I wrote this story to inform people of the behaviors of the dogs at the pound, and why fostering is so crucial. This story is based on a pound that keeps dogs for around 3 months. A lot of pounds kill dogs after 72 hours, legally.
A Dog's Story (as told by the dog)
One day I was having the greatest time running down the street enjoying some freedom. I couldn't even think about my owner or my dog friend at a time like that. I was having to much fun. Then I saw three friendly strangers and happily walked over to them. There was a little kid so I wagged my tail and gently gave him a kiss. The man told his friend, "Oh he is a friendly dog. He doesn't have any tags on. We shouldn't let him run around the streets. But I don't really want a dog at my house right now either. He seems like a really nice, easy going dog. He didn't even jump up on Tyler. He seems really well mannered. I guess I will take him to the pound. He will probably get adopted fast because he is so friendly and seems like a good dog." So he took me to the pound and handed me over to an officer. All I could hear was tons of dogs barking. Then they pulled me down the isle and put me in a cage. The sound of everything going on was complete chaos. I was scared. I didn't understand why I was there. As time went by I became very protective of my kennel around other dogs, so I would lunge at them through the bars and try to be intimidating. But when I was in the yard and I saw other dogs through the fence I so badly wanted to play with them. People would say, "Pull that dog away! He is aggressive to other dogs. He is dangerous." I didn't get enough excersize and was bored to death sitting in a cement kennel with no toys, so when people actually did come in my kennel to put a leash on me I was jumping off the walls in excitement, and people didn't like that. They had a hard time getting the leash on me. Gradually as time went by, some dog walkers didn't want to try to get me out of the cage any more. So I got walked even LESS. I got more antsy and more bored and could hardly stand it. Then on the rare ocasion when someone ACTUALLY did walk me I was even MORE hyped up and I would be jumping a lot at them in excitement, grabbing the leash and mouthing their arms (sometimes a little to hard). After our walk, when they would put me back in the kennel and they would turn to leave I would bite the leash or snap in the air towards their ankles because I so badly didn't want to be left alone again. After 2 1/2 months of being at the pound, one time a potential adopter wanted to see me in the yard. I ran around so fast like lightning, like a crazy wild animal because I just had so much pent up energy, that I didn't know what to do with. The person said, "This dog is to hyper for what I am looking for. He is to wild and doesn't seem to have manners." I am so stressed here in this chaotic environement where all these dogs are barking constantly that I cannot sleep enough. I bite my tail and do nervous, obsessive behaviors. I jump along the walls to where the fur rubs off my sides. I cannot seem to get enough human interaction either. I just beg for it. I started out as a good boy before I ended up at the pound. If people could just see me for WHO I WOULD BE if I was out of the pound.... I WOULD BE MY OLD SELF. Someone just needs to give me a chance. The staff says to people, "He has issues. He is aggressive with other dogs. Also when people go in to try to put the leash on him he jumps up like crazy and bites the leash and their arms, he is a high energy dog and has little manners. He shouldn't go to a home with kids. He also is obsessive compulsive and has nervous behaviors. He may have separation anxiety because when people are leaving his kennel he snaps toward their ankles." Now they think of me as a bad dog. I want to be a good dog though and just want to please. I just want things to be like how they used to be. I want to be in a home and feel comforable. Now 3 months have gone by. Two people were talking in front of my kennel today and said, "Is that one of the dogs that is on the euthenasia list?" The woman answered, "Ya, he's not a very good dog though."
The End
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I wrote this on my typewriter for Alix as I listened to the thunder and rain. It was September 5th, 2013.
A GOTHIC HORROR
Under the grumbling skies and full clouds sits an old cathedral that has been turned into a home. Between it's stone walls the sound of an aged piano with it's soft and dramatic tone fills the space. Adelaide's fingers dance passionately across the keys as her black curly locks sweep her face. As she hits the notes down the scale the rain starts to hit the roof and the music combines wonderfully. The flames on the chandelier above her seem to move to the rhythm. Suddenly she is interrupted by her black myna bird landing on her shoulder squawking, "Stranger! Stranger!" They hear the sound of the squeaky doorknob turning. The large door creeks open and a lady walks in cautiously. Adelaide is alarmed and very surprised. The woman says, "Hello Adelaide. My name is Judy. I am not here to be of any harm."
Adelaide is nervous and asks, "What do you want?!"
