I've just wrote this.

We drove for miles and miles something we didn’t do. The kids were loud and I knew there was something wrong. They thought because I’m a dog, I couldn’t understand but when I heard “We’ll be rid of him soon” and “Hate that dog” my blood ran cold. I hoped it couldn’t be true.

They had me since I was a puppy. The younger kids pulled my tail, pulled my ears, poked me and crawled over me. I happily let them. I would protect them. That was my calling in life. It’s what German Shepherd Dogs do.
Then I grew up, and a handsome lad though I say so myself, but they grew tired of me. They stopped playing with me, didn’t like taking me out. So many times I heard “Stupid dog!”. Slowly they were breaking my heart.

Then one day they brought another puppy home. He was cute and cuddly – just like I had once been. Then we all went in the car. After a very long time, they stopped the car and pushed me out. They drove away and left me. I didn’t know where I was. I was so frightened. I wandered around and tried to find them but they’d gone and left me. My heart was broken because even though they didn’t love me anymore, I still loved them.

Many days and nights passed by. I foraged for what I could find from bins. I tried to find shelter but although it was summer it was wet and cold. I cried myself to sleep every night. What was to become of me?

Then a lady found me. She said I was very handsome and shouldn’t be out on my own. She took me to a rescue centre. I had no name tag, no microchip so no-one knew who I was. The people there were very kind and gave me the first good meal I’d had in many days. They put me in a kennel. It felt like a prison. There were many other dogs, all just like me. They took me to their vet who said I was in good health. They tried to find my owner but no-one came for me. My family had gone. They didn’t care and they didn’t love me anymore. I thought on the poor puppy. He would suffer the same fate as me one day.

Then one afternoon all the dogs began barking so I joined in. A lady and a man were looking at all us dogs waiting for a new home. They stopped by my kennel and looked at me. I barked my loudest. I wasn’t being nasty, I was begging them to choose me. The kennel lad came and took me out and I leaned on the lady. She seemed to like that and she patted me and scratched my ears. Then I leaned on the man and he smiled kindly at me and patted me too. He looked sad but when he saw me he smiled. We went for a short walk and I was on my best behaviour. When we came back, the kennel lad put me back in my kennel. How my heart sank. The man and the lady went to look at another dog. She was very pretty but I so hoped they’d choose me.

They kept looking back at my kennel. Oh please, choose me I thought. Then they came back and looked at me again. I barked and barked, jumped up at the door. They looked straight into my eyes, and I theirs. They asked to see me again. The lady knelt down beside me and I gently licked her hand. She put her arms round me and told me she liked me. They didn’t put me back in the kennel. Could this mean? Could it be?

They took me down to the front gate and I saw a car I hadn’t seen before. The lady and the man had gone into the house. They seemed to be there for a long time, but everyone was smiling and happy. The lady and the man came out and said to me “Let’s go home”. He opened the car and I jumped in. I couldn’t believe it. They had adopted me.

I listened to them and they had a German Shepherd Dog before me. She had been very old and ill and they had to do the kindest thing. They said they were lost and lonely without a dog, that they would never forget their dog but that they would love me too just as much.

Last night I slept in comfort in my new Mum and Dad’s bedroom. I felt honoured and so happy. Today my new Mum bought me a lovely collar with my new name, address and even the telephone number on. My new Mum and Dad are going to get me microchipped in case I ever get lost. They play with me, take me walks and tell me how much they love me already. I love them too. I’m so lucky I’ve found my Forever Home and my new Mum and Dad keep saying how lucky they are to have found me.

Yesterday I was Nobody’s Dog. Today I am Somebody’s Dog.