A Poem About Being Prepared

source: 2006 American Veterinary Medical Association. Prepared by Cindy S. Lovern, DVM, MSGraphic Design by Cheryl Atkins and Sarah Jurecka

I found this poem about remembering your pets if faced with a natural disaster or some other catastrophe. In my area of rural Cabell County, WV, we have a lot of flash floods and flooding because of our proximity to the Ohio River. I have a sticker on my front door that tells emergency workers what type of animals are in the house and the number. You can get it from this website: www.hsus.org.

As the winds blow on, And the waters rise deep, You can hear their cries. You can hear them weep. Those you have brought into your home, Those who are loyal, caring and warm. You feed them each day, and tell them to stay, And now when they need you, don't turn them away. When you vowed to love, when you vowed to care, You vowed to sacrifice, and vowed to prepare. So now in times of trouble and strife, You are responsible for more than one life. You need to plan, think, and prepare, For all those who need you. Those who depend on your care.— Cindy Swancott Lovern

A Chained Dog’s Plea.

This is a haunting poem to me...I lay down at night, and it runs over in my head..It is -- By Edith Lassen Johnson
source: www.dogsdeservebetter.org

I wish someone would tell me
What it is that I’ve done wrong.
Why do I have to stay chained up
And left alone so long?
They seemed so glad to have me
When I came here as a pup.
There were so many things we’d do
While I was growing up.
But now the Master "hasn’t time"
The Mistress says I shed.
She doesn’t want me in the house,
Not even to be fed.
The Children never walk me.
They always say, "Not now."
I wish that I could please them.
Won’t someone tell me how?
All I had, you see, was love.
I wish they would explain
Why they said they wanted mine,
And then left it on a chain.
-- By Edith Lassen Johnson