Judy says, "I walked by here the other day and sensed you may need help. I was eventually able to find the owner of this place so that I could borrow the key and come speak with you." Adelaide was confused and felt intruded upon. Judy's eyes panned the room, seeing the layers of dust everywhere and the broken parts of the stained glass windows. "I've brought a tape recorder and I'd like to record our conversation." Judy presses the button. "I'm going to ask you some questions... What year were you born?"
Adelaide asks, "Why are you asking me questions?"
Judy doesn't respond and won't look at her in the eyes. Judy then says, "Why do you choose to stay here?"
Adelaide says, "Why are you here?!"
Judy goes on, "Do you still love the man you were going to marry?"
Adelaide replied, "What are you talking about? Please leave!"
Judy didn't respond. Judy continued, "What year did you die?"
Adelaide got more agitated and said, "I am not dead! Are you crazy? Look at me. I'm alive! Look at me! I think you need to leave now."
Judy seemed to stare off into space with no reaction. Judy then said, "Do you remember your wedding day? Do you remember what happened to you? Do you remember what your fiancé did to you?"
A look of pure shock came over Adelaide's face as a painful memory reemerged that she had shut off many years ago. A pain in her chest, blood on her hands, on her wedding dress, the hateful look in his eyes. The feeling of devastation coming over her.
Judy continued, "Incase you want to move on, I've come to open the doorway to the light for you- heaven, where you can be at peace."
Adelaide, still in shock, asked herself, “How long have I been living here?! What have I been doing all this time!?”
Suddenly the atmosphere changed. A glowing ray came over Adelaide's face and she looked upward. She reached her arm out to her side and called her bird. He landed on her arm and felt the peace too, as they both left this place where she was to be married many years ago.
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A Dog's Story (as told by the dog)
One day I was having the greatest time running down the street enjoying some freedom. I couldn't even think about my owner or my dog friend at a time like that. I was having to much fun. Then I saw three friendly strangers and happily walked over to them. There was a little kid so I wagged my tail and gently gave him a kiss. The man told his friend, "Oh he is a friendly dog. He doesn't have any tags on. We shouldn't let him run around the streets. But I don't really want a dog at my house right now either. He seems like a really nice, easy going dog. He didn't even jump up on Tyler. He seems really well mannered. I guess I will take him to the pound. He will probably get adopted fast because he is so friendly and seems like a good dog." So he took me to the pound and handed me over to an officer. All I could hear was tons of dogs barking. Then they pulled me down the isle and put me in a cage. The sound of everything going on was complete chaos. I was scared. I didn't understand why I was there. As time went by I became very protective of my kennel around other dogs, so I would lunge at them through the bars and try to be intimidating. But when I was in the yard and I saw other dogs through the fence I so badly wanted to play with them. People would say, "Pull that dog away! He is aggressive to other dogs. He is dangerous." I didn't get enough excersize and was bored to death sitting in a cement kennel with no toys, so when people actually did come in my kennel to put a leash on me I was jumping off the walls in excitement, and people didn't like that. They had a hard time getting the leash on me. Gradually as time went by, some dog walkers didn't want to try to get me out of the cage any more. So I got walked even LESS. I got more antsy and more bored and could hardly stand it. Then on the rare ocasion when someone ACTUALLY did walk me I was even MORE hyped up and I would be jumping a lot at them in excitement, grabbing the leash and mouthing their arms (sometimes a little to hard). After our walk, when they would put me back in the kennel and they would turn to leave I would bite the leash or snap in the air towards their ankles because I so badly didn't want to be left alone again. After 2 1/2 months of being at the pound, one time a potential adopter wanted to see me in the yard. I ran around so fast like lightning, like a crazy wild animal because I just had so much pent up energy, that I didn't know what to do with. The person said, "This dog is to hyper for what I am looking for. He is to wild and doesn't seem to have manners." I am so stressed here in this chaotic environement where all these dogs are barking constantly that I cannot sleep enough. I bite my tail and do nervous, obsessive behaviors. I jump along the walls to where the fur rubs off my sides. I cannot seem to get enough human interaction either. I just beg for it. I started out as a good boy before I ended up at the pound. If people could just see me for WHO I WOULD BE if I was out of the pound.... I WOULD BE MY OLD SELF. Someone just needs to give me a chance. The staff says to people, "He has issues. He is aggressive with other dogs. Also when people go in to try to put the leash on him he jumps up like crazy and bites the leash and their arms, he is a high energy dog and has little manners. He shouldn't go to a home with kids. He also is obsessive compulsive and has nervous behaviors. He may have separation anxiety because when people are leaving his kennel he snaps toward their ankles." Now they think of me as a bad dog. I want to be a good dog though and just want to please. I just want things to be like how they used to be. I want to be in a home and feel comforable. Now 3 months have gone by. Two people were talking in front of my kennel today and said, "Is that one of the dogs that is on the euthenasia list?" The woman answered, "Ya, he's not a very good dog though."
