Think Twice
 

  Have you ever tried to give an injection to a moving   target, this  is what I have to do daily for my Foster 
dog, Owen.  It is really awful.  He hates getting them
as much as I hate giving them tohim.  I have never 
given an injection to anything or anyone and this
has truly been a trying experience. 

I have to give Owen injections, as well as, medicine for 
hookworms and Toxemia daily.  He can only eat a special 
prescription food from the vet in small portions 4 times a day.
 
When Owen first came into the program he spent the 
first night in the vets office on IV’s because he is so emancipated and dehydrated that he could not hold 
food or water in his stomach.  He weights 53 lbs and 
he should weigh in the 80’s. 
 
Every time I have to give him medicine or injections I get angry all over again.  You see, I am angry at his former “owners”, and I really use that term loosely.  I wonder how come they would not feed him and give him water and take him to the vet to be treated for worms.  It was not until he was picked up by animal control and we rescued him that he got the medical treatment he needed. When he was picked up he had a rabies tag on that was 3 months past due, and animal control tried to contact them but to no avail. 
 
Whenever I am fixing his dinner, he sits right beside me with his paw up ready to shake my hand in exchange for food.  This breaks my heart because I just wonder if he did that with his former owners and did they just ignore him.  Was he tied up in the yard and fed only when they felt like it.  Was he at the end of his chain begging for attention as people just walked on by? 
 
These are all images I have in my head every time I have to give him medicine and feed him.  I wish people would carefully consider owning a dog and not just buy the “cute little puppy in thewindow”.  I really wish they 
would think about the food and vet expenses they are going to incur. I know in a perfect world that would happen however this world in not perfect, so the people in rescue will keep trudging on trying to save one more forgotten member of someone’s family. 
 
I don't know what it is about Owen, but when you meet him he a young dog with an old, gentle soul.  He's playful and sweet, but when he gets your attention and looks at you with those eyes......it's almost captivating.  I can't even see what he looks like, only what he's going to be. 

~ Angela Walker ~
©used with permission