Shelter

This is the cover to one of my original stories that I have been working on. It is inspired by not only my own experiences, but also those of others.

I work at a no-kill animal shelter, so it seemed natural to write a story inspired by that experience. Being an animal caretaker isn’t as easy as it seems to be. It is an emotional rollercoaster, with stresses that not every job has. Your job is to take care of them, tell them their loved, and ultimately, help them find a forever home. You have to keep a balance between giving your heart to them and gain their trust, but you have to also be able to accept that when they are adopted, when and if they do find that home that is perfect for them, that you can let them go.

But what about the ones that never get adopted? The one that couldn’t find a home because they hate cats, or even kids? The one that is an amazing escape artist and even more amazing, found their way “home” back to the shelter on their own? Or the dog that had been abused and has a hard time trusting again? These we call at my work the “lifers”, the ones that have “special requirements” to adopt or cannot be adopted at all. For them, the shelter is their home and the caretakers that come in and take care of them are their family. All the caretakers want for them is their happiness and what is best for them, but know that they will never experience the warmth of a Christmas fireplace, or curling up on the edge of their human’s warm bed and sleep peacefully. Instead, they watch us caretakers leave every night, waiting for them to return again in the morning. The worst part is walking away and hearing them howl…knowing there’s no way that you can take them home or stay.

This story is about that bond between one caretaker and an unwanted lifer dog at a no-kill shelter.