My life, from saving, to shelter, to my family

My name is Jessie, I am dog

 

I was thrown away by the people I trusted the most, I found myself on my own, in an unknown place scrounging for food and trying to avoid humans, the ones who disowned me.
I don't know what I did to make my humans mad at me enough to throw me out, all I ever wanted was to love and please them, yet here I am cold, alone and hungry.

My humans now, do not know my whole story and I am not able to tell them my past so I will start where I know my life can be told by those who cared for me.

It was a cold winter middle of March 2014 and the young human who first found me was called Lisa, I was hanging around Lisa's building because I felt inside me that someone would help me there. Lisa would come out of her warm place and walk by me, she saw me cold and shivering laying in the dirt. I was scared of her and everyone else at the time, my humans threw me away and I didn't know who I could trust or what I did wrong. When she would walk towards me I would walk away with my tail tucked, did she want to hurt me? I didn't run away because I wanted to trust someone. She tried all day to pet me but I was too scared.

The next day I moved closer to her warm house and laid outside. My human Lisa gave me a blanket because she saw I was cold and shivering and I didn't have any energy to walk away by now. I remember how grateful I was for the warm blanket and the food she left me. Several days she kept leaving me food and drawing me closer to her warm home, I finally knew I could trust her and she took me inside. After that I knew I would be ok, her little humans played with me and they had a furkid like me. We loved to play.

I got to live with these great humans who loved me like I loved them for saving me. Unfortunately I only got to live there for about 2 weeks when her landlord said she couldn't keep me any longer, we were all heart broken but for my humans it was worse, they wanted to love me but couldn't any longer. Human Lisa tried to find me a new home but no one would help me.

Out of desperation Human Lisa took me to the Paws Animal Shelter. She cried when she had to leave me and felt bad because she thought she was deserting me, I tried to let her know it was ok and that she didn't have any choice, I would be ok. She walked away sobbing and I couldn't help her, I felt bad for her and her little humans and fur-kid. I didn't feel thrown out this time though because I just got some new humans to know and a safe place to live. My Lisa wanted the best for me and they were all kind to me.

The Walk down the Hall, April 1st 2014

Even though I was safe I was scared to walk down that long hall, at the end was a door and when they opened the door there were lots of barking dogs welcoming me to their home. I didn't know any of them but it made me feel safe. My human Lisa took good care of me the best she could and she made sure I would be cared for. Now I am in a strange place but others are here and they seem happy.

Every day these nice humans would come talk to me and give me food and water and take me outside. I was happy because humans were being nice to me and keeping me safe. Human Matt would take me outside and roll around with me and play like he was a dog too, this was fun! Then this Human Nita who I call my Momma Nita now came in and started dressing me up! Dogs don't wear clothes! She didn't care, she thought I looked pretty in a scarf and other stuff, I didn't mind, it was fun and Momma Nita enjoyed it. Again I was able to make humans smile when I wagged my tail. Momma Nita took lots of pictures of me and told me she was putting them on something called Facebook. I didn't know what that was but it made her happy and that made me happy. I remember how happy my Human Lisa was when I wagged my tail for her.

I thought this was going to be my home, it was loud and noisy when we would all bark but we settled down when human Matt would come in to feed us and clean our houses. He would give us toys and feed us our favorite treat of peanut butter. It felt good to be safe but I was missing not having my own humans to please. Human Matt and Momma Nita would bring people in almost every day to look at all the dogs at the hotel where we were staying. Some didn't stay long and got to go live with their humans but mine never seemed to come. Every day I hoped my new humans would come find me, I loved human Matt and Nita and all the others at the hotel but it just wasn't the same.

Spring and summer and fall came during that year. I didn't think I would ever get to leave but I never gave up hope, every day more humans came down that same hall I hated walking down and watching other dogs walk out. There was something about that hall, when the dogs would walk out of their rooms thru that door it was like magic, they seldom came back down it. I imagined what that must feel like and just knew one day I would feel it too.
Once a human came and took me and I thought it was so wonderful to get to finally walk down that hall! It didn't last long because the lady took me home and just opened the door and let me run. I love to run! I always come back though. This human said I was a bad dog and brought me back to the hotel. Again I had to walk down that long hall through that door to my room. I'm afraid my day will never come.

Life in the Hotel Paws

After a while you just get numb to the noise and people coming in looking at you and walking by, I tried my best to make them see me but some just walked by and didn't even want to pet me. I was sad when they wouldn't but happy when I got to see my friends walk down that hall. Always hopeful tomorrow will be my day.

