give a staffy a chance

[mop top]

Just a Staffy Cross

Today is just another day - to me they're all the same
I have the worst of genes you see, I bear the "Staffy" shame.
The shame is in our numbers, there's thousands with no home.
Thousands just like me you'll find, in kennels all alone.

My mum was "just a Staffy", my father - well who knows?
Mum, too, became unwanted, as the last puppy goes.
And then begins the process, of money-making deals
A life of "moving on" unfolds, who cares how the Staffy feels?
If you have the cash to hand, the Staffy pup is yours
But that pup is getting bigger now, just look at those big paws.

You brought me for your image, thought I'd make you look more tough
But you'll find my boisterous nature has already got too much.
If you had thought to train me, with kindness and with praise
You would have had a faithful friend to share your darkest days.
I would lay down my life for you, but you simply cannot see
You make sure you get your money back on what you paid for me.

And on it goes, until one day, I'm no longer worth a dime
The retail on an adult staff - not worth the waste of time.
So what happens to a Staffy now? Do you really want to know?
Do you care what will become of us, when we leave our final home?

Have you ever thought to wonder, "Where is that Staffy now?"
The "Staffy" has another name; he's become a "stray" somehow.
Me, I was put into a car and driven far away
The door held open, I jumped out, I thought to run and play.
It was with joy and happy heart I turned to look for you
You drove away with all my trust and a piece of my heart too.

I wondered round for many days before I was brought here.
Now I wait with heavy heart, trepidation and with fear.
Seven days is all I have you see, seven days for you to claim
The little dog that you threw out, for which you have no shame.

This is my last goodbye now my seven days are up
If only more thought had gone into the future of that pup
As the needle empties to my veins I lay down with one last sigh
I'm sorry I was born a Staffy, because it means that I must die.

- Trudie James -

[Torvaig]

The poem says it all; animals bought to "keep the kids happy", "look how tough I am", etc., etc., with no thought of their welfare when they no longer please.

Humans are the most cruel animals of all........

[bullielove]

this poem always breaks my heart. I wouldnt swap my wee staffie for the world. She is the most loyal wee dog anyone could ask for.. It is so wrong the bad press that they get. I imagine you see a few wee lost souls Moptop?

[dragonfly]

that verse is so emotive and so true but unfortunately the chav brigade buying them for their image wouldn't be stirred by it.

My blood boils when I see animals put up for rehoming because the pet doesn't suit the lifestyles of the owners, unfortunately pets are a disposable commodity to far too many people and are not seen as part of a loving family

[aurora32]

Ive never read that poem before now and just roared my eyes out :~(, i think it really covers what any animal thats not wanted goes through not just the wee staffies.


This is my last goodbye now my seven days are up
If only more thought had gone into the future of that pup
As the needle empties to my veins I lay down with one last sigh
I'm sorry I was born a Staffy, because it means that I must die.

this above i hope once we get Dogz Own Welfare Group up and established will not be something that happens here in Caithness as my conscience wouldnt allow me to knowingly let animals be needlessly destroyed due to a certain ilk who only have dogs to accessorise or enhance image then toss to the side or on the streets in most cases without a 2nd thought.

[neepnipper]

What is the Dogz Own Welfare Group? Have not heard of it before, would be interested to know more.

[teenybash]

Very poingant words, such sadness for all the unwanted that face this terrible fate.....
Sounds as if DOWG had a fruitful evening....would like to learn a bit more as I could not be there.....might be able to offer some useful input, based on past experience.:)

[aurora32]

Any help, suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated Teenybash.


Claire

[nicnak]

I have just sat and cried my eyes out at this poem, I am lucky I suppose as we have two staffies and they are just amazing, loyal , and loving are too trivial a words to sum them up, I wouldnt be without mine and I know my family wouldnt be either, unfortunately its the idiots that get them without thinking that leads to so many strays and these people dont take notice of anything! When I got my first girl I did lots of research and always remember one breeder who said to me "You do realise they are complete deliquents until they are 18 months old dont you, and they will destroy everything in site, but if you can train and abide with them till then they are fantastic!" She was right about my first girl she was and is worth all the bedlam but my second girl has been a calm docile girl who is now months old and another dream dog!

[aurora32]

Anything young does have its mad moments, i mean look at children and terrible 2's we dont get rid of our children when they go through this we educate and work through it, so why should it be any different for a dog thats also meant to be part of the family as well. The only reason abuse to animals goes mostly unoticed and allowed to continue is that animals are still classed as 2nd class dumb animals that dont deserve to be treated with respect they are due and until the human population takes a different way at how it looks at things these poor animals are going to continue needing people that care on their side.

[BalmoreSSPCA]

This poem is heart breaking but so true. The poor staffies get such a bad name and to be honest of all the dogs we have had in the Centre I have never seen a bad staffie. After all they go through they still want to please you and gain your love. But the same can be said for any dog which has had a bad start. They end up being so loyal and great family pets.

[teenybash]

I just have to share a true story from a number of years ago, based on the poem and memories it invoked.

