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Just Fur Fun: Poems and Prayers

  
     
 
This Old Dog

I'm getting on in years,
My coat is turning gray.
My eyes have lost their luster,
My hearing's just okay.

I spend my days dreaming
Of earlier times with you
When I could run and jump and play
And fetch the ball you threw.

I remember our first visit,
I was coming to you free
Hoping you would take me in
And keep me company.

I wasn't young or handsome,
Two years I'd roamed the street.
There were scars upon my face,
I hobbled on my feet.

I could sense your disappointment
As I left my prison cage.
Oh, I hoped you would accept me
And look beyond my age.

You took me out of pity,
I accepted without shame.
Then you grew to love me,
And I admit the same.

I have shared with you your laughter,
You have wet my fur with tears.
We've come to know each other
Throughout these many years.

Just one more hug this morning
And as you drive away
Know I will think about you
Throughout your busy day.

I'll faithfully wait here for you
And though my head's a fog
My heart is yours forever.
I promise-
This old dog.

Author Unknown
 
 
Cat's Prayer
 
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray this cushy life to keep.
I pray for toys that look like mice,
And sofa cushions, soft and nice.
 
I pray for gourmet kitty snacks,
And someone nice to scratch my back,
For windowsills all warm and bright,
For shadows to explore at night.
 
I pray I'll always stay real cool
And keep the secret feline rule
To NEVER tell a human that
The world is really ruled by CATS!
 
Little Paws Prayer
 
This is a prayer for little paws
All up and down the land,
Driven away, no friendly voice,
Never an outstretched hand.
 
For weary paws of little beasts,
Torn and stained with red,
And never a home and never a rest,
Till little beasts are dead.
 
Oh God of homeless things look down
And try to ease the way
Of all the little weary paws
That walk the world today.
 
Anonymous
 
An Old Russian Prayer
 
Hear our prayer Lord, for all animals,
May they be well-fed and well-trained and happy;
Protect them from hunger and fear and suffering;
And, we pray, protect specially, dear Lord,
The little cat who is the companion of our home,
Keep her safe as she goes abroad,
And bring her back to comfort us.
 
Anonymous
 
I am a Rottweiler.

I was brought into this world by a loving breeder who has spent the last 30 years in loving dedication to my breed. I was trained by a man or woman, who has been equally dedicated to my breed.

Over the last few years, you have gotten e-mails from people who said I
was vicious, because criminal humans made less than .0001 % of my breed into criminal dogs. And because human parents never taught their children how to respect and stay away from large animals of any kind.

You wanted my breeder to abandon her love and care of my breed. You wanted her to never make another dog like me. You wanted to keep me in a small pen and make me wear a muzzle. Some of you, wanted us all killed for no reason. I never growled at a human. I never attacked a human. But you said I was a potential danger and I needed to be destroyed.

You wanted the same done to my brothers and sisters in the working dog world. You came for the pit bulls, you came for the German Shepherds, you came for the Dobermans, and you came for us, the
Rottweilers.

Today I sat at my master’s feet in NY. The master you said was crazy to want a Rottweiler. We cried, but kept on working. You saw the sadness in my eyes. I was bred to work. I was trained to find. I search and I find. My reward is a scratch on the head and maybe a hug from the person I find, but those I find can’t scratch my head. I cry. My fellow searchers have lost their lives falling in this rubble. My feet are cut by glass and metal. But my trainer and I keep searching. We are looking for your spouses, your children, your parents, your friends, your coworkers and your neighbors. I am risking the life you wished to deny me. I am doing what NO ONE else can. If I were not here, you would have nowhere else to turn for help or hope.

When you see my trainer and me sleeping on the sidewalk or climbing over the mountain of rubble, because just one of your human lives is important to me, look into my eyes and remember the sacrifice and
work that “dangerous” dogs like me have done for thousands of years and think about a world without me.

All I ask is let me live. Let my breeder continue to make it possible for dogs, like me, to give our lives for yours. In disasters, in wars, and just protecting your homes and families, for thousands of years to come.
 
There's Always Room for One More

I see by his coat he must be a stray,
The untidy look gives him away.
He's lost his will and is so thin,
Hasn't eaten since God knows when.
I know as I coax him through the door,
There's always room for one more.

The other night in the freezing rain,
That little female came again.
Matted and soaked, crying in need,
Lost and alone with babies to feed.
Her pleading eyes I couldn't ignore,
There's always room for one more.

There's a new face on the docks today,
Hungry but clean, to our dismay,
I stroked her head, her body rippled,
When she got up I saw she was crippled.
She started to go, but fell on the floor.
There's always room for one more.

There's the poor doggy standing in the rain,
I've tried to entice him time and again.
One ear is lopsided, the other's been torn,
Blind in one eye, lost and forlorn.
He's coming now, so I'll open the door.
There's always room for one more.

These stories are true,
As I've said before,
There's always room for one more.

~Author Unknown
 
A Shelter Dog asks God...

Dear God,

What is "Time"? I hear the sadness in the voices of workers here.  They say my "Time is up", that they have to make room for yet another dog.

My "Time" is up. I don't know what that means, God. I only know that my new friends are so sad, and the more I wag my tail--- the harder I try to make them feel better--- the sadder they become.

