This is Ethel's attempt at a brief fictionalised work. However the content is not a work of fiction. This story is regarding one of Ethel's rescue dogs and how she imagines this dog may have seen life before she arrived on the scene, and when she first moved in with Ethel and her household, and became part of the furniture. Not part of the furniture as she had already experienced though.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Its cold in this place where I live. No-one ever seems happy or speaks nicely to each other, but especially not to me. Shout, shout and shout, that's all they seem to do. After all I am only really a baby. What do they expect of me?. I am bound to have the odd accident. The more they shout, the more I get scared and pee.

4 MONTHS OLD

I have lived here now for a few months but things never get any better. Him and Her just argue all the time. I try to hide and keep out of the way but I keep getting dragged into their quarrels. Now I am a few months old I seem to annoy both of them no matter what I do.

VILOENCE

Yesterday's fight really got out of hand. They ended up actually fighting. In no time at all they had picked furniture up and were throwing it around. God help us. The table shot throw the window and I followed. Not by choice though. I just seemed to be the nearest object to hand. However, I can still walk so I thought I better go back in. I did think about running away but what would Him and Her do without me, and more importantly where could I go? Besides if He caught me I would be in big trouble then.

I know He likes to play rough and tumble on the floor but even that is getting hard. He punches me in the face, the stomach and I guess anywhere else he can. I try to dodge Him but sometimes that makes things worse.

These cigarette burns on my face sure hurt. Still that's what I get for trying to avoid Him. I seem to be getting tall and this makes it harder to hide. However I am always hungry so I can still squeeze my skinny body out of his way when I need to.

MOVING ON

There seems to have been a lot of coming and going lately. I am not sure what is going on but Him and Her are packing. I am being taken into the garden and tied to a tree. I wonder why?. Well I can see that they are off somewhere or another in a huge van.

Wonder when they will come back for me?

I have been tied to this tree for a couple of days now and feel very weak. I am so bloody hungry and desperate for a drink of water. I better just keep on yapping and hope that someone comes. Its Autumn and the night's are cold and damp.

RESCUE

Hello, hello, who is this coming toward me. I wonder if she is going to give me a punch? I'll give her a warning snarl Grrr.That stopped her in her tracks.

No, she is coming closer now. She does smell nice. She has a soft kind voice and speaks in a lovely quiet tone.She smells of dogs. Not just one dog but lots of dogs, old, young, male and female ones.

She seems to want me to go with her. It is raining and I am starving so I'll give her a go.

Her house has 5 or 6 other dogs and another woman. I'll have a job being top dog here. They all seem to like me and no-one has shouted at all. Food and drink is delicious but it just makes me want to pooh or be sick. I feel quite poorly to say that I am only 6 months old.

FINDING A NEW HOME

I seem to think that something important is going to happen today. I have been preened a little and I sense that she needs me to be on my best behaviour. This house I am going into looks OK but perhaps the man and woman will be like Him and Her.

There is another little dog who seems quite happy. I need to try and be the top dog though so it will be a struggle. This woman speaks quietly to me as she settles me down for the night.

I don't know what will happen when the woman gets up. I have been sick and had diarrhoea. Its is everywhere. Oh, God, she's here now.

Hm. She seemed a bit fed up but was not cross at me. She just spoke quietly and started to clean my mess up. She keeps putting her hand out but I think she is going to punch me so I try to bite her to warn her off.The man does the same. He is always trying to put his hand on my head or my body but I wont let him.

IN TIME

I have noticed that this man and woman put their hands on the other dog but that this dog likes it. They seem to run their hands along his coat and he loves it. Perhaps I will let them do it to me some day.

I have been here now for a few years. I have heard the man and woman tell people that I was a foster dog and only came to them on a temporary basis. I have also heard them say "I guess she is going nowhere". I wonder what they mean?

I do know that I like my life now. I have more than one little, cosy bed. In winter me and the lad get into the large soft bed atthe bottom of the stairs. It is next to a radiator and we are as warm as toast. If the woman thinks it will be cold she covers us both with a blanket.

After a cuddle the light is turned off and it is great. The other dog does snore though and sometimes wakes the whole house up.

Our days are filled with trying to pinch the postman's mail as it comes through the door, charging to the back gate in order to scare of anyone who comes near, letting the woman and the man play with us and our toys, scoffing little treats, enjoying lively walks and snoozing.

My little friend, the other dog, is poorly now but we still have some good fun. Must go now, though, as tea's ready. You never know it could be my last for a while. I doubt it though.

I hope Jessie's tale has made you think about:-

• Whether or not you could foster a dog. Contact you local animal rescue.
• Keeping a watchful eye and ear about such animal goings on in your neighbourhood. We all need to be vigilant if we are ever going to put an end to animal cruelty.
• Not taking a dog into your home unless you are really suitable and responsible owners. A dog is not for everyone and much as the rewards are great dogs can be hard work.
• Helping hard pressed rescue charities in any way that you can, with your time, inventiveness and or your money.
• If you cannot cope with your animal never simply abandoning them.