How Could You? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

f6twister · 07-31-2007, 05:56 AM

Quote:

HOW COULD YOU?

By Jim Willis, 2001

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?"- but then you'd relent and roll me over for a belly-rub. My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -- still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love."

As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch--because your touch was now so infrequent--and I would've defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway. There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me.

These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject. I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf. Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers." You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you.

You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?" They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind-that this was all a bad dream...or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?"

Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself--a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

---------------------------

A Note from the Author: If "How Could You?" brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly "owned" pets who die each year in American & Canadian animal shelters. Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a noncommercial purpose, as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice. Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious. Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay and neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. -

This was sent to me a while back. It made me think because my wife and I had just got a dog. A couple of years later, we were looking for a new place to live and had a hard time finding a place that would take dogs. My mom even suggested giving her up so we could get the place we wanted. This story popped into my head. We settled on a different place, just so she could stay with us.

xepherys · 07-31-2007, 08:57 AM

Yeah, I've read this countless times before and being the big sap I am, it actually brings tears to my eyes. i love my dogs, even my half (or more) retarded dog that is impossible to train. I love them like furry children and I could never give them up. In rage at the one, my wife and I have tossed around giving him to someone else, but in the end we don't have the heart for it (or have to much heart for him).

I miss my doggies! i can't wait to see them when I go on leave!

hagatha · 07-31-2007, 04:34 PM

There was a story on the local news not long ago about a dog that was found struggling in a pond with a rope around its neck tied to a cement block. Fortunately, some passers by saw the dog and rescued him. That was one sick fucker's way of taking care of an unwanted pet.

I'm not sure what my point is, maybe its that we take our animal companions for granted and continue to treat them like chattel (not all of us, of course) and if reading something from "the dog's point of view" will make someone think before they do something really callous to a defenseless animal, maybe its not all bad.

Mister Coaster · 08-01-2007, 05:37 PM

I guess I'll be the asshole that thinks articles like this are a bunch of malarkey. I'm a good pet owner, and would never "get rid of" a pet like this, but the whole anthropromorphizing (sp) thing in the name of making other people feel bad/sad is just stupid.

thingstodo · 08-02-2007, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister Coaster

I guess I'll be the asshole that thinks articles like this are a bunch of malarkey. I'm a good pet owner, and would never "get rid of" a pet like this, but the whole anthropromorphizing (sp) thing in the name of making other people feel bad/sad is just stupid.

I guess I can understand how you feel that way. That goodness there are good pet owners like you!!

I've worked as a kennel guide in several shelters over the years. From that I've seen so many dogs just given up for so many reasons, many like these. Pet ownership is a commitment and too many people don't understand that in the beginning.

If this article makes a difference in one animal's life it will be worth all the "malarkey" and then some.

snowy · 08-02-2007, 12:55 PM

Recently, someone dropped off 30 kittens outside of a local animal shelter. It just broke my heart.

I'm not allowed to have animals due to the terms of our lease, but my folks have a dog (adopted from a shelter), and two cats (the two cats were dumped on someone's property as kittens, and I arranged for my parents to adopt them). When my family had to rent housing as a kid (while either selling a house or waiting for a house to be finished), we ALWAYS rented pet-friendly places so we could keep our animals. Sure, some of them smelled like cat pee, but I got to keep my cat, and we were only living there for a few months.

Because I can't have pets but I love them so much, I do volunteer work for the animal shelter in town and donate money to them to help them out. They do great work.

I just can't imagine treating a pet like anything less than a member of the family.

Willravel · 08-02-2007, 01:19 PM

Dogs don't have internal monologues. Their perception isn't based in the same types of understandings as our own. They do seem to feel loneliness, excitement, happiness, etc.

thingstodo · 08-02-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

Dogs don't have internal monologues. Their perception isn't based in the same types of understandings as our own. They do seem to feel loneliness, excitement, happiness, etc.

I guess I don't get your point entirely.

Willravel · 08-02-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thingstodo

I guess I don't get your point entirely.