I know I have heard that word "Time" before, but I don't understand.
When I was younger, my people would say "Time to play!"  They would
throw the ball, and I would run fast. Sometimes I brought it back to them, but other times we'd end up chasing each other having fun.

I remember "Time to eat". My people would put down a bowl of food,
and I would enjoy dinner, wagging my tail in joy. There was also "Time for your walk". My boy would put my leash on, and we would go walking together, visiting the neighborhood and enjoying each other's company.

When I was younger I thought "Time" meant fun. Or maybe Love?

I don't understand. "Time" must mean something else, but how can it change, God? Before I came here, I heard my people say, "No time to feed you now, boy. Later, when I get home." Sometimes my family would forget, and there was no food in my bowl. Does "Time" mean when my belly hurts?

My people said there was no time for walks. I tried to hold it all day long-- but God, I just couldn't anymore. When I finally had to go, it made my family very angry. Does "Time" means anger? Or maybe
Loneliness?

My family said they didn't have "Time". They didn't have time to play, or time to take me to the vet, or time to go for walks. They didn't have "Time", so they brought me here.

Maybe I was right... They said they didn't have time, and if "Time" means Love, how did they lose it? Did I do something wrong?

God, I think my new friends are sending me to you.
Do you have "Time"? May I sit on the couch?

Am I a good Dog, God?
Is it "Time"?
 
Author: Joan C. Fremo
Published on: July 29, 2001
=====
One of the most important things we can give our Pets is "Time".
The time to love them, care for them, and train them.  Animal Shelters and Humane Societies across the country are filled with Pets whose families didn't have "Time". Every year, the "Time
is up" for 12 million companion Pets. Do you have the "Time" to make a difference?
 
OLD DOG IN A LOCKET
 
Old dog in a locket
That lies next to my heart
I will always love you
As I did right from the start.
 
You were right beside me
Through the darkest of my days
It was your kind and gentle nature
That made me want to stay.
 
Now I hold you in my arms
Your breath still warm against my hand
Our hearts still beat together
And I wonder if you understand.
 
Through the hours that I held you
Before the light did leave your soul
I knew a way to keep you
Forever in my hold.
 
I snipped the hair from around your eyes
So I would always see
The beauty that surrounds me
Even in times of need.
 
I snipped the hair from around your ears
So I would always hear
Music in the distance
To quiet any fears.
 
I snipped the hair from across your back
To bring me strength in times of need
And the power of your essence
Would always be with me.
 
I snipped the hair from around your heart
That beats in time with mine
So I would know that love would find me
At some distant time.
 
And so, your life slipped out of mine
On a quiet, spring-like day
But I knew that part of you
Was always hear to stay.
 
Old dog in a locket
That lays next to my heart
I will always love you
Even though we had to part.
 
Anonymous
 
A Litany for Dogs
 
Hear our prayer for man's best friend, 
Filled with true hope and care and love.  
For this our prayer of concern we send 
Straight to the Lord above.
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That come when we call
That greet us at the door
That gaze at us with big brown eyes
That have a favorite toy
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That have no one to go to
That stare silently out of cages
That refuse to make eye contact
That have no toys to play with
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That sit on the cat
That lie at our feet
That would do anything for a cookie
That give us a wet sloppy kiss
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That have never known companionship
That sleep wherever they can
That have not eaten for days
That bite in pure panic driven defense
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That try to fit on our laps
That step on our toes
That will wear silly hats
That take up the whole couch
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That shiver in the cold
That cower in terror
That have never been for a walk
That have no home
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That push us out of bed
That wiggle all over when we come home
That knock over the trash can
That bring such joy to our day
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That live only to give birth
That have nothing to look forward to
That forage for food
That may never hear a kind word
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That look for us if we leave the room
That hide under the table on "nail day"
That forget the word "stay"
That love us no matter what
 
WE PRAY FOR OUR DOGS
That have eyes that reflect pain and fear 
That hide in alleys
That live tied to a tree
That have never been loved
 
We pray for dogs that run in play 
and those that run because of fright,
for those that obey out of love 
and those that try to oblige until they break,
for those we never give up on 
and for those that don't get a second chance.
 
Embrace these little and not so little ones. 
Guard them, protect them,
and grant them a peace that only we as humans can deny them. Forgive mankind's abuse to these that were meant to be a most precious and special gift.
 
Amen
By Vonnie Matheny
 
But it's just a dog . . .

If it were my brother, 
I'd find an allergist to help him with his allergies, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my sister, 
I'd find the best laser eye surgeon so she could see again, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my mother, 
I'd hire a staff of oncologists for the cancer that is stealing her away from me, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my father, 
I'd find the best orthopedic surgeon to enable him to walk again, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my husband, 
I'd hire every medical professional necessary to put him back together after that terrible accident that almost took him away, 
no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my child, 
I wouldn't skimp on dental care, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If it were my best friend, 
I would go with her to the doctor, every day that she needed me to help her through the worst pains in her life, taking off work if necessary and putting my own needs aside, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

If any member of my family were dying, 
at that moment I would pull out all the stops and do whatever was in my power to save their life, no matter the cost.
But they tell me; it's just a dog.

Just a dog.

Just my friend.

Just my family.

Please... my dog... no matter the cost...
 
--Nancy Campbell
 
     
 

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