Hi there, stranger.
You probably don’t know me. I’m just one of many dogs in this big, noisy shelter. I don’t bark the loudest. I don’t have the fluffiest coat. And my tail doesn’t wag like it used to. But today is special… today is my birthday.
I know, it’s silly, right? A shelter dog keeping track of birthdays. But I do. I remember the day I was born—not because it was grand or filled with cake and toys—but because it was the day my mother licked my tiny face for the first time. The day I felt warmth, love, and safety, even if only for a little while.
Back then, I didn’t know what “homeless” meant. I didn’t know what it felt like to be unwanted or to wait behind cold metal bars. But I do now. I’ve been here for years. I’ve seen other dogs come and go—tail wags, adoption photos, car rides to new lives. I’ve watched the gates open for everyone but me.
Don’t get me wrong. The people here are kind. They feed me, bathe me, talk to me softly. But at night, when the lights go out and the barking fades, it’s just me and my thoughts. I curl up on my blanket, stare at the stars through the tiny window, and wonder what it’s like to be chosen. To belong.
And today, more than ever, I feel that ache in my chest. Because it’s my birthday.
I’m a year older. A little slower. My face has more white than before. But my heart? It still beats with the hope that someone, somewhere, might see me… not as a number, not as a sad story, but as a soul that just wants to love and be loved.
So, I decided to speak up—just this once.
It’s my birthday today—would you like to send me a birthday wish?
Not because I expect anything. Not because I’m asking for gifts. Just a wish… a little whisper of kindness from someone out there, to remind me I’m not invisible. That even if I’m still waiting, I’m not forgotten.
Maybe you’ll wish me a warm bed. Or a gentle hug. Or a family who sees past my age and falls in love with my spirit. Maybe your wish will be the spark that gives me strength to keep going, to keep hoping.
I may be a shelter dog, but I still believe in birthdays.
Because birthdays mean beginnings.
And maybe—just maybe—today is the beginning of something beautiful.
With a wagging tail and all the love I have,
A dog who still dares to dream 💛
