Be kind ~ My column from Sunday's paper

While reading blogs this past week, I came across a post that made me think. The graphic read: The Gene Pool Could Use a Little Chlorine. I howled.

She wrote this after learning about a project to move elephants in Africa because humans are encroaching on their habitat and killing them for their teeth. People can be so unkind. This fact came into focus at our house the past few weeks.

First, the hungry bulldog that I wrote about in last week’s column showed up. We learned that the dog was deaf and had other health issues. Owning two high-maintenance dogs is expensive, and we didn’t need another one. But we realized with health problems, the dog was probably unadoptable so he would be staying. We named him Hook.

Just as we were getting used to that, two more Bulldogs showed up the next day. These two were hungry, thirsty and full of parasites. What made these two different were youth and beauty.

We realized that no matter how cute these dogs were, there was no way we could afford them. We were at a loss at what to do. I dreaded taking them to a shelter that euthanizes animals.

Facebook troubles me at times, especially during the election years because it can bring out the worst in people. But sometimes I read things that make me smile and give me hope.

With this in mind, I decided to try Facebook to see if it could help me spread the word about these pups so that their story would end well.

I took a good picture of them looking lovingly into the camera as we were about to go for a walk and then posted the picture on Facebook along with a note about being disheartened that someone could be so unkind. Tossing these loving, loyal creatures out like pieces of garbage was beyond my understanding.

The words and picture must have resonated because the post was shared 84 times which gave it wings. Private messages began hitting my inbox with ideas on how to get the dogs to no-kill shelters.

Late that afternoon, I got a private message from a woman who works with Forgotten Tails Rescue of Alabama in Jasper. She said they had a foster home that would take the two young Bulldogs, and they felt there was a decent chance they could place them.

The next day I took them to a local vet where the dogs were vaccinated, tested for heartworms and treated for parasites. They were also neutered (sorry about that guys.)

When I went back later to make a donation to the shelter, the woman told me that neither dog had heartworms which was great news. She smiled and said they already had families that were interested in adopting them permanently.

Hearing those words made my eyes get misty, and I got a lump in my throat that made it difficult to talk. Kindness does that to me. I stood there breathing as I wrote the check and gained my composure. I made sure she knew how much we appreciated their help in finding the precious pups a permanent home.

If I were a geneticist, the first thing I would do is to tweak the kink in the DNA chain that makes people unkind. I think that would make a remarkable difference in the human race.

Anyone who would like to help spread kindness should consider donating to Forgotten Tails Rescue of Alabama. They have a Facebook page. Their website is www.Forgottentailsrescue.org