This was posted to one of the rescue lists I'm on. Thanks to Laura Beth for sharing the story!

Subject: A really nice TRUE story from the East Valley animal shelter

Hi. Those who hang out at animal shelters have lots of reason to question why humankind regards itself as the superior species, watching fellow humans dump other species as if the humans just cleaned out the closet and had to get rid of those tired old pieces they no longer want.

Well today at East Valley, there was a man. If we clone people, he should be among the first. (And I want one of the clones!)

He was there getting licenses for his two new dogs. Middle-age dogs he just "inherited." I asked him how he inherited two dogs. His friend suddenly died and the two dogs had no one to look after them, so this gem of a human being took them in. I told him he is nice to have helped his friends' dogs. He acted like it was nothing. Yeah right. A border collie mix and a Great Dane mix. Not exactly dogs you don't notice.

Then in comes the more usual sight -- a lady dumping a medium-size dog who seems afraid of people. Why? Her mom can no longer care for the dog and she cannot take the dog because her husband is "allergic." Of course no one ever bothered to housetrain or in any way train the dog. And it seems that the lady made no effort to find the dog a home on her own. We know what happens to most adult untrained unsocialized dogs at East Valley, and it is not good. The wonderful man and I traded glances but said nothing. The lady stood there petting her mother's dog she was about to dump at a high-kill shelter. The dog started heading for the exit door and someone said, "he knows he is going in." Everyone looked aghast. The poor dog wanted to go home and not in the shelter. That man just watched.

The lady moved up in line to dump the dog.

The man finished his business at the window buying the licenses for his two new dogs he "inherited" from his deceased friend.

The man stood there for just a couple of seconds watching the lady and the poor dog who was about to get dumped and probably die in a few days for no crime other than having an irresponsible family.

And since I am writing this story, you know what that man said --

"I'll take him."

Can you even imagine how far my heart jumped out of my chest?

So now he has three. An energetic dog and a huge dog from his friend, and a totally untrained dog from this lady at East Valley. None because he woke up and thought he wanted to get a dog. All because they desperately needed someone and there he was.

This man is off to Iraq soon. A reserve officer who got called up to duty. He has housesitters for his animals (two cats and two goats plus his three new dogs).

God help that wonderful man get home safely.

~ Laura Beth ~
http://www.amrt.net/
See Photos of Wonderful Shelter Pets Needing Homes Now
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