Answer Received

Here I am, two weeks later and I believe that I have received at least a partial answer to the question of “what is my place and purpose”.  During the week of June 23-27 I was inundated with stories and images of animals (dogs) in distress caused by humans.  First I had a very vivid dream that I was at a convenience store and there was a couple there with two med sized dogs.  Out front of the store there was someone with an adorable little puppy; all fluffy and cute!  

The couple want this puppy but they already have the two other dogs and they don’t want three dogs.  Finally they decide to get rid of the two dogs they have so they can have the cute puppy.  As a bystander I was disgusted by this attitude but didn’t say anything to them and I went into the convenience store.  

As I was walking out the door I heard them tell their dogs, “You’re free now, go on” as they disconnected the leashes.  Both dogs turned immediately and started running thru the parking lot directly toward the busy street.  Without thinking I called to the dogs so they would come to me, which they did.  Then I turned on the couple standing there with their fluffy little puppy.  I told them that dogs are not disposable items that can be tossed aside when you see a cute puppy.  I asked them how they thought the dogs they released were going to find food and shelter.  I told them that they weren’t deserving of the honor of owning a dog. A dog will lay down it’s life for it’s human but they were going to just release them into the city to die a horrible death under the wheels of a car or from starvation.  

My dreams are usually not nearly so detailed and I rarely remember them with any kind of clarity so I felt that this dream had a significant message.  That same day firefighters were called to a trail above my city where a dog walker had two dogs collapse from the heat.  Temps were in the 90s and they had hiked 2-3 miles up this trail in little to no shade.  By the time the firefighters got there one of the dogs had already died but they were able to give the other one fluids and carry it down on a stretcher.  As far as I know this second dog lived.

There was also the story from AZ where the power had gone out overnight and 20 dogs died of the heat at a boarding facility.  They claim the dogs were fine at 11pm and were all dead by 5:30am.  IF the dogs had water and were in a well ventilated building I find this unlikely. People have lived in this area with no air conditioning for hundreds of years without dying so why would these dogs all die within a few short hours?  

The following day firefighters were called out to rescue a dog that neighbors had noticed on a 3rd floor balcony of an apartment.  Again, very hot temps and this Shepherd was in full sun and had been left out with NO WATER whatsoever.  The neighbors had tried to get the dog water but it was the 3rd floor.  The firefighters put up a ladder and got to the balcony.  They got the sliding door open and took the dog out thru the apartment on a stretcher to get it to an emergency vet.  The dog died overnight.

Elsewhere in the city someone left their dog in the car for 20 min while they went into a store.  People had called the police who broke the window to get the dog out.  

It was just one story after another all week combined with my dream which I now believe were God’s way of telling me that He wants me to help the animals.  The idea that came to me is that if we could educate people about the needs of domestic animals when they’re young perhaps they would carry that knowledge forward into adulthood and be better pet owners.  

I honestly believe that most of this abuse is not done by people who are out to torture and kill animals on purpose.  There are those of course but I think mostly these people are just uneducated people with no common sense to understand how their actions will cause pain and suffering to their pets.  Some don’t seem to fully grasp the concept that these are living creatures and not mearly some kind of object here solely for their pleasure.  

So I’m contacting the local humane society and rescue groups to see about getting involved with their efforts.  Once I get established with them I want to organize a program to visit elementary schools.  I’m thinking if I could talk to kids in 8th grade they would be young enough to still have that youthful enthusiasm for animals and still be old enough to remember this info thru out their life.  

I don’t think this is my only purpose or reason for being but I do believe that this is a way that I can affect change that will make a real difference in the world.  I believe that I was directed toward this by God in answer to my questioning and I’m thankful for this answer.  I shows me that He is paying attention and cares about my little quest to get in touch with my inner self and my purpose.  My tree is a tree of knowledge, offering shelter and protection to those who can’t speak for themselves.