Kudos
Award Winning Article:
From
Stray to Cover Dog
My name
is James Furious and I owe my life and my success to the
Humane Society of Camden County, Inc. Here is my story:
In 1992,
I was a young pup running the mean streets of St. Marys.
I was an orphan with no roof over my head and only the fleas
on my back to call my own. I was hanging with a bad crowd.
All I ever heard were shouts of, "Bad Dog!"
I was
headed for a short life of garbage sniffing, street wilding,
and car chasing. Things looked bleak, to say the least.
I was
picked up by an Animal Control Officer for some bogus altercation
and hauled into the Humane Society shelter. I had heard
rumors about the place from Spike and Rex. It was not on
their A-list. Despite the rumors, I found myself with a
roof over my head, fresh water and three squares a day.
It was not Shangri-La, but it beat foraging in trashcans
and sleeping on the streets.
After
several months of going virtually unnoticed by humans looking
for a pet companion, I decided I needed to turn my life
around, drop the tough guy façade and work on being
adopted. I practiced the sad, forlorn looks and tail wags.
Shortly thereafter, a woman walked in to the Adoptables.
No, she was not a woman. She was an angel. She looked at
me and her ample bosom welled up with love. She saw in me
the potential to be a good boy. And praise the Lord; this
angel was a founder of the Humane Society. Things were definitely
looking up.
She
adopted me, named me James Furious (go figure), and took
me to Dr. Rick Walsh for a check up. I immediately sensed
in him a life's dedication to the care and welfare of animals.
My new Mom says that he "is" the Humane Society,
but that's another story. Mom enrolled me in several education/obedience
classes and I began fulltime work at my Dad's law firm,
initially as a Parapuppy. I am proud to say that thanks
to my Dad's tutelage, I have achieved Equity Partner status
with the firm.
My Mom
was so proud of my accomplishments and good looks, that
she entered my photo in the Mighty Dog Calendar Contest.
While I did not win the contest, I was asked to appear on
the cover of the Mighty Dog National Newsletter, which I
begrudgingly did. Thank goodness, Spike and Rex do not subscribe
to the same.
These
are definitely the salad years. I love and enjoy my parents.
I have dual residences. I am a gentleman farmer. I have
all sorts of personal property: life jacket, travel gear,
silk ties, custom beds, a monogrammed rain slicker and a
Hawaiian print doggie shirt. (I think it is obvious that
my parents do not have children.)
Along
the way, I have come to share my life with a canine brother
named Larry, who was also adopted from the Humane Society
and who works with me in the much-valued position of Parapuppy/Office
Greeter/Sock Hider. I guess I should mention China Blue,
the pesky cat that mysteriously showed up at our house and
now lives there unfettered with far too much cat paraphernalia.
I am
here to tell you that without the love of a good woman,
a fine education and the Humane Society, I would not be
alive today. To the doggies and kitties of the world, I
say hang in there and pray for the humans. To the humans
of the world, I urge you to visit the Humane Society where
you too can be blessed with the love and companionship of
a wonderful animal like me.
With
sincere gratitude,
James Furious
Me
& Larry |
_______________________________________________