My phone rang and a familiar voice on the other end wailed, "Teeny, I just can't do it....." Puzzled I asked, "What can't you do?"
" I haven't the heart to put that needle in.....The lovely fella reaches me his paw every time I go into his pen and I just cannot bring myself to close those big brown eyes, for good."
"How long do you have before he has to be PTS?"
"20 minutes."
By this time I was shaking at the thought of an innocent healthy dog being given his lethal injection. I looked round at my 4 house dogs and glanced out of the window at my 2 outdoor boys lazing in the yard.
Next thing I heard myself saying...."If the Boss man arrives to see that you have done the deed.....keep him talking...I'm on my way."
Speed limits flew out of the window and finally I arrived at the stray centre...pen opened, leash on and he was free and coming home with me.
The Boss man arrived and tried to talk me out of taking the overgrown, windblown Standard Poodle, who was as wild as the hills....but he failed and my curly friend made up Magnificent 7.
He was a handful for the first few months, but with patience became a lovable bundle of fun, who lived happily among his adopted brothers and sister, who all had their own stories to tell.

[attidude9464]

Stray's Prayer

Dear God, please send me somebody who'll care!
I'm tired of running, I'm sick with despair.
My body is aching, it's so racked with pain,
and dear God I pray, as I run in the rain.
That someone will love me and give me a home,
a warm cozy bed and a big juicy bone.
My last owner tied me all day in the yard
Sometimes with no water, and god that was hard.
So I chewed my leash, and God I ran away.
To rummage in garbage and live as a stray.
But now God, I'm tired and hungry and cold,
and I'm so afraid that I'll never grow old.

They've chased me with sticks and hit me with stones,
while I run the streets just looking for bones!
I'm not really bad, God, please help if you can,
or I have become just a "Victim of Man!"
I'm wormy dear God and I'm ridden with fleas,
and all that I want is an Owner to please!

If you find one for me God, I'll try to be good,
and I won't chew their shoes, and I'll do as I should.
I'll love them, protect them and try to obey....
when they tell me to sit, to lie down or to stay!
I don't think I'll make it too long on my own,
cause I'm getting so weak and I'm so all alone.

Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry,
cause I'm so afraid God, that I'm gonna die.
And I've got so much love and devotion to give,
that I should be given a new chance to Live!
So dear God, please answer my prayer,
and send me someone who will REALLY care..

That is, Dear God, if YOU'RE REALLY there!

Unknown

[mop top]

Thank god there are people like you in this world. can just imagine you tearing down the motorway on your mission like a woman possessed:lol:

[aurora32]

OMG that was me in tears at the begining of the day thanks to Moptop ;) now in tears again after reading attitudes post, im such a sap but its so true and i dont care what anyone thinks or says im going to do all i can to help Anne and make DOWG work not matter what it takes im there, and i hope there a like minded people out there willing to do the same :))

[unicorn]

This post is so sad and so heartbreaking :~( I wish more people would read these types of things before they get dogs. Puppies are oh so cute and so often bought on impulse, people need to think long and hard before commiting to a pet and need to truly commit themselves for the duration of the pets life.

[aurora32]

well done you Teenybash, id have done the same :)

[Jenni]

I would also be interested to find out what 'DOWGS' is about. Not sure if there is anything I could do to help but would certainly try if possible.

[porshiepoo]

Double edged sword here!

That poem was very emotive as are the many others that are flitted around the net and I for one hate the thought of a healthy dog being pts and have rescued many many stray/unwanted dogs in my time.

However, I so don't like these poems being bandied around. Tie me up and neck me for saying so but they can seriously have an adverse effect.
I completely understand that they are there to hit the heart and to tell the plight of all unloved/abandoned dogs and puppies but take a look at what they actually do.

The first thing I would always tell a dog owner is to not assume that a dog or any animal thinks or rationalises the way that we do and that IMO the worst thing anyone could do is to use human emotion and thought processes as a way to understand a dogs behaviour. It's simply asking for trouble.
However, if a poem such as those in this thread entices just one person to buy that sorrowful dog with the awful abandonment story then that dog was bought by a person that is relating that animal to thinking and feeling like a human. My concern with those scenarios is that the dog is going to end up being treated as a human and subsequently back to square one or god forbid 'The table'.

Don't get me wrong I understand the emotion behind those poems and I completely understand the reason for them, my concern is the damage they can do.
I'm not suggesting that everyone who acts on one of those poems is a bad dog owner or is going to make the dogs life worse I just cannot see the point in encouraging the connection between human emotions and thought processes to the canine.

Just my opinion mind so don't shoot me down!

[aurora32]

How can we tell how a dog does or does not rationalise or its thought process about how or the way its been treated......We cant! We can only see from its behaviour or body language how its feeling, but i would say they feel pain, grief, love and happiness like us. I personally wouldnt decide to or not to house a dog on the words of a poem and feel that is not the reason for them being posted. I think its more to enlighten how dogs are treated and how they end up in a situation where by they may have to be pts, and 9 times out of 10 its us rationlising, emotional feeling humans that put them in the situation in the first place.

These are my personal views :)

[dbooth82]

really good poems ,hope it opens other peoples eyes :D