dear santa,
are you real?  some of the old timers here at the shelter say you are.
They say you brought them stuff last year, everyone got his own hammock
and sleep sack.  The new kids here say you are a fake.  I believe the old
timers.
 
My name is Angel.  I was sent to the shelter cause I bit my human.  I
didn't mean too, I didn't have food for a looong time, and my belly hurt.
When my human gave me food, I was excited and bite him by accident.  He
hit me, hard, and i tried to tell him I am sorry.  He didn't listen..
 
He called the shelter, and this lady showed up.  I was so scared.  I bited
her too, and I meant it.  Hard, with all my might, and you know what?  She
didn't hit me, she said och och och.  Then she put me in a carrier, and it
was clean!!  With yummy food, water and a sleep sack, even a litter box!
After she had my old dad sign some kinda paper saying he didn't want me,
she got mad at him and told him that I shouldn't have been in an aquarium,
and he should have cleaned the poop up.  She said it was filthy, and I was
filthy cause I had poop on my fur all over.  And I shouldn't have been in
cedar chips.  Oh, was she mad at him.  I don't know why, I didn't know any
better.  She brought me home and picked me up and I bit her again, and she
just talked to me.  Then she gave me a bath, and I bit her again.  And she
petted me.  She cried when she petted me.  She said I was skin and bones
and needed to be taken to the vet to be sure I was ok.  Well, he put
something in my butt!!  And I bit the lady again!  Magine having something
put in your butt!!  They took pictures of my belly, and I had to have
surgery, something was in there, and he said I had a broken tail at one
time.  I guess I ate something I shouldn't have.  But I am all better now.
 
She give me duck soup, it is so yummy, she gives it to everyone.  And there
is food, lots of food, I never go hungry.  And I have toys.  I am still
afraid, and sometimes I bite, but she doesn't hit me.  I get time out.  I
don't like that.
 
If you are real, I would like to ask for two things.  Could you let all the
humans that love us know that there are allot of us in places called
shelters, and we need homes?  Specially the old timers, they say I will
be adopted cause I am young, but no one wants them cause they are old.  I
won't complain if I have to wait for all the old timers to get adopted.
They need their own mom and dads.
 
And one more thing, could you please help shelter mom?  She was crying.
One of the old-timers died.  What is died?  She took his sleep sack and put
him in it with his favorite toy.  And he went away.  She cried allot.  I
tried to make her feel better by not biting her.  I even tried a kiss.  It
didn't work.  She said his heart was broken, and all the medicine and vets
couldn't fix it.  At least I think that is what myopothy means, it was
broken.  We gots another old-timer that is bald, has the broken heart
thingy, and is blind.  She loves him, and she cuddles him, and she cries
when he doesn't feel good.  Could you fix his heart so it won't be broke?
 
That is all I want for Christmas Santa, homes for the old timers in all the
shelter places, and to fix a broken heart.  And for shelter mom lady to be
happy seeing all the old timers in good homes.  I don't mind waiting for a
new mom or dad, and I promise to be good.
 
A box of raisins would be nice too.
 
Angel
[Posted in FML issue 2873]