betterdaysanimalleague

I'm a female Shepherd mix, and I'm between three and four months old. Right now, I’m gaining weight but my growth may be stunted because I’ve been starved for awhile and my bones stick out. I really don't remember too much of what's happened to me in the past, but considering how I was found, it's probably good that I don't. It seemed that no one cared if I lived or died, and honestly, I was starting not to care either.

One day I was put in a garbage bag, I remember hitting something hard and then the loud noises of cars and horns. I don’t know how long I was in there but I remember it being so cold and dark. I was scared, it was hard to breathe and I couldn’t get out.

Then I heard voices, where they going to hurt me? What did I do to deserve this? The light blinded me at first and I didn’t know what to do. When someone picked me up and held me close, it felt so good and warm, their loving hands on my freezing body.

The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital. I was so happy to see kind and friendly people. The doctors were helping me and told me not to worry – that they would send me someplace safe, where people were nice and I could take as much time as I needed to learn to trust people again and feel better.

They sent me to Better Days Animal League and I was pretty nervous at first but I knew right away that they weren’t going to hurt me here. People came around every few minutes to tell me how pretty I am and give me treats. I had my own space and even a blanket to curl up in. At first I was so afraid to go outside again but the nice people gave me as much time as I needed. They say that I'm lucky to be alive, and they also tell me that I'll never have to worry about being abandoned, mistreated or neglected again.

One day a nice woman came right up to ME. There were so many dogs and puppies around but she came right to me! She asked me what my name was and if I’d like to come to her house and meet her other dogs to see if I liked them. I did!

That night I heard the stories of all her dogs. My favorite though is a funny looking boy named Scrap, he is just a little older but he said when he was four weeks old someone had tied him to a guardrail on a highway and left him to die. He said he travelled hundreds of miles before he came here and I’ll be happy here.

Countless animals are abandoned, abused and neglected every single day, and Better Days Animal League has given all of us new hope and a chance at new lives. I really do want to live. Thank you for supporting this life-saving place, without it many animals will die and, for the first time in a really long time, I can honestly say that life really is worth living.

~Elsie