the slack daily

Emily.

She's not the first dog you look at.  She's not little and she's not fluffy.  Her face is grey and her ears are lopsided and her legs are a bit skewed and her belly bears the marks of multiple litters of puppies.

Emily, at the Bill Foundation Adoption Fair.

But she's the first dog you should look at.  Because she was dumped in Echo Park, left to wander the streets, starving and scared, but she will happily lean up against you.  She loves to have her square head held in your hands as you scratch the space between her eyes, that space that holds her brain that's seen so much and experienced the worst the human race has had to offer, being used up and thrown out like a piece of trash but still loves us anyway.

You should look at her because she loves dogs and cats and kids, because she's housetrained.  She responds not to treats but to attention and belly rubs.  She's looking for a spot to curl up and sleep. maybe under your desk on a blanket, or on the couch or maybe, just maybe, at the foot of your bed. 

That's more like it.

She's a dog who prefers love to four mile hikes, a dog who will repay you for your kindness tenfold, for a belly full of food and a pat on the head and a soft spot to sleep.  She doesn't care how much you make or what you look like, only that you've got a kind word and a belly rub. 

She's a dog that you walk past looking at all the other dogs, and I can only shake my head at and wonder why people don't get it.  Because she is everything a dog should be and more.  Every Adoption Fair someone asks don't you want to take them all home? And I say I know that each and every dog will find the right home, but for the first time I am crushed that it can't be me because my dog doesn't get along with other dogs and I don't live in a place where I can crate and rotate. 

Every so often there's one that gets under your skin.  One that you know is special, one that is the best that the canine world has to offer. I know I'm not the only one who sees that. 

But I hope the right person with the right home will see that, too. Soon

Emily is available for adoption through the Bill Foundation a non-profit organization which is kept going by your donations (you can donate here!)

If you've got any questions, well, you know where to find me.

If you've been with me since the beginning, I am telling you, this dog is a Thurber, 

Sometimes I Hate People.

Today, at the Bill Foundation Adoption Fair:

A couple walks in with a 4-to-5 year old girl.  The little girl kept shoving her fingers in cage after cage, even though we asked her and her parents to stop poking at the doggies.  Finally, her dad approached the table and asked me about a dog [an adorable, poodley looking guy] that was listed as "not good with kids"

Can I still look at the dog? he asked.

Is that your daughter?  I asked back.

Yes.

Then no, you can't.  I'm sorry, but it says it's not good with kids.  We have many great family dogs here, I'd be happy to show you them.

But that one looks like it would be the best around kids.

And I'm telling you it's not.

Another volunteer joins us.  No, that dog can't be around children. According to the shelter it was in a home with children that terrorized it, so we want to find him a quiet, adults-only home.

Well, I want to look at that dog, he insists.

I'm sorry, I continue, I will be happy to have any of the volunteers show you another dog--

Clearly you don't care about these dogs, because you'd want them to go into good homes like mine, he says.  He snorts and grabs his daughters hand and they stride off.  Maybe he'll get her a pet lion instead.

There was also a couple who left their dog unattended in a shopping car for ten minutes and the family who boasted that of course they would keep the dog inside - that's what their garage was for!  But it doesn't have A/C, so they need a sturdy dog - could we hook them up?

/headdesk

Dog Day Afternoon!

I spent my afternoon with a handsome boy.

We even made out!

Hootie, along with many other fabulous dogs, is available for adoption through the Bill Foundation.