I was honored to see a person's character this weekend.
He'd been looking for a companion for his German Shepherd. There was an ad on Craigslist for a Pit Bull. Apparently, she'd been found and the people couldn't keep her.
He went to look at her, and brought her home with him. I went to see her, and my heart broke into pieces. She looks like an ad for abused and neglected animals. Seeing her, you automatically hear Sarah McLaughlin singing in the background, it's that bad. She is thin. Emaciated, in fact. Every bone is visible in her tiny body. I doubt that this adult dog weighs even twenty pounds. She's had puppies at some time in the past few months. She is resigned, passive, exhausted. Her eyes show that she's not sure if she'll be treated kindly if a hand reaches out toward her, and yet she's not aggressive or mean.
He welcomed her into his home, made her a place where she can rest and feel safe. There is plenty of food and fresh water within reach. She had diarrhea on his carpet, more than once. He spoke kindly to her, cleaned her up, and after she was cared for, then cleaned the carpet. He's gentle with her, as is his German Shepherd. I watched the German Shepherd walk over to her, study her for a moment, then lick her face before walking off to give her some space. Both are welcoming that broken dog into their home, and into their lives and family.
Those heartbreaking commercials don't show what happens to the animals after the cameras stop filming. You see them, and want to help, but perhaps don't know how.
This weekend, I saw someone who isn't just talking about making a difference. He walks his talk. And, for that little Pitt Bull, her world has changed in ways that few neglected and abused animals will ever see. She has a loving home, and I have a newfound admiration for someone whom I already knew to be of good charactor.
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