We Can't Let the Light Go Out
Many of our supporters know that the light has almost gone out for us in the past several months and continues to flicker uncertainly. Our volunteers have been pushed to the breaking point and beyond over and over again, but somehow we have kept going one day at a time.
I looked into the sweet face of one of my rescue Pugs, Fatty Patty, the other day and saw in her eyes the reason we've persevered through fatigue, sickness, injury and incredible despair.
She's 16 and her eyes and ears don't work very well any longer, but her kisser is in fine shape. Five years ago she was huddled in the corner of a cage at a Humane Society. She was frightened and confused and didn't understand why she had suddenly been shoved onto a cold cement floor surrounded by larger dogs. All she had left from her old life was a worn brown collar. All she had to look forward to was a quick death.
Then the cage door opened and warm and loving hands picked her up and cuddled her against a sturdy chest. It was a Little Angels volunteer. That volunteer gave her the gift of five years of love and care, and we'd like to share a little bit about these volunteers with our supporters.
While most folks are settled in for
the night trying to decide whether to watch Frasier or Home Improvement, these volunteers
are making one more phone call to make sure a Pug who's been given up has a safe haven.
While most folks are going to the dry cleaners and the hardware store and running those
Saturday errands we all need to do, these volunteers are driving a hundred miles to pick
up a frightened Pug from an animal shelter.
While most folks are wondering where to go for Sunday brunch, these volunteers are holding
a Pug whose life is ending so that he or she won't leave this world alone, and so that
there will be one last loving gesture in a life that may have held precious little
affection and caring. Without these volunteers, Fatty Patty and hundreds of equally
precious Pugs would not be here today, happy and healthy and loved. Chances are many of
these Pugs would no longer be in this world.
These volunteers are always willing to pick up one more homeless Pug. They're always
willing to make one more trip to the vet with a sick Pug. They're always willing to go to
the pet store for one more bag of dog food for a hungry Pug.
These volunteers ARE Little Angels Pug Rescue. They're the only thing that stands between
hundreds of Pugs and pain and abandonment and perhaps, death.
They're never going to get an Oscar or an Emmy or be offered 5 million dollars an episode
to come back next season. Most people aren't even aware of the hours they work, the miles
they drive or the tears they shed when they help another old or sick Pug make his or her
journey to Pug Heaven.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Pug lovers who have opened their
hearts to our Pugs during these dark days. For all of the hard work our volunteers do,
Little Angels cannot continue without your support, your love and your caring. You are
making the work of Little Angels possible.
What's been especially gratifying has been the support we've received from Pug clubs and
other Pug Rescue groups. It's been like a bridge of Pug love reaching out across the
entire country to our Pugs. It makes me proud to be a Pug person.
The Pugs of Little Angels, and all of the other Pugs who no longer have humans of their
own to care for them and homes to shelter them, are the responsibility of all of us who
love Pugs. The crisis we're experiencing at Little Angels has taught us that we cannot, we
must not, let the light go out for all of the Pugs who are searching for it in their
darkest hour.
We, and all of the other Pug Rescue working to make sure every Pug has a loving home,
still very much need your donations and your support. Please help us keep the light
shining so brightly that no Pug in need will miss it..
Little Angels Pug Rescue, PO Box 12242, La Crescenta, CA 91224-0942. Phone: (626) 795-3944. Fax:
(661)268-1237 pugs@lapr.org