When my friend sends me her weekly list of Lhasa Apsos and Shih Tzu stuck in the kill shelters of Southern Calif, I don't read through it. She and I have the same contacts so there really isn't anybody else I can let know about these dogs. I do save her list though in case I hear from somebody who is looking to adopt a Lhasa or Shih Tzu.

Tonight, though, I stupidly looked at her list and saw this:

WINSTON - ID#A466159 - NEW
I am a neutered male, black cockapoo.
The shelter thinks I am about 13 years old.
I have been at the shelter since Jan 22, 2003

Of course I went and looked at his picture on the website because I have a soft spot for Cockapoos. My first dog was a Cockapoo and guess what? Winston reminds me of her.

I also have a soft spot for senior dogs. Winston is 13 yrs old. The fact that Winston has a name most likely means he was an owner surrender, because this facility is a city animal control and they don't name the dogs like some places do. Now, I realize that there is a good chance Winston's owner died or became homeless or went into a nursing facility and could no longer care for Winston. Or maybe he bit the grandkid after he/she pulled Winston's hair (sorry but I usually give the benefit of the doubt to the dog because I know how young children can be) and now they don't want him around. But, I also know there is a very good chance that he was dumped at the shelter for some fucking stupid ass reason..."oh, we just don't have time for him anymore" or "we have to move and we can't take him with us" or "we found out he has a heart murmur and arthritis and is deaf and we just can't be bothered with an old dog because we are heartless, shitty people"...and if that is the case here, I hate you. I really do. I think dumping an old dog in a place that only gives them four days -- four fucking days -- to find a home is a lousy thing to do. And if you had him for the majority of his life and are now giving him up, I hate you even more.

For some reason, I can't make a link to the actual web page so you could see his picture, but you can go here and then click on West Valley Shelter. Search on Dog, Male, More Than a Year, Small, and No Preference for color, and you will be be taken to the page he is on.

Shelter Info: West Valley Animal Care and Control Center at (888) 452-7381. This is one of the Los Angeles city shelters.

Now, somebody please go get him out of there so I can be less hate-filled.

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