An Act of Heroism: Rescuing a Dog - Essay Example

 My parents started a long tradition of going to the Humane Society.  If a dog from the Humane Society is adopted, it gives them a second chance.  Due to the volume of stray pets left on the street, some Humane Societies still put dogs and cats to sleep.  I cannot bear to think of dogs being killed, just because of human error.  Human error begins when a pet is not spade or neutered.  Then when a pet becomes too much or unwanted, they are turned out on the streets due to human error.  So I decided to visit the local Humane Society to find a new pet.

            I had decided a German Shepard mix, or maybe a lab would make the best pet.  In the viewing room, dogs barked and howled.  All that was present on the day I went were small and medium dogs.  I did not find a dog that felt right.  Dejectedly I went out of the viewing room, running into a Humane Society worker. 

            “Find anything?” he asked.

            I just shook my head no.

            “Why don’t you take a look at the dogs that just came in?  You can’t take them home today, but can sign up on a waiting list.  If no one claims them, they can be adopted within two weeks.”

            He pointed me to the ‘Big Dog’ and ‘Small Dog’ rooms down the hallway.  I walked to the ‘Big Dog’ room.  This room was three times the size of the viewing room.  Around forty cages were lined up in four rows.  German Shepards, labs, and other large dogs were in almost every cage.  I walked up and down the aisles.  One dog caught my eye.  He looked like a fur ball sitting on a pillow.  I knew if he was given a pillow, he was sick or just had surgery.  No one had picked up his card.  I was not sure if I could take care of a large sick dog.  However, no other dog caught my eye.  I decided not to get the big dog.         

            After I left the Humane Society without a dog, I felt guilty.  My mind kept going back to the large white and gray fur ball.  After two days, I decided to go back.  If the white and gray fur ball was still there, I would adopt him.  When I went back to the ‘Big Dog’ room, the white and gray fur ball was there.  I grabbed his card and took it to the front desk. 

The worker told me this dog was in bad shape.  He was an Alaskan Malamute.  His fur was so matted that the workers could not tell if he was a boy or girl at first.  He could not move his head because of the mats, so his ears had been chewed down by flies.  The pound would shave him to solve the mat problem, but he also had an upper respiratory infection.  I told them I didn’t care.  I wanted him more than ever.

When I picked him up the next week, he was shaven and bald.  This was funny because he weighed over a hundred pounds.  As he rode in the back of my car, I tried to decide on a name.  Sirrus came to mind because he was seriously large and bald.  I have had Sirrus for a while now.  He is the best companion ever.  When he slurps me with his big tongue, I am glad I was his hero.