Dealing with the people

Did you ever have a bad day?  We all do. But some of my worst days are days we pull dogs from the mills.  You might think this odd. These should be happy days right?  Not so much . . . I'll tell you why.

It starts out great, a miller is willing to give up a dog or two and we are happy to take them. Then we arrive and if we are lucky we will get to take the dogs from their wire prisons ourselves. But most often we are met in the driveway while a man "carries" the dogs to us. Not in a gentle loving way, most of the time it is by the scruff of the neck as the dog dangles terrified.

Bite your tongue, bite your tongue. If you scream at him, no more dogs will ever find their freedom.

We can hear the others, the breeding stock barking at us, begging for help, but we can do nothing. Dogs are property and punching him in the face and taking all the dogs would only result in us going to jail and the dogs being returned to their rightful owner.  It would solve nothing, but the thought is there.

Bite your tongue, bite your tongue.

No matter the condition of the dogs, matted filthy fur, infected eyes, skin and bones. . .bite your tongue.  If we say something, the next dog that has been used up will receive a bullet instead of a chance at rescue.

It is a tightrope walk. We want more than anything to get as many out as possible. But by being aggressive and demanding, all we would get is thrown off the property, helping no dogs at all. Without seeing the inside of the "kennel" do we take a chance and turn them in?  They get an inspection and a slap on the wrist. Not being stupid, they figure out who has caused them grief and the next dog that doesn't produce gets a bullet.
Just bite your tongue.

The heart rate goes up and the anger builds but you cannot do or say anything. You take the dogs they are willing to give up and go on about your day. Frustration and helplessness are the feelings as we drive away with a few of the many that beg for freedom.