I met a nine year old dog today that had been fostered, then adopted by a woman a few years ago. The dog spent the first 4 years of his life in a cage. He was not talked to, touched or played with. Why would anyone have a dog and treat it like that I do not know, but there are crazy people out there. In any event, this dog was finally rescued from this environment, and fostered by a true dog lover, Kathy.
Kathy was not ready to adopt the dog, named Cue, but was willing to foster him until a proper home could be found. Kathy soon found out a few important things about Cue. Cue was depressed. He never wagged his tail, never came up to Kathy for a little petting, in short, he didn't know what to do. Also, when he first started walking around Kathy's house he saw every obstacle, a shoe, a chair or a box, as an obstacle, like the door of the cage had been an obstacle. How sad. He would walk around in the backyard and not realize that he could walk through a plant, push it with his nose, and move around the planting area. He saw everything as an obstacle!
After three years, Kathy was unable to find a forever home for Cue, so she adopted him. It took three years for him to wag his tail, and years for him to find out that he could walk around the backyard without every plant seeming like a barrier. Cue is now nine years old. He has never learned what it means to chase a ball or play with another dog. Poor guy just doesn't get it.
Cue is the cutest guy. He's about the size and shape of a Basset Hound, yet he has long shaggy hair and big brown eyes that look at you with such love. It's hard to imagine that anyone would mistreat a dog like Cue, in fact any dog.
In the time of the pandemic, dogs offer something special. They are available for unconditional love, affection and cuddles, something we can't do with most humans. They will love you no matter what, and they give their owners a chance to get up close and personal, something we all need. What would we do without them>
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