He was crossing the road. Over and over. I was surprised someone hadn’t hit him with their car. I was also surprised the coyotes hadn’t gotten him.

It was 9 o’clock at night and according to the residents of the small strip of country road, he’d been out there for a couple of hours. Someone had dumped him before dark.

I spent 45 minutes, in the dark, trying to catch him. But my repeated calls to him fell on deaf ears. Literally.

Turned out, he almost was. His eyesight was just about gone, but not quite.

When I finally caught him, he was exhausted. So was I.

After picking him up and placing him comfortably on the passenger seat of my car, he collapsed. Almost as if to say, “I’m so glad that’s over.”

It was over. For him. But for so many others, the over is over in a way that’s too unpleasant to discuss here.

We named him Will after the road where he’d been abandoned. A country road where so many others had also been abandoned. They didn’t make it to receive a new name.

Will had another name before he came to live with us. A name we’ll never know and he’ll never be called again.

A name given to him by someone who chose to end their relationship.

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t good enough.

Social media is full of posts from people who say they’re rehoming their pet. They claim they’re not home enough to give them the kind of life they deserve.

They deserve the life they were promised when they were taken home. When, through actions, they became part of the family. A family on whom they count. A family they never dreamed would divorce them because someone tired of the responsibility.

A family who, in the case of Will, would drop them off on a lonely, unfamiliar road to dodge traffic, coyotes, and an almost-certain terrifying end.

Growing up in Ashdown, Arkansas, we guarded our pets as if they were kin, because in our hearts they were.

Socks, Ranger, Boots, and others who were by my side while I navigated youth, went everywhere with me. I liked them better than many people. I still do.

Animals never question anything. They just make the world a better place.

In 1988, I flew to California. The person who invited me was attending a school. I tagged along for no other reason than to sightsee.

My grandmother was a huge fan of The Price Is Right. She and her twin sister never missed an episode. You didn’t call either of them on the phone during that show. If you did, you’d get an earful.

So, I decided that during my travels I’d try to get into a taping of The Price Is Right. And I made it in.

I didn’t get to be a contestant, but I did get to sit on the front row.

At the end, Bob Barker said, “Get your pets spayed or neutered.” He always ended the show with that. I saw him once in an interview say that it was his wife who got him interested in the welfare of animals.

How many were helped because of her and him, we’ll never know.

That simple directive really is the answer. If you adopt an animal, make sure there aren’t any offspring. Get them fixed.

A stray dog can have numerous puppies. According to Animal Rescue Professional Organization, in a seven-year period, a pair of cats can bring forth 420,000 offspring.

You read that right.

With numbers like that, it’s no wonder that animal shelters are overflowing.

At our house, we currently have two dogs and three cats. All of which were dumped.

Two of the cats came to our back door in 102-degree heat seeking food and water. They had a brother who didn’t make it.

As I write this, Will is sleeping soundly in his bed. Something that took him over a year to do.

During that first 12 months, he slept little. He never left my side; fearful he’d be let out on the side of the road again.

Judging by his condition when I picked him up, and the veterinarian’s assessment of his health, he likely had to scrounge for something to eat. The vet said it appeared he’d never eaten what he should have.

His coat was yellow from liver failure. Most of his teeth had to be pulled.

I made a vow to him then that even though I had no idea what it had been like for him before he and I met, he’d live like a king for the rest of his days.

He does.

Will’s vision is worse, and his hearing is almost nonexistent. But he finally learned to trust another person.

There’s an animal out there that can learn to trust you too. They just need the chance.

Taking on a pet is a lifetime commitment.

Before you buy a dog or cat, please consider adopting from a local shelter. Many offer free spay and neuter.

An animal is only part of our lives, but we are all of theirs.

At least, we’re supposed to be.

 

©2024 John Moore

John’s books, Puns for Groan People and Write of Passage: A Southerner’s View of Then and Now Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, are available on his website TheCountryWriter.com, where you can also send him a message.