The Life of a Rescue Dog Mom
Is this what my dog is thinking?
Morgan is a big guy. He appears to be a Catahoula and Mastiff mix, weighing in at 113 pounds. His origin story, much like many superheroes, is grim. I compare my dear boy to superheroes because that’s what he truly is at his core. Morgan saved me as I saved him.
Having worked with animal rescue since about 2004, I have seen horrors from some of the worst of humanity and the beauty in the resilience of animals. Morgan is one of the most resilient I have met.
Morgan went from being near death lying on the side of the road to living with a human (me) who bought him a house so he would have his own yard. My VW Beetle no longer has a passenger seat so that Morgan can navigate car rides more easily. And, believe me, if I could afford to buy him a bigger vehicle I would. In the living room, Morgan has his very own loveseat. At bedtime he gets first pick of bed space. Treats, toys, and nutritious food are abundant in his home.
My guy has all these things which makes me wonder what does he think of his new life. Which has led to me writing short quips from Morgan’s mind. A dog that has watched way too much Downton Abbey and British period pieces with his person.
Before sharing, I should explain that when Morgan disapproves of an activity he plays dead by falling down on the ground. It’s his very own version of playing possum.
The following is from one of his morning tantrums:
“Dear friends,
I come to you today to decry the injustices put upon me by my adopted sibling and human mother. Whilst left to my own devices for hours upon hours (10 minutes), my adopted sibling was taken out to the backyard for much frivolity (potty break). In protest I threw myself upon the ground pretending to have expired from the destitution of abandonment. My desperate attempt to ply nourishment (treats) and even the most minor form of attention (pets) from my human mother was met with the humiliation of laughter. Once I was freed from this enclosure (his home) my photograph was taken with that insufferable camera contraption. Said incident shall be added to my list of slights.”
Obviously this is written in jest. However, I can’t help but wonder what happens in his mind.
Whoever said dogs don’t remember has never helped a dog recover from a life of abuse. A life of neglect. My guy has nightmares to this day. He still has trouble navigating what most people would consider pretty common things.
When I hear rescuers being called heroes it makes me pause. Are we truly heroes? The real courage is in these animals who after all they endure still go on living. They go on loving. They still warmly accept humans.
People need to take a lesson from these amazing creatures. If we could learn to leave our pain behind us, to go forward into a future of warmth and love, humanity would be forever changed.
