Tis the night before Christmas
and all through the town,
every shelter is full-
we are lost but not found.

They’ll come to adopt us
and give us a call,
“Here Max and Here Sparkie-
come get your new ball!!”

But now we sit here and think
of the good old days,
where we were treat so nicely
and we had cute, puppy ways.

Once we were little
then we grew and we grew,
Now, we’re no longer young…
no longer new.

So out the back door
we’re thrown out like trash
they reacted so quickly,
why are they so rash?

We “jumped on the children”,
“Don’t come when they call”,
we “bark when they leave us”,
and climb over the wall.

We should have been neutered
we should have been spayed,
no we suffer the consequence
of the error THEY made.

If only they’d train us,
if only we knew,
we’d done what they asked us and
worshiped them too.

We were left in the backyard,
or worse left to roam,
now we’re tired and lonely
and out of a home.

They dropped us off here
and they kissed us good bye,
“Maybe someone else
will give you a try”.

So now here we are
all confused… and alone,
in a shelter with others,
who all long for a home.

The kind workers come through,
with a meal and a pat,
but with som many to care for,
they can’t stay for a chat.

They move to the next kennel,
giving each of us some cheer…
we know they all wonder,
how long we’ll be here.

We drift off to sleep
and sweet dreams fill our heads,
of a home filled with love,
and our own cozy beds.

Then as we awake,
sometimes brimming with tears,
we see all our friends
filled with emptiness, worry and fear.

If you can’t adopt us
and there’s no room at the Inn,
Could you help witht he bills,
and help fill our food bin?

We count on your kindness,
each day of the year,
can you give more than hope,
to all of us here?

Please make a donation,
to help pay for the heat,
and help get us something special
this christmas to eat.

The shelter that cares for us
wants us all… to live,
and more of us will,
if more people give.

Written by David, the Dogman

Ah, the holidays! Such a glorious time of year, filled with happy anticipation and joyous reunions with family and friends you haven’t seen for a while.

Unfortunately, the holidays can spell disaster for our four-legged family members. Thousands of pets sustain injuries from holiday plants, decorations and foods at this time of the year.

Help Fido and Fluffy celebrate the season safely by protecting them from these holiday pet health hazards:

* Mistletoe, holly, poinsettias and Christmas lilies all make lovely holiday decorations but are all toxic to pets when ingested. Mistletoe causes gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. Holly and poinsettias can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and lethargy.

* When using holiday plants to decorate your dining table, move them to a location where pets can’t reach between mealtimes. Hang mistletoe where pets can’t reach it; berries are highly poisonous, and highly attractive to cats. Don’t allow pets to remain in the room with your Christmas tree without supervision. Even eating a few pine needles can cause a puncture in pet intestines!

* Tape down or otherwise secure electrical cords for holiday lights to prevent chewing on them and unplug tree lights before leaving home.

* Secure your Christmas tree to the ceiling to keep it from falling on pets. Don’t let pets drink water from the tree holder. Even fresh water can contain fertilizer residue, and stagnant water is full of bacteria. If you use tree water preservative, be sure to buy one that’s labeled non-toxic in case pets decide to quaff while you’re not looking. And NEVER use aspirin as a preservative in tree water. Ingesting aspirin-laced water can cause serious illness and even death.

* Keep tinsel and other ornaments well out of pet range. Cats in particular like to play with tinsel, and some will eat it, which can block intestines. Pets can mistake ornaments for toy balls to pets, and shards from broken glass ornaments can cause injury to mouths and paws. Swallowed, they cause major injuries to stomach and intestinal tract.

* If your pet is nervous  to begin with, the elevate activity level in the home during the holidays. Try moving your pets bed to a quieter area of the house

* Once gifts have been opened, have children put their new toys away, especially those with small parts that can cause choking and intestinal blockage in dogs and frequently need to be removed surgically.

* Most pets love snoozing on a warm hearth. Always use fireplace screens, even when you think the fire is completely out. Keep candles out of pet reach and extinguish when leaving the room.

* To reduce stress, maintain pets’ routines. Walk your dog as you always do. Serve pets’ meals at regular times. Make sure fresh water is always available for them.

* Remember that holiday foods that are fine for people can make pets seriously ill. Macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, disorientation, tremors, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness in dogs. Chocolate can be fatal; ingesting as little as 1/4 ounce can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increase thirst, urination and heart rate.

* Call your veterinarian immediately if you think your pet may have ingested something toxic. If unable to reach your vet call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

Source:

http://www.newstimes.com/danbury/ci_11103247