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JUST MY DOG
He is my other eyes that can see above
the clouds; my other ears that hear above
the winds. He is the part of me that can
reach out into the sea.

He has told me a thousand times over that
I am his reason for being: by the way he
rests against my leg; by the way he thumps
his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he
shows his hurt when I leave without taking him.
(I think it makes him sick with worry when he
is not along to care for me.)

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another man. With him,
I am all-powerful.
He is loyalty itself.
He has taught me the meaning of devotion.
With him, I know a secret comfort and a
private peace. He has brought me understanding
where before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
His presence by my side is protection against
my fears of dark and unknown things.
He has promised to wait for me...
he never...wherever--in case I need him.
And I expect I will--as I always have.
He is just my dog.
--- Gene Hill ---
TREAT ME KINDLY
Treat me kindly, my beloved friend,
For no heart in all the world is more
rateful for kindness than the loving
heart of me.
Do not break my spirit with a stick,
For though I should lick your hand
between blows, your patience and
understanding will more quickly
teach me the things you would
have me learn.
Speak to me often, For your voice is
the world's sweetest music, as you must
know by the fierce wagging of my tail
when your footsteps fall upon my ears.
Please take me inside when it is cold
and wet, For I am a domesticated
animal, no longer accustomed to the
bitter elements. I ask no greater glory
than the privilege of sitting at your
feet beside the hearth.
Keep my pan filled with water, for I
cannot tell you when I suffer thirst.
Feed me clean food that I may stay well,
to romp and play and do your bidding,
to walk by your side, and stand ready,
willing and able to protect you with
my life, should your life be in danger.
And, my friend, when I am very old, and
I no longer enjoy good health, hearing
and good sight, do not make heroic
efforts to keep me going.
I am not having fun. Please see that my
trusting life is taken gently. I shall
leave this earth knowing with the last
breath I drew, that my fate was always
safest in your hand.
--- By Beth Norman Harris 1968
NO CHARGE FOR LOVE

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.
He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups.
And set about nailing it to a post on the
edge of his yard. As he was driving the
last nail into the post,he felt a tug on
his overalls. He looked down into the
eyes of a little boy. "Mister," he said,
"I want to buy one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the
sweat of the back of ! his neck,
"These puppies come from fine parents and
cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment.
Then reaching deep into his pocket,
he pulled out a handful of change and held
it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine
cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer, and with that he
let out a whistle. Here, Dolly!" he called.
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran
Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.
The little boy pressed his face against the
chain link fence. His eyes danced with
delight. As the dogs made their way to the
fence,the little boy noticed something else
stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another
little ball appeared, this one noticeably
smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a
somewhat awkward manner, the little pup
began hobbling toward the others,doing its
best to catch up.... "I want that one,"
the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and
said, "Son, you don't want that puppy.
He will never be able to run and play with
you like these other dogs would. " With that
the little boy stepped back from the fence,
reached down, and began rolling up one leg
f his trousers. In doing so he revealed a
steel brace running down both sides
of his leg attaching itself to a specially
made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer,
he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well
myself, and he will need someone who
understands. " With tears in his eyes,
the farmer reached down and picked
up the little pup. Holding it carefully
he handed it to the little boy.
"How much?" asked the little boy.
"No charge," answered the farmer,
"There's no charge for love."

