I found this poem on the Internet many years ago.  It's so well done and very appropriate, and I wish I knew who wrote it so I could give him/her credit.  Please pass it along to everyone you know - it sums up our feelings about the animals sitting in shelters over the holidays.  Merry Christmas everyone.

A Rescue Animal’s Christmas Poem

( author unknown)

“Tis the night before Christmas and all though the town

Every shelter is full – we are lost but not found.

Our numbers are hung on our kennel so bare,

We hope every minute that someone will care.

They’ll come to adopt us and give us the call,

“Come here Max and Sparkie, come fetch your new ball!”

But now we sit here and think of the days

We were treated so fondly, we had cute puppy ways.

Once we were little, then we grew and grew,

Now we’re no longer young and we’re no longer new.

So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,

They reacted so quickly – why were they so rash?

We “jump on the children” “ don’t come when they call”

We “bark when they leave us,” climb up the wall.

We should have been neutered, we should have been spayed,

Now we suffer the consequences of the errors THEY made.

If only they’d trained us, if only we knew,

We’d have done what they asked us and worshipped them too.

We were left in the back yard or worse, left to roam,

Now we’re tired and lonely and out of a home.

They dropped us off here and they kissed us good bye,

“Maybe someone else will give you a try.”

So now here we are, all confused and alone,

In a shelter with others who long for a home.

The kind workers come through with a meal and  a pat,

With so many to care for, they can’t stay to chat.

They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer,

We know that they wonder how long we’ll be here.

We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads,

Of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.

Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears,

Our friends filled with emptiness, worry and fears.

If you can’t adopt us and there’s no room at the inn,

Could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?

We count on your kindness each day of the year,

Can you give more than hope to everyone here?

Please make a donation to pay for the heat,

And help us get something special to eat.

The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,

And more of us will – if more people give.