The End
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I wrote this on my typewriter for Alix as I listened to the thunder and rain. It was September 5th, 2013.
A GOTHIC HORROR
Under the grumbling skies and full clouds sits an old cathedral that has been turned into a home. Between it's stone walls the sound of an aged piano with it's soft and dramatic tone fills the space. Adelaide's fingers dance passionately across the keys as her black curly locks sweep her face. As she hits the notes down the scale the rain starts to hit the roof and the music combines wonderfully. The flames on the chandelier above her seem to move to the rhythm. Suddenly she is interrupted by her black myna bird landing on her shoulder squawking, "Stranger! Stranger!" They hear the sound of the squeaky doorknob turning. The large door creeks open and a lady walks in cautiously. Adelaide is alarmed and very surprised. The woman says, "Hello Adelaide. My name is Judy. I am not here to be of any harm."
Adelaide is nervous and asks, "What do you want?!"
Judy says, "I walked by here the other day and sensed you may need help. I was eventually able to find the owner of this place so that I could borrow the key and come speak with you." Adelaide was confused and felt intruded upon. Judy's eyes panned the room, seeing the layers of dust everywhere and the broken parts of the stained glass windows. "I've brought a tape recorder and I'd like to record our conversation." Judy presses the button. "I'm going to ask you some questions... What year were you born?"
Adelaide asks, "Why are you asking me questions?"
Judy doesn't respond and won't look at her in the eyes. Judy then says, "Why do you choose to stay here?"
Adelaide says, "Why are you here?!"
Judy goes on, "Do you still love the man you were going to marry?"
Adelaide replied, "What are you talking about? Please leave!"
Judy didn't respond. Judy continued, "What year did you die?"
Adelaide got more agitated and said, "I am not dead! Are you crazy? Look at me. I'm alive! Look at me! I think you need to leave now."
Judy seemed to stare off into space with no reaction. Judy then said, "Do you remember your wedding day? Do you remember what happened to you? Do you remember what your fiancé did to you?"
A look of pure shock came over Adelaide's face as a painful memory reemerged that she had shut off many years ago. A pain in her chest, blood on her hands, on her wedding dress, the hateful look in his eyes. The feeling of devastation coming over her.
Judy continued, "Incase you want to move on, I've come to open the doorway to the light for you- heaven, where you can be at peace."
Adelaide, still in shock, asked herself, “How long have I been living here?! What have I been doing all this time!?”
Suddenly the atmosphere changed. A glowing ray came over Adelaide's face and she looked upward. She reached her arm out to her side and called her bird. He landed on her arm and felt the peace too, as they both left this place where she was to be married many years ago.
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A horror story based on the watercolor painting I made:
Back in 1990 I went to visit my friend Odette because I was going to be pet sitting her rabbits while she was on vacation and she wanted to show me the ropes. She lived in a small rural town and her little house was on a long gravel road. Odette and I had been friends for about 6 years and I felt that I knew her well. That day in 1990, as we were standing on her back porch looking upon the field behind her house, she pointed in that direction. She asked, "Do you see that tree on the hill?" I nodded. She said, "Please do no go past the fence that I put up around it. It is very dangerous there." She looked very serious. I very curious, asked, "What is it about it that is so dangerous?" She got a very uncomfortable look on her face and there was a pause of silence. Then she said, "This is going to sound crazy, but hear me out... that tree is evil and it has killed children." I was thinking, "What?!" She could see my reaction. She said, "I know it sounds crazy, but the first time it killed a child, I was in bed and I heard a child scream from the field behind my house. I got out of bed, grabbed a flashlight, and stood on my porch shining it out there, but I couldn't see anything. I was too nervous to go out there alone. The next day or two I started seeing flyers around town about a missing girl. I came home and went for a walk in the field and ended up near the tree and I found sandals by the swing of the tree. That swing was there when I bought the place. Suddenly I had this movie play in my mind of what had happened to the little girl. She had been swinging and the tree grabbed her and ate her." I know it sounds crazy but it was VERY clear in my mind. And I had always sensed an evil presence coming from that tree and always felt like it was watching me. I avoid going out near it. Later on, two more children went missing, and those two incidences happened after I heard screams coming from my back field." I decided to put that fence up and put 'no trespassing' signs up, in hopes that people will listen. Please don't even go over there. You would see what I mean about the evil presence. I never told you about it before because I don't like talking about it but now you are here and are going to be staying here alone so I had to tell you.