Sammie's Story
By: Brandi Casteel

 
The journey that has made me the woman that I am today began before I could talk. I was the daughter of a drug addicted mother and father. My father did his best to provide for me, given the circumstances, but things didn’t always work out. My mother felt so much anger and resentment towards me because of the bond my father and I shared. She never kept the fact that she hated me a secret. I guess that those feelings from a mother really do get to a young child.
The true hard times began at the age of 13. At that time, I was living with my father, his girlfriend, and my brother in Atlanta. After being sober for more than two years, my father once again became involved with drugs. Before long, I also became addicted to drugs. I was a victim of rape, gang violence, and abusive relationships. I became a fighter in order to survive. In school your teachers or your parents tell you that drugs can ruin your life, and they didn’t lie. At the age of 14, I’d spent time living under a bridge with my brother. One of the most important people in my life committed suicide, I found their body. To me, God was the enemy. I hated Him and blamed Him for all the pain in my life.
In November 2004, I was placed into state care, and after a suicide attempt, was admitted into a psychiatric clinic. In April 2005, I was taken to a lockdown treatment facility in Kennesaw, Georgia. 95 percent of the teenagers in that facility were also victims of rape, abuse, and neglect. Many of them also struggled with drug addiction. In an atmosphere like that, fights and riots break out frequently. All too often I was the fighter or riot leader. Anger was the only emotion I knew.
In December 2005, I was taken to another lockdown facility in Adairsville, Georgia. So much violence and neglect went on within those walls. After 9 months in that place, many people, me included, were sure that I was a lost cause and that nothing could save me. I desperately searched for any distraction from the pain I felt inside.
At that facility, there was a therapeutic program with animals. There was a barn on the property with horses, goats, pigs, rabbits, and even a ferret. I was given the duty of keeping records on all of the animals as well as caring for them. I went up to the barn twice each day, once at 6 a.m. and once at 4 p.m. I fed, bathed, played with, and trained the animals.
A family decided to “donate” an unwanted puppy to the facility. They failed to mention that they had abused her. She was a beautiful puppy. They had called her Samantha, but she seemed to almost be afraid when her name was called. I shortened it to Sammie. She was calmer with that name. Sammie was mute; she had been kicked or hit any time she made a sound with the family. She was terrified of people and didn’t know how to eat puppy food. I assume that she had scavenged whatever food she could before.
My time at the barn became my time with her. Every day I fed her by hand until she got the hang of eating puppy food on her own. Everywhere I went at the barn, she was there by my side. We played and I loved on her every chance I got.
Living in the barn began to take its toll on Sammie. Some animals were not meant to be confined to a barn, and a little dog is one of those animals. She developed kennel cough. All the dirt and dust from the barn filled her lungs. She had trouble breathing, ran fevers, and never felt like playing. I notified the owners of the facility but they did nothing. I was angry, but what could I do?
I don’t know how well animals can understand when we talk to them, but I gave it a shot anyway. I explained to her what the owners had said and that I was sorry. When she looked at me, I saw a depth in her eyes that amazed me. I was on my knees with my hand on the ground beside me. She moved closer to me, and then she put her paw on the top of my hand. I couldn’t help it, I had to cry. All the times that someone had tossed me to the side like trash replayed in my mind. A broken spirit is not a broken toy. There is no reason to throw it away just because no one had ever taken the time to care for it. Then and there, I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to let Sammie be thrown away.
Later that day, when we all went on our hallways, I made a plan. I stuck my comb in my back pocket, and while they staff weren’t looking, I picked open the door. By the time anyone realized I was gone, I was in the owners office, standing in front of her desk. I pulled a phone number out of my pocket and told her that it was the phone number to animal control. I let her know that either I would be allowed to bring Sammie in to my room to be taken care of, or I would call animal control. A center for kids doesn’t need the kind of attention that a call to animal control can bring. I got what I wanted.
That night, Sammie slept curled up next to me and for the first time in a long time, I smiled.
It took a month and several health scares before Sammie finally got better. When she did though, I knew my next mission. I wanted her to know that she wouldn’t be hurt for barking. When we played I tried to get her to bark but she wouldn’t. I decided that she would do it when she was ready, so I didn’t rush her.
I took her up to the barn everyday to run around and play while I worked. She ran around playing with the pigs, goats, and horses. One day, I had to cut the ferret, Rocky’s nails. While I was holding him, I noticed that Sammie was watching so intently. I bent down with Rocky in my arms to let her sniff him. She licked him, and to my surprise, he licked the tip of her nose in response! I put him on the floor with her and they began to play. Sammie rolled around on him and Rocky grabbed on to her ears and jumped on her back.
I let them play like that for weeks. One day during one of their playing sessions, Sammie barked. To me, it was like a mother hearing her baby’s first word. It brought tears to my eyes. I was so proud of Sammie.
Everyday the staff reported to the owners about my behavior. They didn’t believe a word of it. Then they decided to come see it for themselves. They were amazed. How could a puppy change such a problematic girl? Instead of fighting I was breaking fights up. I was doing all I could to help other girls.
Before Sammie came into my life, I hoped to die in my sleep every night. Now I was waking up to take care of Sammie, and loving it. It’s such an amazing feeling to know that someone thinks you are important.
After making so much progress, it was time for Sammie and me to move on. In July 2007 we moved into the Ellijay Group Home in Ellijay, Georgia. I am a student at Appalachian Technical College at the age of 17. I am also a member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In March I will be 18. Sammie and I will be going out on our own. People tell me that it’s going to be hard, but I’ve made it this far already. A few years ago I would’ve laughed at anyone that told me I’d be alive to see my 18th birthday.
It took a long time to realize that everything I went through has made me who I am. I wouldn’t change it if I could. I can’t be angry with God anymore. He blessed me with Sammie and then made me see all of the other blessings in my life. He knew that I was close to the edge and He grabbed my hand to pull me back. God knew that I needed to experience what unconditional love is like, He gave me Sammie. Every day, I am so thankful that she is a part of my life.
When I tell people Sammie’s story they always respond that it is so good that I saved her. I have to correct them, she saved me. God saved both of us. Sometimes I have to smile and kiss her head just because I love her. I believe that she knows that more than one spirit has been fixed in the time we have been together.





For more information on the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and ways that you can help, visit www.aspca.org. If you doubt that one person can change the world, go to your local animal shelter and look into the eyes of all the animals in need of a home and in need of a miracle.

Can 1 person change the world? Ask this little guy.

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