Letter: Turning Away Isn't an Option Anymore

I felt compelled to write about my day at the animal shelter.

I had already pulled three dogs from rescue that day, already one more than I was planning. As I was waiting for them to bring out the last of the three dogs for me to take home that day, I noticed a small female puppy that had her ticket already pulled to be put to sleep that day. I asked them what about her made it her time to go. Space was my answer. I knew I had nowhere else to put her, and she was among many that would spend their final day that day at the shelter. Heartbroken for her and so many others but knowing I just can't help them all, I turned away.

I loaded up my three rescues, and drove off. Well, 15 miles later on the freeway, I couldn't take it, and turned around. I pulled back into the shelter, left the air running for the three in the car, and went back in to see her again.

Just as I got to her cage, the shelter technician was pulling her out of the cage, taking her back to what is called the blue room; the sad room. I was sick inside at how close she had just come to no longer being here. Had I waited one more exit on the freeway to turn around, it would have been too late.

I told him today he would have one less on his list. As I turned to go complete her paperwork at the front counter, he moved on to the next cage on his list, and pulled a different dog out to walk down to the blue room. I cried as I watched the next one meet his fate, for no better reason than there just wasn't any space left.

Who is responsible for this crime? We are. We have created so many lives by not spaying and neutering; by buying from pet stores and backyard breeders instead of adopting; by being irresponsible pet owners. Please, take a minute out to think about what you can do to stop what is happening every day to animals that have done no crime other than to be born into a world that doesn't have room for them.

Every time you go into that pet store or backyard breeder and buy a pet, you are feeding the problem. You have just given them money to fund their business and create more, and the cycle will never stop unless they do not have customers waiting to buy what they are selling. I beg of you: Do your part to make space in our shelters so that animals that have done no wrong can stay as long as it takes for them to find their forever family.

And as far as Jasmine, who she is now named, goes, she is a wonderful, loving, sweet, affectionate 6 month old terrier mix baby who is grateful every day to be here, and she will now wait as long as it takes for her forever home. 

Emily Bernie