Shelter Eyes

Shelter Eyes-

This is a very long poem dedicated to the people who are a part of one of the most difficult job fields you will find. They are the people who take care of unwanted, abused, lost, and hurt animals. They are faced with touch decisions and events that test your ability to remain strong. They are the people who work in animal shelters across the world. I work alongside you, and I know our pains. But hopefully the end will bring you joy.

To Animal Care Workers......


This is one important job
Many say they cannot do
But it is something done
By just a select few

We who work with animals
Inside of shelter walls
Are faced with love and heartache
With adoptions and tough calls

When you first begin here
You smile at the fact
You recieve those puppy kisses
You play with that cute cat

You witness your first adoption
And smile as they go home
Even though their future
Remains certainly unknown

The work seems quite different
Than caring for one family dog
Now there is a mass amount
Who need attention all day long

It's not just one litterbox
To scoop and clean sometimes
Now you have a group
You constantly wash and dry

You learn one reason why
This job is not easily done
With all of the poop and pee
This part of the day is rarely fun

The adult dogs are joyous
To see you come through the doors
And you watch as they begin to smear
Their mess onto the floors

The puppies whine and whimper
To be cleaned up after soon
The smell of all the feces
Makes many quickly leave the room

Those kittens are new and nervous
So their litterbox is a wreck
Now one cat has a large hairball
And you ask yourself- what's next?

The morning mess is major
One you cannot begin to describe
It's something you would not want
To experience more than one time

And after a short time
There are more hardships that you face
Reasons that make many
Turn and leave this difficult place

An aggressive dog is brought in
As a roaming, starving stray
He bends and and bites the catch pole
Struggling to get away

You ask them how they'll tame
The wild, untouched soul
Of a little mixed-breed pup
Who lived out in the cold

The truth is, few are able
And few know what to do
To gentle this misunderstood dog
Who is just as scared as you

And soon he will be euthanized
With the help of strong, yet saddened arms
To make sure that in the future
He cannot bring people harm

And now you see a litter
Of eight puppies in a cage
Who were abandoned this morning
My someone who was afraid

To simply fill out the form
Which they do not need to fear
And instead risk punishment by law
For abandoning them here

You learn that to spay and neuter
Ultimately plays a part
In all these things that happen
To break and mend our hearts

For when a female cat
Escapes out from your home
And she has not been fixed
She will begin to roam

She learns to live in the wild
And teaches it to them too
These four little babies that made it
Since predators already took two

And when a kind soul wants to help
And brings them in a trap
They usually cannot make it up
To be adopted the way they act

If this mother had been fixed
When she still lived within
Her warm and loving home
She would not be facing her end

And huddling in the medical room
Is a poor neglected soul
Who was starved and developed mange
Because their owner did not know

How to properly care for an animal
And so it led to this
We don't know if he'll make it
Because his life is so at risk

And now the first animal
You saw find their new home
Is being returned simply
Because it was not known

That kittens require much care
And you have to teach them that
The litterbox is here
And this you cannot scratch

But they believed that cats
Were so very independant
And so as she matured
They had no part in

And now the new leather couch
Has been torn apart
And they bring her back months later
Even though it breaks your heart

And on the hardest note
Which people condemn us for
Animals are humanely euthanized
Behind this one closed door

But friends, to put it to you easy
It's just like getting a shot
Except they go to sleep
But open their eyes, they will not

Their life comes to its end
As their heart begins to slow
But we listen for a heartbeat
Just to make sure we know

It's something we HATE doing
Because there's nothing like
Staring into their faces
And having to judge a life

Sometimes they are healthy
And sometimes they are sick
Unfortunately, either way
Some will not make it

Their time on Earth has came
And we had to watch it pass
Because when it comes to animals
There is much education lacked

You need to spay and neuter
If you want to save a life
And when it comes to pets
Adopt, and do not buy

Their health must be maintained
Take them often to the vet
Make sure that a record
Of vaccinations and medicines is kept

And before geting your first pet
Read up, and know what's involved
Before you go and make
Such an important call

To my brothers and my sisters
Who have done this for so long
Keep your head up, always
And find it inside to be strong

Because for all those times
Our face are streaked in tears
There is one great adoption
And a forever home for many years

You'll keep in touch with their family
And see pictures of their new house
You'll see the puppy with his chew toy
And the cat with her toy mouse

And out of the true kindness
Of a person's amazing grace
Out of the blue one day
A donation will made

It will make your day much brighter
And bring a smile to you all that day
Because someone cares so deeply
That they brought this gift today

For all the times a loving cat
Climbed purring in your lap
For all the times a shy dog
Finally gave you that tail wag

May you be blessed for all you do
And praised for who you are
Because working with these animals
Is one of the most difficult tasks by far

Through Shelter Eyes......

-Daemien
1/12/2012