A Shelter Worker's Tears
By Nettie Wilson, Animal Control Officer,

 SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., Spokane, Washington

With a stiffened back and a deep breath, the doors open on yet another day.
In they come, one by one, four by four, more and more.

The reasons are the same we hear, day in, day out, year after year, it remains the same

What! You may be asking, am I describing? I'm describing the day in the life of a shelter worker

The endless stream of animals that are brought to our doors, and even some that are dragged across our floors.

As hard as we try -- our hearts are taken in, by one or two soulful looks, begging for us to listen to them.

It is not the eyes of the owners or of the people who have found a stray.
It's the penetrating gaze of man's best friend, about to be betrayed.

We become attached, we care for them, we comfort them, as we would our own.

Sometimes it ends in joy, but more often that not, it just ends.

It ends with the tears that fall from our cheeks, 'cause we now feel the guilt, the guilt that shouldn't be ours.

It ends with the breaking of our hearts, the haunting feeling of betrayal, because maybe -- just maybe -- there was one, just one tiny spot on this earth that we didn't look to find this animal a forever home.

We sometimes wonder if the world knows how many times we cry for those pets they claim to love some much.

Anger and resentment do we feel? Yes, to all people and yet to none. For this has become a throwaway society and it's now become accepted and to some, even fun.

So feel free to dump your strays, or your beloved pet at our door -- at least we will shed the tears they deserve, when the only home we can find, is in heaven up above.

Every night we cry, every day we pray, every time we lose a piece of ourselves in your name

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