Two points:
1) The above is sensationalized to the point where it loses meaning. Dogs don't think, and we've all gotten so many sob stories on myspace that we don't really care anymore about fake stories simply made to illicit sympathy that have no real substance. If I get one more "post this or you have no soul"... actually, now that I think of it, I don't really need my myspace. Heh.
2) They do have emotions and basic thought, so treat them well despite the fact that they don't perceive the same as humans.

analog · 08-02-2007, 05:16 PM

A good and important lesson strangled out of usefulness by sensationalist tripe.

Prince · 08-02-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by analog

A good and important lesson strangled out of usefulness by sensationalist tripe.

True. However, there are people who need the lesson put in this way. Cold facts don't faze them, they need the facts to get the Hollywood treatment for it to be entertaining enough to pay attention to.

Cynthetiq · 08-02-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

Two points:
1) The above is sensationalized to the point where it loses meaning. Dogs don't think, and we've all gotten so many sob stories on myspace that we don't really care anymore about fake stories simply made to illicit sympathy that have no real substance. If I get one more "post this or you have no soul"... actually, now that I think of it, I don't really need my myspace. Heh.
2) They do have emotions and basic thought, so treat them well despite the fact that they don't perceive the same as humans.

Don't tell me that one time you were a dog in a previous life?

Willravel · 08-02-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

Don't tell me that one time you were a dog in a previous life?

Reincarnation is a misinterpretation of the description of the circle of life. I believe in real reincarnation: man dies, decomposes, is digested by worm, worm eaten by bird, bird eaten by man.

thingstodo · 08-03-2007, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince

True. However, there are people who need the lesson put in this way. Cold facts don't faze them, they need the facts to get the Hollywood treatment for it to be entertaining enough to pay attention to.

Yes, indeed. And very well put!

This story wasn't meant to give a true perspective from the dog's point of view. It was, however, meant to resonate with people that obviously don't have a clue. I'm sure it will never get through to someone like Mr. Vick but I'll bet a few of his new friends in prison will help with that. Hopefully he'll be sent to a prison where the inmates train service dogs.

If nothing else, we've breed dogs to trust us and rely on us. We owe it to them to treat them with respect - as we should all animals. Some people just don't get it, even when you put it in terms they ought to be able to understand.

And if you're one of those that hates these things in e-mail simply hit the delete key or tell your friends you not to send any more!

Mister Coaster · 08-03-2007, 05:16 AM

The thing is, the people who don't give a crap about dropping a dog off at a shelter won't be phased by a diatribe of this ilk. At least the vast majority won't. All this will do is to pull at the heartstrings of someone who never would do such a thing and cause them to get pissed off.

Maybe, MAYBE this would get someone who was moving and couldn't take the pet with them to look harder at finding a new home for their pet. But it would have to get to them at just the right time. I suppose if even one was saved as a result, the article has done its job. But reading this schlock makes me

analog · 08-03-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince

True. However, there are people who need the lesson put in this way. Cold facts don't faze them, they need the facts to get the Hollywood treatment for it to be entertaining enough to pay attention to.

It's a sad state of affairs that the only way to reach people is through sensationalist tripe.

And no, it's not that cold facts don't faze them- it's that they don't give a shit about anything until you appeal to their weaker, more stupid, emotional side. Then their emotions tell them this is something they must care about, and suddenly it's an issue. Emotions don't require logic, intelligence, or reason. That is why emotional appeals work even better on people who are stupid to begin with.

Take anything that people turn a blind eye to- they start caring when you take the issue and give them an emotional attachment. Before they're emotionally attached, they're just as selflshly "don't care about anything but me and mine" as most everyone else.

It seems like America is getting dumber and dumber. When will we wake up and realize that we're screwing over the future generations by giving them such a piss-poor education?

kel · 08-03-2007, 01:45 PM

Learning that animals feel love and pain, and that dogs are completely alive and when they die, that life is gone forever--this is a lesson that many children don't learn.

