“What are we going to do with you?”

     I say that as I watch “Fatty” roll blissfully through the grass.  Fatty’s an older beagle, probably 10 or 12-years-old.  On February 14 he was picked up on the side of the road by a caring motorist and brought to the Humane Society.  Because he limped we suspected that he had been hit by a car.  We soon realized that, no, he’s just old.
     We set him up in a cozy cage in our cat holding area.  (Because of his age and health, we opted not to place him in the regular dog holding area.)  Being quiet and requiring little care, he became a permanent fixture with us.
     Every day he roams the yard area making sure that we are all working hard.  When approached, he flops over on his back, assuming that his Buddha-like belly will be rubbed for good luck.  Who could resist?

     One day last week we were all experiencing a tremendous amount of stress—the number of incoming animals was far exceeding available space and some hard choices were being forced upon us.  Standing in one of the buildings and frozen by frustration, I glanced to my left.  My eyes were drawn down the hallway of the darkened dog building to the lush grassy yard on the opposite end.  Like seeing the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel,” I saw Fatty running through the grass chasing after butterflies.
     At that moment, everything came into perspective.  I knew that things would be okay.  What needed to be done would get done.  I looked again and saw Fatty running in the opposite direction still hunting the elusive insect.
     You know, even though he is old, heartworm-positive and not a very good singer, we can’t put him to sleep.  He’s Fatty!  He’s our friend.
     Your Greenwood Humane Society is staffed by a ragtag bunch of folks who love and appreciate animals.  Our hearts beat in unison with theirs.  We choose to be their voice because they are so often unheard.  Making choices on behalf of the animals often causes us to be unpopular with people.
     No.  We don’t think it’s all right to let your pet needlessly have babies.  Why?  Because when they end up at our shelter and we can’t find them homes; we have to kill them.  Even if you find homes for your kittens or puppies, how many of them will have litters of their own?
     No.  We don’t think every person should own a pet.  Why?  Because it takes a commitment of time, money and care that not every one can give.  Where do you think the animals at the shelter come from?  Every dog and cat that has passed through this facility was owned by somebody at one time.
     No.  We don’t think stray dogs and cats should be running the roads of our county.  This isn’t a third-world country.  It should be unacceptable to every citizen of Greenwood for homeless dogs and cats to roam the streets foraging for food and searching for shelter.  There are measures that can be taken to overcome this problem.
     In short, we need help!  To provide a clean and healthy environment for the animals, we have hired additional staff at the shelter.  But expected government cutbacks will undoubtedly hurt our chances for getting more funds in June.  We cannot let the great accomplishments of the past six months die in a whimper.
     If you haven't already received a copy of our spring newsletter, please e-mail us with your name and address.  Included will be information about how YOU can help us help the animals.  Please take the time to read it thoughtfully and let your heart and conscience lead you to lend a hand.
     Oh, and Fatty?  He has a girlfriend.  We found a Siberian Husky a couple of weeks ago standing in the Civic Center parking lot.
     Although it was pouring down rain, she stood as still as a statue.  Her odd head movements and lack of reaction led us to believe that she was blind.  She’s actually severely cross-eyed and only hears certain sounds.  We have named her “Bobble.”

     Like Fatty, Bobble is one that we just couldn’t let become another euthanasia statistic.
     Yesterday we let her out in the yard for further observation and to figure out what we were going to do with her.  Somehow Bobble saw Fatty from across the yard.  Like some corny 70s love story, they ran to each other and met in a warm embrace.  Watching them tumble and play together, we very quickly realized that a special bond was forming.  They’re perfect for each other!
     I just shook my head and thought to myself, “What are we going to do with you two?”