"CAMO"
The old man kicked him for the last time as he took him to the local animal shelter. "Here, take him! He's run away from me for the last time; keep the damn thing!"
After he had completed filling out the dog's name and birthdate, he left without so much as a final good-bye. The dog must have been scared and lonely as they left him inside a small cage before admitting him to the Pound where hundreds of other dogs in all breeds and sizes, looked him over. It was very noisy in there and he trembled with fear; after all, he was just 26 pounds without a Pedigree.
He had tried to do exactly as his master had wanted but after he had lost his parents and brothers and sisters, he didn't know all the rules. No-one had ever taught him manners and he ran away every chance he could get.
At least in the Pound, he wasn't being beaten and yelled at and called dirty names. People came to look at him through the bars of his cage but he didn't seem to care if they chose him or not. He was tired of them staring and whispering and wondered to himself why he didn't die? He was sick and couldn't eat and seldom used the bathroom.
When the dark haired teenager and a lady stopped to see him and asked to walk him around a bit, he was so nervous he peed on her purse. She din't seem to mind. When he heard the boy tell her that he was the only dog he wanted for his 16th birthday and she agreed, he wondered why? "Why would they want me?" He heard them discussing how many days he had left before being "put down"......3 days. It said so on the outside of his cage, he heard her say to her son.
On the way to their home, he threw up inside the lady's convertible when he got car-sick. He had never been allowed to ride around in a vehicle before. Once home, he thought he was in trouble already when he left a stream of red blood all over their pale beige carpeting. He over-heard them saying that he must be returned to the Pound since he appeared to be so ill. They didn't want him!
But after tending to him that week-end because the Pound was closed, they took him to a Doctor and left him there all day on Monday. After tests and shots, the Doctor told the family that "Camo" (short for camophalge) just needed to get stronger so he could be neutered; the bleeding had already stopped. It was obvious this animal had been abused and would need some TLC to feel safe again.
In no time at all, he was healthy enough to have the operation and when he was brought home all groggy and weak, they tended him and cared for him. He began to trust them. Camo slept with the boy and was petted and given good food and much love. He was now a 31 pound, black & white Border Collie and proud to be part of a good family.
But the lad soon moved away to University & Camo stayed with the lady; they slept together, him at the foot of her bed. One day, she told him they were going far away but assured him she would never leave him. He went to Nova Scotia and had plenty of room to roam in an old, lovely house by the sea. He had so many windows to see out of and he loved it!
Together, they walked the Boardwalk and the beaches; they rode in the car to watch the waves crashing against the rocks. He waited for her to come home whenever she went somewhere's without him and always welcomed her with a wagging tail and eyes full of love. They became inseparable. He trusted her implicitly and knew she would never abandon him nor he her.
Now, approaching his 11th dog year, he has started to slow down a bit and sometimes his bones ache too. They have aged, albeit gracefully, together. One day, she knows she will be without her handsome, well-mannered and brilliant dog but until that day, she will continue to love him with all of her heart and soul. At that time, she will pray for strength to let God take over Camo's care.
But for now, they live and love in their old home by the Ocean and marvel at all of life's many blessings. He knows her every move and thought; she leans on him in times of stress and he comforts her. Some say he's just a dog but she knows better; he's her baby; her life-line; her security blanket. God is good.
The old man kicked him for the last time as he took him to the local animal shelter. "Here, take him! He's run away from me for the last time; keep the damn thing!"
After he had completed filling out the dog's name and birthdate, he left without so much as a final good-bye. The dog must have been scared and lonely as they left him inside a small cage before admitting him to the Pound where hundreds of other dogs in all breeds and sizes, looked him over. It was very noisy in there and he trembled with fear; after all, he was just 26 pounds without a Pedigree.
He had tried to do exactly as his master had wanted but after he had lost his parents and brothers and sisters, he didn't know all the rules. No-one had ever taught him manners and he ran away every chance he could get.
At least in the Pound, he wasn't being beaten and yelled at and called dirty names. People came to look at him through the bars of his cage but he didn't seem to care if they chose him or not. He was tired of them staring and whispering and wondered to himself why he didn't die? He was sick and couldn't eat and seldom used the bathroom.
When the dark haired teenager and a lady stopped to see him and asked to walk him around a bit, he was so nervous he peed on her purse. She din't seem to mind. When he heard the boy tell her that he was the only dog he wanted for his 16th birthday and she agreed, he wondered why? "Why would they want me?" He heard them discussing how many days he had left before being "put down"......3 days. It said so on the outside of his cage, he heard her say to her son.
On the way to their home, he threw up inside the lady's convertible when he got car-sick. He had never been allowed to ride around in a vehicle before. Once home, he thought he was in trouble already when he left a stream of red blood all over their pale beige carpeting. He over-heard them saying that he must be returned to the Pound since he appeared to be so ill. They didn't want him!
But after tending to him that week-end because the Pound was closed, they took him to a Doctor and left him there all day on Monday. After tests and shots, the Doctor told the family that "Camo" (short for camophalge) just needed to get stronger so he could be neutered; the bleeding had already stopped. It was obvious this animal had been abused and would need some TLC to feel safe again.
In no time at all, he was healthy enough to have the operation and when he was brought home all groggy and weak, they tended him and cared for him. He began to trust them. Camo slept with the boy and was petted and given good food and much love. He was now a 31 pound, black & white Border Collie and proud to be part of a good family.
But the lad soon moved away to University & Camo stayed with the lady; they slept together, him at the foot of her bed. One day, she told him they were going far away but assured him she would never leave him. He went to Nova Scotia and had plenty of room to roam in an old, lovely house by the sea. He had so many windows to see out of and he loved it!
Together, they walked the Boardwalk and the beaches; they rode in the car to watch the waves crashing against the rocks. He waited for her to come home whenever she went somewhere's without him and always welcomed her with a wagging tail and eyes full of love. They became inseparable. He trusted her implicitly and knew she would never abandon him nor he her.
Now, approaching his 11th dog year, he has started to slow down a bit and sometimes his bones ache too. They have aged, albeit gracefully, together. One day, she knows she will be without her handsome, well-mannered and brilliant dog but until that day, she will continue to love him with all of her heart and soul. At that time, she will pray for strength to let God take over Camo's care.
But for now, they live and love in their old home by the Ocean and marvel at all of life's many blessings. He knows her every move and thought; she leans on him in times of stress and he comforts her. Some say he's just a dog but she knows better; he's her baby; her life-line; her security blanket. God is good.
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