It doesn't do any good to abuse the education system, try to scientifically quantify an animal's pain, or reject emotional appeals. The fact remains that humans have both emotions AND logic; feeling compassion for an animal's pain is an emotional reaction and that emotion will influence our future logical decisions. Without the feeling of compassion, the words "pain" and "fear" mean nothing but their dictionary definitions.

The moment of awakening in which a person becomes aware of an animal's life and feelings can happen at odd times and under unexpected circumstances. I remember very clearly when I learned compassion: I was harassing an ant with a stick, not hurting it but sort of herding it in circles, when I was about 5 years old. A friend of my mother's saw me and said, "Don't scare the little antie," and all of a sudden I felt a rush of remorse for the tiny creature.

Of course, I've since learned that I really don't need to stay up late at night worrying about ants. But still, I sometimes wonder when I would have learned that lesson, if that event had never happened. It's entirely possible that I would have learned it at reading age by an article such as this. I certainly know many people of reading age who know that animals are alive in an intellection sense, but have never felt the visceral compassion that drives my decision to do such things as rescue a near-dead dove from the pet store and spend my entire savings account bringing her back from death's door.

Cynthetiq · 08-03-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kel

Of course, I've since learned that I really don't need to stay up late at night worrying about ants. But still, I sometimes wonder when I would have learned that lesson, if that event had never happened. It's entirely possible that I would have learned it at reading age by an article such as this. I certainly know many people of reading age who know that animals are alive in an intellection sense, but have never felt the visceral compassion that drives my decision to do such things as rescue a near-dead dove from the pet store and spend my entire savings account bringing her back from death's door.

really? after AntZ, A Bug's Life, and culminating with Ant Bully, you'd think that you'd be a bit more sensitive to our 6 legged (four in A Bug's Life) friends.

thingstodo · 08-03-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by analog

And no, it's not that cold facts don't faze them- it's that they don't give a shit about anything until you appeal to their weaker, more stupid, emotional side. Then their emotions tell them this is something they must care about, and suddenly it's an issue. Emotions don't require logic, intelligence, or reason.

Take anything that people turn a blind eye to- they start caring when you take the issue and give them an emotional attachment. Before they're emotionally attached, they're just as selflshly "don't care about anything but me and mine" as most everyone else.

Funny you should say that. I think the subject was essentially about caring. And caring is an emotion. So is love, friendship - things like that.

If you didn't care about an animal then you would have no feelings for it and its value would be strictly what it could physically do for you. You wouldn't take care of it like you take care of your car but when you didn't need it any more you'd sell it and would be concerned with what the new owner did with it.

Pretty much every decision we make in life is tied to emotion. That's what makes the marketing world go around. If someone can't tap into an emotion they've lost the battle. There would be no more purchases based on wants, only needs. Emotion is what drives us to do the things we do.

yournamehere · 08-05-2007, 04:38 PM

Gee, as long as we're all over-analyzing this, why don't we mentioned that dogs can't really write. Especially after they're dead. And who would name a dog "Jim Willis?" That's a stupid dog name.

It was a simple missive directed at humans, by humans to bring home the point that our pets deserve to be treated 1/10 as well by us as they treat us.

07-31-2007, 08:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	Yeah, I've read this countless times before and being the big sap I am, it actually brings tears to my eyes. i love my dogs, even my half (or more) retarded dog that is impossible to train. I love them like furry children and I could never give them up. In rage at the one, my wife and I have tossed around giving him to someone else, but in the end we don't have the heart for it (or have to much heart for him). I miss my doggies! i can't wait to see them when I go on leave! __________________ The prospect of achieving a peace agreement with the extremist group of MILF is almost impossible... -- Emmanuel Pinol, Governor of Cotobato My Homepage

07-31-2007, 04:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
hagatha Addict	There was a story on the local news not long ago about a dog that was found struggling in a pond with a rope around its neck tied to a cement block. Fortunately, some passers by saw the dog and rescued him. That was one sick fucker's way of taking care of an unwanted pet. I'm not sure what my point is, maybe its that we take our animal companions for granted and continue to treat them like chattel (not all of us, of course) and if reading something from "the dog's point of view" will make someone think before they do something really callous to a defenseless animal, maybe its not all bad. __________________ Thats the last time I trust the strangest people I ever met....H. Simpson

08-01-2007, 05:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mister Coaster Big & Brassy Location: The "Canyon"	I guess I'll be the asshole that thinks articles like this are a bunch of malarkey. I'm a good pet owner, and would never "get rid of" a pet like this, but the whole anthropromorphizing (sp) thing in the name of making other people feel bad/sad is just stupid. __________________ If you have any poo... fling it NOW!

