In Memory of Woody

It was just a regular night for me.  I was sitting on my sofa, retweeting the posts of the pets on the "list" for the following day at NYCACC.  The list, if you're not familiar, is the kill list.  New York Animal Care and Control (such an ironic name for that place - "care") sends out a list of the dogs and cats they plan on euthanizing murdering the next day.  I have a silly little ritual I go through when I retweet those posts.  I always open up the link, look at the pet and read the little story.  I'd probably be able to retweet more if I didn't spend time opening up every link and reading every story, but I like to think it helps that pet somehow.  For a pet that has been dumped and left to die, for a few minutes I want them to feel that someone loves them, someone is thinking of them, sending them good thoughts and love, and praying that a miracle will happen and someone will rescue them.

I opened up another link on another post and that's when I saw Woody.  A tan Pittie boy, he had the most beautiful smile, adorable wrinkly face, velvety fur and eyes that looked right into my heart.  I was smitten.  I read the description that a volunteer wrote about the time she spent with Woody.  According to her, Woody was shy, quiet, and loved to play with his little stuffed rabbit. He'd hold it gently between his paws and nuzzle it softly, never hurting it, just loving it in the way that doggies do.  At that moment I knew I had fallen in love with Woody.  I read that he loved to play ball and fetch and I watched the short video provided.  Woody was a sweetheart.  He reminded me so much of my own dogs who loved to carry around their little stuffed  puppy dogs, especially when they feel unsure, sort of like a security blanket.  Woody was no longer just a name or face in a far away shelter.  He was just like my two little guys and all I wanted in the world was to save his life.

We tried so hard.  I contacted people from rescue groups all over the country. They contacted people all over the country.  We emailed and tweeted the link to Woody's facebook page late into the night and early into the next morning. We worked on getting pledges, so hopefully a rescue group would step up to save Woody.  Everyone who read about Woody agreed that he needed to be saved.  He was only two years old, healthy, got along with other animals, sweet and a little shy but warmed up easily. In other words, Woody was highly adoptable.  Someone in the world needed this sweet dog.  He was a dog without a family and we were on a mission to find them.  The people in my Twitter feed fell in love with Woody and his little rabbit.  He was someones best friend, we just needed to figure out who.

The next day came and we had no word about Woody. We'd call the shelter and get an automated answering machine telling us to check online.  His link was still active so we still had hope.  We kept tweeting, retweeting and sharing everything about Woody.  I prayed.  Oh how I prayed. I prayed we'd find the perfect family for him.  I prayed a rescue group would agree to save him.  I prayed that someone already adopted him and we just didn't know it yet.  Maybe he was already in his new home, surrounded by a new family and a bunch of stuffed rabbits and puppies and all the tennis balls he could ever want.  I wanted that so badly.  I couldn't sleep, thinking and worrying about this dog that I never met.

The next day we still had no word, so we kept tweeting and sharing, hoping for the best.  Then at midday, the message came that NYCACC killed sweet,  precious Woody.  People all over the world were trying to find a home for this wonderful dog and NYCACC killed him.  My heart shattered into a million pieces.  I could hardly comprehend it.  Who could do such a thing? How could you look at that face, in those eyes, and kill him - FOR NO REASON AT ALL?  Was anyone there with him that cared about him at all as the life drained from his body?  Did he at least have his little stuffed rabbit with him as as he was murdered by the shelter that was supposed to be taking care of him?  Did anyone stroke his fur as he lay dying?  Did anyone whisper in his ear that he was a good boy, that he was loved, that he will always be remembered?  Did anyone do anything at all to make that horrifying, terrifying situation any easier for that precious boy?

There's so much I want to say about New York City and the killing machine that is the NYCACC shelter. I'll save that for another post.  Right now, all I want to say is I'm sorry Woody.  I'm sorry that whoever owned you didn't care enough to keep you and give you the life you deserved, the life they promised you when they choose you as their pet.  I'm sorry that when they decided they didn't want you anymore, rather than rehome you with a friend or relative, or find a rescue group or no-kill shelter, they dumped you in a high kill shelter slaughterhouse where you had almost no chance of ever surviving.  I'm sorry that the human race doesn't seem to place any value on the lives of the animals we share this planet with.  I'm sorry that I didn't see your photo earlier.  Maybe one more tweet or Facebook share, or one more email would have saved your life.  Woody I'm just so sorry.  If you were my dog I would have loved you and cherished you every single day of your very long and happy life.  You'd be here next to me, with my two little guys, cuddled  up on the covers, dreaming happy doggie dreams, with a full belly and all the stuffed toys and tennis balls you'd ever want.  You'd be my best friend.

I promise you this Woody.  Your death has meant something.  I will fight harder than ever to make sure that horrible place changes.  I know thousands upon thousands of other pets have been killed there before you were so coldly murdered.  I will do everything I can to prevent it from continuing, even if I have to fight it the rest of my life.

I know that as you lay dying, no one was there to comfort you.  So I want you to know Woody, that you are a good boy, a very good dog, the best.  You are loved, sweet boy. You are wanted.  You are my dog now. You brought many people together, from all around the world.  We are going to make the world a better place because of you.  Run free at the Rainbow bridge, precious angel.  Find my sweet furbabies that have already crossed over - Lady, Pudgie, Buddy, Dottie and Benji. They will love you and be your best friends until we can all be together again.  I will see you again one day. Until then, know you are always in my heart, my good dog Woody.  Rest in peace boy.