A Goose Story
I turn to look at the time on my phone... 3:35am. I attempt to roll back over to get a couple more hours of sleep before work, but I am met by a pair of round, glistening eyes, now occupying the spot I sleep in. Can I move this 65lb potato sack without waking my wife? Probably not worth it. While I reposition myself on the remaining sliver of bed, a balancing act I never knew I would need to master, I notice that below the pair of staring eyes, is a smile.
'Man, I love this dog', I think, as I smile back at him, wondering what types of squirrel-chasing dreams or upcoming treats that he may be thinking of... and then it hits me like a brick. A powerful aroma of compost heap and week-old broccoli hits my nose. "Oh my God!", my wife expells between audible gags, shaken awake by the bowel-bombs of this little, tan, toot-demon.
The reason for his smile, I wonder no more.
When we first met Goose, it was a sub-zero winter night in Chicago, and it was never our intention to adopt this peculiar mutt. After making our rounds in the rescue center, the mutual feeling of dissapointment lingered between my wife and I, having struck-out finding a dog that would be a good fit in our home. As we passed the last kennel, those same glistening, round eyes looked up at us; large patches of fur missing from his face and body, a large scar running down his shoulder. What a rough looking gentleman...
And then he rolled over on his back, exposing his belly, and thumping his tail on the ground, never breaking eye contact. Now we were three.
I am not attempting to run the Chicago Marathon for our dog, Goose. I am running for all of the other animals like Goose that are still needing a home, and the wonderful organization that helped Jessica and I find Goose in the first place, The Anti-Cruelty Society. Every day Jessica and I have with Goose is a gift, and we hope that every animal cared for by The Anti-Cruelty Society gets a good home.
In 1899, Rose Fay Thomas, wife of Chicago Symphony Orchestra founder Theodore Thomas, established The Anti-Cruelty Society and forever changed the landscape of animal welfare throughout the Chicago region. Since that time, the Society has endured as Chicago's oldest and largest open admission animal welfare organization, one that provides a wide breadth of programs that save the lives of thousands of animals each year. A certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the recipient of a four-star Charity Navigator rating, The Anti-Cruelty Society’s mission is to build a community of caring by helping pets and educating people.
Today, The Anti-Cruelty Society remains the oldest and the largest open admission animal welfare organization in Chicago. All animals are welcome at the Society every day of the year. We never turn an animal away from our doors. Ever. And once an animal is admitted, they can stay as long as it takes to find their forever home.
However, the care that we provide to animals in need is only possible through the friendship and support of our community. And by choosing to run with Team Anti-Cruelty, you are making a difference to each and every one of the animals that comes to us in search of hope, comfort, and healing.
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