The following is a poem that is all too true. To try to prevent this, I became a trainer.


DO I GO HOME TODAY?


MY FAMILY BROUGHT ME HOME CRADLED IN THEIR ARMS
THEY CUDDLED ME AND SMILED AT ME AND SAID I WAS FULL OF CHARM
THEY PLAYED WITH ME AND LAUGHED WITH ME AND SHOWERED ME WITH TOYS
I SURE DO LOVE MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS


THE CHILDREN LOVED TO FEED ME; THEY GAVE ME SPECIAL TREATS
THEY EVEN LET ME SLEEP WITH THEM--ALL SNUGGLED IN THE SHEETS
I USED TO GO FOR WALKS, OFTEN SEVERAL TIMES A DAY
THEY EVEN FOUGHT TO HOLD THE LEASH, I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY


THESE ARE THE THINGS I'LL NOT FORGET--A CHERISHED MEMORY
I NOW LIVE IN THE SHELTER--WITHOUT MY FAMILY
THEY USED TO LAUGH AND PRAISE ME WHEN I PLAYED WITH THAT OLD SHOE
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD ONE AND THE NEW


THE KIDS AND I WOULD GRAB A RAG, FOR HOURS WE WOULD TUG
SO I THOUGHT I DID THE RIGHT THING WHEN I CHEWED THE BEDROOM RUG
THEY SAID THAT I WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WOULD HAVE TO LIVE OUTSIDE
THIS I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, ALTHOUGH I TRIED AND TRIED


THE WALKS STOPPED, ONE BY ONE; THEY SAID THEY HADN'T TIME
I WISH THAT I COULD CHANGE THINGS; I WISH I KNEW MY CRIME
MY LIFE BECAME SO LONELY IN THE BACKYARD, ON A CHAIN
I BARKED AND BARKED ALL DAY LONG TO KEEP FROM GOING INSANE


SO THEY BROUGHT ME TO THE SHELTER BUT WERE EMBARRASSED TO SAY WHY
THEY SAID I CAUSED AN ALLERGY, AND THEN THEY EACH KISSED ME GOODBYE
IF I'D ONLY HAD SOME TRAINING AS A LITTLE PUP
I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO HARD TO HANDLE WHEN I WAS ALL GROWN UP


"YOU ONLY HAVE ONE DAY LEFT"
I HEARD THE WORKER SAY
DOES THAT MEAN I HAVE A SECOND CHANCE?
DO I GO HOME TODAY?