Today is my birthday! 🎉 I should be celebrating with a loving family, wagging my tail in excitement as I receive belly rubs and delicious treats. But instead, I wake up in a shelter, surrounded by other dogs who share a similar past—abandoned, lost, or simply unwanted. Still, despite everything, I hold on to hope. This shelter, though not yet a forever home, is the first safe place I’ve known in a long time.
I don’t remember much about my early days, only that I once had a home. I remember the warmth of a bed, the scent of home-cooked meals, and the sound of laughter. I was a good dog—I loved with all my heart, played with all my energy, and curled up beside my owner whenever they needed comfort. But one day, everything changed. I was put into a car, my tail wagging with excitement, thinking we were going on an adventure. But when the car stopped, I was left alone. The door closed. The car drove away. I chased after it until my legs gave out, but they never came back.
The streets became my home. I wandered through cold nights and scorching days, searching for food, for shelter, for a familiar face. Sometimes, kind strangers would give me scraps, a gentle pat on the head. Other times, people would yell at me, chase me away. I didn’t understand why. All I ever wanted was to be loved.
Then, one day, everything changed again. A kind woman found me curled up behind a dumpster, too weak to move. She spoke to me softly, offering food and water. I was hesitant—what if this kindness disappeared too? But hunger won, and I took a few cautious bites. Before I knew it, she wrapped me in a blanket and took me somewhere new—the shelter.
At first, I was scared. The smells were unfamiliar, the barking of other dogs overwhelming. But soon, I realized that this place was different. People here cared. They fed me, gave me a warm bed, treated my wounds. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was safe.
And today, on my birthday, I dare to dream again. I dream of a family who will see me not as a stray, but as a friend. I dream of a warm home where I will never have to be afraid again. I dream of a human who will love me as much as I love them.
Your kind wishes today would mean the world to me. They remind me that I matter, that I am not forgotten. Maybe, just maybe, someone out there will hear my story and decide to give me the best birthday gift of all—a forever home.
Until that day comes, I will keep hoping. Because no matter what, I believe that love is still out there, waiting for me.
