‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
with nary a thought of the dog in their heads.
And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap,
knew he was cold, but who cared about that?
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
the dog must be loose; he’s into the trash!
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but Santa Claus with eyes full of tears.
He unchained the dog, once so lively and quick,
last year’s Christmas gift, now thin and sick.
More rapid than eagles, he called the dog’s name,
and the dog went right to him, despite all his pain.
Now DASHER, now DANCER, now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On COMET on CUPID on DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!!
Let’s find him a home where he’ll be loved by all!!
I knew in an instant there were not gifts this year.
For Santa had made our mistake very clear.
The gift of a dog is not just for the season,
we had gotten a pup for all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think of a gift for the kids,
there was something important that we had missed.
A dog should be family, and cared for the same.
You don’t give a gift, then put it on a chain.
And I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight,
“YOU WERE GIVEN A GIFT!! YOU WERE GIVEN A LIFE.”
Author Unknown
Night before Christmas ABCR dogs
I got this poem in my email yesterday. Maybe a lot of people will be getting it in their inboxes. I hope so. In this adaptation of the familiar and kinda hokey poem, there’s a lot of truth. The unfortunate part of the truth is too many pets end up in this situation. The other truth is “you were given a gift – a life.” That is the most valuable gift there is.
The dogs in the pictures are all at All Breed Canine Rescue, and all are hoping for the gift of a home. At top is Nicky, the elderly and ill American Eskimo recently found abandoned. He’s the end of the sorry tale told above.
The pictures below him are the beginning of the story. They are some of a litter of seven pups recently removed from a situation of neglect. I wonder if they were intended to be sold as Christmas gifts. It didn’t work out so good. But, in the spirit of the Season, these are now named (from top to bottom), Holly, Donner, Prancer, Blitzen and Vixen.
