CHRISTMAS

 
Wishing you Joy, Peace, and FREEDOM This Holiday Season

T'was the night before Christmas, when 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 St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With no thought of the dog filling their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Knew he was cold, but didn't care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre 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 present, now painfully thin And sick..
More rapid than eagles he called the dog's name.
And the dog ran 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 this dog a home where he'll be loved by all"

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year,
For Santa Claus had made one thing quite clear,
The gift of a dog is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think for the kids a gift
There was one important thing that we 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 rode out of sight,
"You weren't given a gift! You were given a life!"

 

Shelter Dogs' Christmas

'T'is the night before Christmas and all through the town,
Every shelter is full... we're lost, but not found.
Our numbers are hung on our kennels so bare;
We hope every minute that someone will care.

We wait for someone to adopt us and give us a call,
"Come here, Max, or Sparky, come fetch your new ball!"
But we sit here and think of the days
When we were treated so fondly, we had such cute puppy ways.

Once we were little, then we grew and we grew...
Now we're no longer young and we're no longer new.
So out the back door we were thrown like the trash,
They reacted so quickly... why did they act so rash?

They say we "jump on the children," or "don't come when they call,"
We "bark when they leave us," or "climb over the wall."
We should have been neutered; we should have been spayed;
Now WE suffer the consequences of the errors THEY made.

If only they'd trained us, if only we knew...
We would have done what they asked us and worshipped them too!
We were left in the backyard, or worse, left to roam...
Now we're tired and lonely and out of a home.

They dropped us off here and said their goodbye...
"Maybe someone else will give you a try."
So here we all are, confused and alone...
In a shelter with others who long for a home.

The kind workers come through with a meal and a pat,
With so many to care for, they can't stay or chat,
They move to the next kennel, giving each of us cheer...
We know that they wonder how long we'll be here.

We lay down to sleep and sweet dreams fill our heads...
Of a home filled with love and our own cozy beds.
Then we wake to see sad eyes, brimming with tears...
Our friends filled with emptiness, worry and fear.

If you can't adopt us and there's no room at the Inn...
Could you help with the bills and fill our food bin?
We count on your kindness each day of the year...
Can you give more than hope to everyone here?

Please make a donation to pay for the heat...
And help us get something special to eat.
The shelter that cares for us wants us to live,
And more of us will, if more people give. 

Submitted by Sue Penman
Abbotsford, BC

 

TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS

On the First Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
A gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Second Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me,

Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Third Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
FIVE... GOLDEN...JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN...JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN... JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Eight pups-a-peeing, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN... JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Nine Meekas fetching, 
Eight pups-a-peeing, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN... JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Ten Rangers raging, 
Nine Meekas fetching, 
Eight pups-a-peeing, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN... JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Eleven tiny Pippins, 
Ten Rangers raging, 
Nine Meekas fetching, 
Eight pups-a-peeing, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN... JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas Dear Judy gave to me, 
Twelve giant Oscars, 
Eleven tiny Pippins, 
Ten Rangers raging, 
Nine Meekas fetching, 
Eight pups-a-peeing, 
Seven Shilos scaring, 
Six Cinna-minis, 
FIVE... GOLDEN...JAKES... 
Four Koojee-Bandits, 
Three Felix nut-jobs, 
Two Sparky Cockers, 
And a gorgeous Husky Chloe.

Happy Holidays!!:)

Anna 

 

 

There has been such a flood of appeals for help this year that we may not be able to reply very quickly or at all to more appeals.  AAS is now so well-known for its experience in all animal welfare and rescue matters that we are asked for advice and help from all over BC, Canada, the U.S. and the world.  For years I have answered each and every appeal with detailed advice that I have learned from 20 years of rescue, advocacy and animal law. Our high standards are well-known to the public, that is why we are so often asked for help and advice.


We are currently working on so many projects that I am sorry to have to say that we may not be able to respond to all the cries for help we hear as quickly as we want to.

Judy Stone

Please donate if you want to help us help more needy animals.
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