Adopted before he was two months old, George had no memory of his birth family nor had he any choice regarding the home he would share with his guardian. He never considered questioning how different his life might have been, had the circumstances been different.
George was a bright, friendly, rambunctious little guy who had far too few opportunities to learn socially acceptable behaviour. His curiosity about neighbourhood kids and dogs was restricted. He was disliked by neighbours and spent far too many hours confined to his home. He was lonely.
ln puberty George began to dream of a more independent lifestyle. His heart was filled with desire, the need to touch, to love, and to be loved. But George’s compass was out of whack. He was too pushy, unable to respect the personal space of others. He learned the hard way, pushed away, rejected, and greeted with disgust by almost everyone he met. He didn’t understand why he was ostracized.
The years passed. Little changed. He stood by the door or lay on the couch, rubbing his ear until he dozed off to dream of a better life.
George was unprepared when his life changed suddenly. He was grabbed by two guys, taken to jail, and pushed into a small, wired cell.
“This is almost a cage,” he growled. “What the H!”
George remained locked up for three months wondering what he had done to be treated like a criminal. Then, one morning a young woman unlocked his cell door and led him to a room where he was ordered to hop onto a white draped table. A moment later a guy helped him to lie down and gave him a shot. George fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke, the fellow smiled, patted him gently on the head and announced “OK, George. All fixed.”
A few days later George’s incarceration ended. His life changed dramatically as he flew from Victoria to Ottawa to be enthusiastically welcomed into his new home with a caring family.
Today, George, a beautiful black eight-year-old standard poodle, almost smiles as he politely lifts his paw to greet visitors. His journey is proof that it is never too late to embrace happiness, to live in harmony with others, to respect and be respected in return.
Prior to being fixed, George was persona non grata in almost every social setting.
All of which makes me wonder if similar surgery might benefit a few males of other species.
Just think about it.