Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Visiting a Shelter with our New Angels

Line up new angels.  Santa is here, and it is time for us to help him visit the shelters and bring toys to the unrescued.  Everyone get on the sled and hold on.  It is kind of foggy out.  Who has the biggest smile?  Jazzy!  Won’t you help Rudolph lead the sleigh tonight?

Does everyone have on their special outfits that Whitley made for us?  We are the best-looking elves Santa has every had.  Whitley certainly knows her fashion.  

Okay, we are about to take off.  Everyone hold on.

Rudolph, I know you are great at leading the sleigh, but no one knows the way from Rainbow Bridge better than Leo.  Tonight, my brother, you are our leader.  Show us the way and let’s fly.

Gracie Mae you come over here and sit next to me.  I know you are a smart girl and will be able to repeat my instructions to the others perfectly.

Here we are at the first shelter.  Sandy!  Don’t let all the dogs out of their cages!  Oh man!  You can’t go running down the road with all of them Sandy; we don’t have time.  Well, Ok, they look happy but be back before we are done putting gifts in all their cages.

Ciara, take all these gifts and place them in the cages.   Did you make them all cookies?  That was very sweet of you.  You can leave a plate next to every bowl.

Rain make sure you leave some money on the desk for supplies later in the year.  Thank you for taking all the food, Quincy.  You can stack it up in the storeroom.  And Clyde you can leave a biscuit on their pillows.  

Here comes Sandy bringing the dogs back from their run.   And here is sweet Sarah Jane to give them all big hugs and kisses.  The boys really like giving Sarah Jane a kiss.

Go ahead dogs.  Dirty Harry is in the corner ready to give a speech about how hard it is to live on the street and why you should take every bit of kindness from humans you can.  No one understand the life of a street dog better than Harry.  I know you are cold from being outside.   Dot has some hot chocolate for you all to warm you up.  

Is Dirty Harry done telling you his story?  OK.  How many senior dogs do we have here?  I want you all to sit with Bella.  Before she was an angel, she worked with senior humans and has proven to be a great therapy dog for seniors and humans.  She can make your aches and pains disappear.

Don’t chase those cats.  Those are AJ and Cotton.  We have to take care of our kitty friends too.  Sometimes we have to curb our instincts and let cats do their good work.

Hey, some of our dogs who have gone outside get back in here.  Odie!  I am appointing you captain over all the dogs.  You are a natural leader, and I know the dogs will listen to you.  Plus you are much bigger than me and have a tougher bite.  Now we will have some order in here.

Alright everyone, stand back, Paco is bringing out the plates of food.  There is carbonara, manicotti, pizza, lasagna, and bolognese.  Odie make sure everyone forms a line.  No pushing.  I know the food is spectacular.  Remember your table manners.  

I want to thank my wonderful friends Presley and Rabbit for cleaning up all the dishes.  Presley is licking every plate clean so that we can use it on our next stop.   You are such a good boy Presley.

Every dog needs a good nap after a meal, and no one is better at snuggling than Chelsea.  She went over to each dog and snuggled with them for five minutes until they were in a sound sleep.  Take it from me; no one can put you to sleep like a Yorkie.

We then woke all the dogs for treats.  Lexi had made treats for them.  She was delighted to pass every rescued dog a treat and see them happily woof it down.

My new friend Easy, who loves all animals, took the time to make sure all the reindeer were fed and received water and a loving rubdown.

When it was time to leave Junior ran around making sure all the dogs were put back in the right cages, and there were no signs of our visit besides the new toys that no volunteer would recognize.

Alright, everyone, we have thousands of shelters to go to tonight so let’s get back to the sleigh.  Wait a minute?  What happened to the sleigh.  Leo, why are you pointing at the moon?  Oh man!  Smoochy has flown it to the moon.  He looks so pretty against the moonlight.  You fly Smoochy!  We will wait for you.

So look at the moon tonight young pup.  You will see a glow around it, and a big black dog and a sleigh silhouetted against the moon, and you will know your angels are watching you.