Its getting cold outside again but I am not afraid this time, my humans take good care of me and keep me in the hotel where it is safe and warm. I like the cold but living in it all the time is scary. The days tick away, most all of the friends I made when I came here are all gone now. There are all new dogs here, I wonder what is wrong with me why no humans want to take me home. Am I to big? Am I small? Am I ugly? Oh.... maybe I am too old! Puppies are always the first to get new humans. I saw lots of them come and go. I just don't know what I am doing wrong but Matt and Nita still love and play with me every day and we still play dress-up and get pictures taken. They say I am there because I am waiting for the perfect humans to come along. I lay and dream their dream every day. I never gave up, when humans came in I sit politely and begged with my eyes to give me a new home.

The Day it Happened

It was the day after what humans call Thanksgiving. I have been here almost 8 months now and still waiting. It was still a happy day, I got to see Matt and Nita as always. Ate my peanut butter and laid waiting. Then that door I hated opened and some humans came through, they walked slowly by the cages and when I saw the lady human I sat quietly while others barked, and I just stared into her eyes asking her if she was the one. Something about this human was different, she didn't walk by me even with all the other dogs calling to her. Our eyes meet and I felt this was the time! Her human came over and they took me out of the cage, they pet me and took me outside and then they put me in my room again. Then they walked through that door and down that hallway and left. A few minutes later they came back and took my picture but then once again they walked back out and I didn't get to go with them. I didn't know what I did wrong. It's a lonely feeling seeing people walk away, maybe next time I thought. All the dogs in the hotel got quiet because none of us got to leave.

Later that day they told me these humans wanted to take me HOME! YAY!!! But where are they? Matt told me they would be back, they wanted to make sure they would be good parents for me. This seemed like good news but being a dog it is hard to understand why humans do the things they do. The night came and once again we all slept. Some of the other dogs wimper at night because they are lonely and some just sleep. I just slept hoping Matt was right. As dogs we don't feel the same way as humans, we want to trust all humans but not all humans trust us I guess.

The next time the sun came up, Matt came in and cleaned our houses again and then he told me my humans were coming to get me and take me to a new home. I was happy and sad at the same time because I have come to trust all these people at the Hotel Paws, but yet I am excited about where I will live and if it will be safe. We ate our breakfast and went outside to play. Matt took me out and took a video of me and told everybody I was going to have a new home for Christmas. I don't know what that is but it sounds like good news! I remember it was a sunny day and we were all laying around watching Matt did all the things he has to do. Then I heard that door! It was MY HUMANS! THEY CAME BACK FOR ME!!!

They took me out of the cage and put a leash on me and took me through that door down that hall! We stopped at the end of the hall and my new humans talked to the other humans and Matt pet and hugged me and told me to be a good girl. They put a new collar on me then we walked out. I was sad to leave my friends at the Paws Hotel, some of us had been there a long time and the humans were so good to me but I didn't get to see my Momma Nita before I left but all my doggie friends were barking and wishing me good luck.

We walked out and got into their car, I remember the back seat was big and roomy and I had it all to myself! They were hugging and talking to me, gave me toys and they took me to my new home. When we went into their warm house I saw a big soft couch that I figured they got just for me and I hopped up on it and called it mine, they didn't care and still don't, they are just happy I trust them and they trust me and we all love each other.
That was the beginning of the best chapter of my long life ahead.

 

The Paws Hall

When you walk into Paws Hotel there is a hall to a door.
I hated that hall, and I hated that door,

That hall led to a room where other dogs sat, 
Yet that door led me to my new friend, Matt.

I loved that hall because Nita came down it,
I loved that door because she would come visit,

When you walk down that hall you had no mom and dad,
It wasn't my fault but still makes me sad,

I loved that hall because it brought me my parents, 
I loved that door because now I'm not transparent,

That hall led to a room where dogs want more,
That door led to a room with a cold hard floor,

I loved that hall when I walked down it,
I loved that door when I got to exit,

I thank the place that they call Paws
and now when I come visit, 
Its now just a hall.

So for my barkies who have to walk that hall
Know that my friends will take care of you,
at this place they call Paws

Never give up
never get sad,
hang on to your dreams
cause there's lots of love to be had.

Thank you to all my friends at Paws Animal Hotel
Jennifer, Becky, Brenda, Kendra, Amber, Connor
To Lisa M. Johnson for saving me
To Matthew Israel Brown for caring for me
To Nita Croutwater for giving me hope
To Urbana Vets for keeping me healthy
My parents for giving me my life and dreams

PS: I am sure there are several people who work or had something to do with my rescue, it is not my intention to leave you out, I just may not know who you are. So for those in the background, thank you from the bottom of my dog heart for helping me and my barkies! Everyone makes a difference!