08-02-2007, 12:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	Recently, someone dropped off 30 kittens outside of a local animal shelter. It just broke my heart. I'm not allowed to have animals due to the terms of our lease, but my folks have a dog (adopted from a shelter), and two cats (the two cats were dumped on someone's property as kittens, and I arranged for my parents to adopt them). When my family had to rent housing as a kid (while either selling a house or waiting for a house to be finished), we ALWAYS rented pet-friendly places so we could keep our animals. Sure, some of them smelled like cat pee, but I got to keep my cat, and we were only living there for a few months. Because I can't have pets but I love them so much, I do volunteer work for the animal shelter in town and donate money to them to help them out. They do great work. I just can't imagine treating a pet like anything less than a member of the family. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

08-03-2007, 05:16 AM	#15 (permalink)
Mister Coaster Big & Brassy Location: The "Canyon"	The thing is, the people who don't give a crap about dropping a dog off at a shelter won't be phased by a diatribe of this ilk. At least the vast majority won't. All this will do is to pull at the heartstrings of someone who never would do such a thing and cause them to get pissed off. Maybe, MAYBE this would get someone who was moving and couldn't take the pet with them to look harder at finding a new home for their pet. But it would have to get to them at just the right time. I suppose if even one was saved as a result, the article has done its job. But reading this schlock makes me __________________ If you have any poo... fling it NOW!

08-02-2007, 01:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	Dogs don't have internal monologues. Their perception isn't based in the same types of understandings as our own. They do seem to feel loneliness, excitement, happiness, etc.

08-02-2007, 05:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
analog Banned	A good and important lesson strangled out of usefulness by sensationalist tripe.

08-03-2007, 01:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
kel WARNING: FLAMMABLE Location: Ask Acetylene	Learning that animals feel love and pain, and that dogs are completely alive and when they die, that life is gone forever--this is a lesson that many children don't learn. It doesn't do any good to abuse the education system, try to scientifically quantify an animal's pain, or reject emotional appeals. The fact remains that humans have both emotions AND logic; feeling compassion for an animal's pain is an emotional reaction and that emotion will influence our future logical decisions. Without the feeling of compassion, the words "pain" and "fear" mean nothing but their dictionary definitions. The moment of awakening in which a person becomes aware of an animal's life and feelings can happen at odd times and under unexpected circumstances. I remember very clearly when I learned compassion: I was harassing an ant with a stick, not hurting it but sort of herding it in circles, when I was about 5 years old. A friend of my mother's saw me and said, "Don't scare the little antie," and all of a sudden I felt a rush of remorse for the tiny creature. Of course, I've since learned that I really don't need to stay up late at night worrying about ants. But still, I sometimes wonder when I would have learned that lesson, if that event had never happened. It's entirely possible that I would have learned it at reading age by an article such as this. I certainly know many people of reading age who know that animals are alive in an intellection sense, but have never felt the visceral compassion that drives my decision to do such things as rescue a near-dead dove from the pet store and spend my entire savings account bringing her back from death's door. __________________ "It better be funny"

08-05-2007, 04:38 PM	#20 (permalink)
yournamehere Invisible Location: tentative, at best	Gee, as long as we're all over-analyzing this, why don't we mentioned that dogs can't really write. Especially after they're dead. And who would name a dog "Jim Willis?" That's a stupid dog name. It was a simple missive directed at humans, by humans to bring home the point that our pets deserve to be treated 1/10 as well by us as they treat us. __________________ If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.