2 days later I went to her house to stay at her house and take care of her rabbits while she was away. Very curious about that tree, I decided to go for a walk in the field that night. It was just too tempting to not get closer to it. I got several yards away from the fence. I definitely felt an evil presence from the tree and the feeling of it not wanting me there. I felt eyes on me. I kept walking along the perimeter. I have the ability to hear spirits, and I heard children spirits say, "Don't come over here. It will kill you." And then I heard a blood curdling scream come from the swing, a replay of a past event. I could not see anything happening where the swing was, but I was glad not to, and I took off running towards the house.
About a year later, Odette came down with a mysterious illness...medical test after test after test and the doctors could not figure out anything wrong, but clearly something was very wrong. She was slowly dieing from an illness. She told me that she was told by the neighbors that the woman who lived there before her came down with a mysterious illness and died. The lady could never figure out what was wrong with her. Every medical test led to a dead end road. My friend Odette did pass away also.
Recently I revisited that little town while I was travelling on the way to the coast. I decided to drive up that gravel road and pass by Odette's old house. I could see that evil tree in the far distance still standing there. It still gives me a shutter. I did see a car parked in front of Odette's old house. I do hope that no children live in that house. If they did, they probably aren't around anymore.
Back in 1990 I went to visit my friend Odette because I was going to be pet sitting her rabbits while she was on vacation and she wanted to show me the ropes. She lived in a small rural town and her little house was on a long gravel road. Odette and I had been friends for about 6 years and I felt that I knew her well. That day in 1990, as we were standing on her back porch looking upon the field behind her house, she pointed in that direction. She asked, "Do you see that tree on the hill?" I nodded. She said, "Please do no go past the fence that I put up around it. It is very dangerous there." She looked very serious. I very curious, asked, "What is it about it that is so dangerous?" She got a very uncomfortable look on her face and there was a pause of silence. Then she said, "This is going to sound crazy, but hear me out... that tree is evil and it has killed children." I was thinking, "What?!" She could see my reaction. She said, "I know it sounds crazy, but the first time it killed a child, I was in bed and I heard a child scream from the field behind my house. I got out of bed, grabbed a flashlight, and stood on my porch shining it out there, but I couldn't see anything. I was too nervous to go out there alone. The next day or two I started seeing flyers around town about a missing girl. I came home and went for a walk in the field and ended up near the tree and I found sandals by the swing of the tree. That swing was there when I bought the place. Suddenly I had this movie play in my mind of what had happened to the little girl. She had been swinging and the tree grabbed her and ate her." I know it sounds crazy but it was VERY clear in my mind. And I had always sensed an evil presence coming from that tree and always felt like it was watching me. I avoid going out near it. Later on, two more children went missing, and those two incidences happened after I heard screams coming from my back field." I decided to put that fence up and put 'no trespassing' signs up, in hopes that people will listen. Please don't even go over there. You would see what I mean about the evil presence. I never told you about it before because I don't like talking about it but now you are here and are going to be staying here alone so I had to tell you.
2 days later I went to her house to stay at her house and take care of her rabbits while she was away. Very curious about that tree, I decided to go for a walk in the field that night. It was just too tempting to not get closer to it. I got several yards away from the fence. I definitely felt an evil presence from the tree and the feeling of it not wanting me there. I felt eyes on me. I kept walking along the perimeter. I have the ability to hear spirits, and I heard children spirits say, "Don't come over here. It will kill you." And then I heard a blood curdling scream come from the swing, a replay of a past event. I could not see anything happening where the swing was, but I was glad not to, and I took off running towards the house.
About a year later, Odette came down with a mysterious illness...medical test after test after test and the doctors could not figure out anything wrong, but clearly something was very wrong. She was slowly dieing from an illness. She told me that she was told by the neighbors that the woman who lived there before her came down with a mysterious illness and died. The lady could never figure out what was wrong with her. Every medical test led to a dead end road. My friend Odette did pass away also.
Recently I revisited that little town while I was travelling on the way to the coast. I decided to drive up that gravel road and pass by Odette's old house. I could see that evil tree in the far distance still standing there. It still gives me a shutter. I did see a car parked in front of Odette's old house. I do hope that no children live in that house. If they did, they probably aren't around anymore.