Why I Am the Way I Am About Dogs

Someone recently said to me something about how I really love dogs. He said it in kind of a sarcastic (but playful) way. I haven't really been able to get it out of my mind. It doesn't bother me really, but I thought it would be worth it to explain where I'm coming from.
I always loved dogs. Growing up we had german shephards. I also had cats. But, as an adult, I never had a dog until Bella. And I've only had her since 2005. She really changed a lot in my life. But, the reason I am so into rescue, and pitbulls, and no-kill, etc. is because of the Oprah Winfrey show about puppy mills. It wasn't so much the puppy mills that outraged me. Oh, I was outraged, but I kind of knew about them already. What got to me was the segment in the shelter. They showed a shelter employee go around and systimatically pick out the dogs who were going to die that day. These were perfectly healthy dogs, but they were out of room in the shelter. They showed him give the injection to one of the dogs. Place the body in a garbage bag, and throw it in the dump with dozens of other dogs. This they called euthanasia. This is not euthanasia. This is murder, pure and simple. I knew dogs were killed in shelters. I knew. We can bury our heads in the sand for only so long. But then something happens - for me it was seeing this show, and it changes you forever. I knew from that moment on, that I would not just sit back and pretend like this kind of thing doesn't happen every day. I don't do much, but I do what I can. I wish it could be more. It horrifies and upsets me that this kind of thing goes on in a place called a 'shelter'. They can do better. There is a man out there that has given very good and viable suggestions and plans, yet people fight him and say it can't be done. Well, it can and he's proven it. His name is Nathan Winograd and he wrote a book called Redemption. It is just not necessary to be killing healthy, innocent animals. And it shouldn't be acceptable.


"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."

-- Arnold Bennett