too. They told me all about something called “obedience”, “agility”, “play time”, “helper dogs”, ”therapy dogs” and that we stayed busy. 

Wow do we, every night I fall asleep tired on my blanket. I know all kinds of new words and I am told I am something called a Dalmatian. I guess we’re so special that someone named Disney makes movies about us. I’m getting used to the car and have learned to swim. Swimming is better than baths because you don’t smell like flowers when you’re done. I’ve made friends with really nice people who help dogs like me, and have made friends with lots of dogs that came from a shelter and now are very, very important making there family happy. I try to show my gratitude every day to my lady and always look forward to my favorite words, the first words I really listened to…. “I guess your mine now Dillon”.

©CCWDA 2007

Some of our Favorite groups that assist Animals:

All American Mutt Rescue: ALL-AMERICAN MUTT RESCUE, INC. is a home-based animal rescue organization that has grown out of love and compassion for animals. Located in Huddleston, VA, we are truly in the heart of Virginia – 30 minutes from Lynchburg, 30 minutes from Smith Mountain Lake, 30 minutes from Bedford, and 60 minutes from Roanoke.

Our motto is “Rescue … rehome … real love” and we try to live it every day. We rescue animals in need of new homes and loving families. We make sure each of them is spayed or neutered and up-to-date on all routine vaccinations. If other medical care or treatment is needed, we get that for them as well.

Please visit our friends at:

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/VA470.html