(Main picture features wonderful Wally who is currently at the Niagara Falls Humane Society Shelter. Wally is a lab mix who gets along well with other dogs and cats. He knows basic commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, and walks well on a leash. Why not come down and meet him)?
I want to introduce myself to the team and to our readers of Lean On Me. I’m an artisan by nature—meaning that the arts, specifically music and writing, come naturally to me. I also love being around animals—a lot. Sometimes more than people, and I’m sure we can all agree on that.
Animals have a way about them that is inviting and accepting no matter what we are going through, who we are (or have become) and the struggles we face. Sometimes people aren’t as kind or accepting as our furry friends can be. Our pets can be the one thing that lightens our day when things are tough. Dogs are almost always happy (when they aren’t being threatened). We come in through the door after a hard day and they are there to love us and to show excitement. Cats are good at making us feel cozy on those cold and damp nights, nesting in our laps to keep us warm.
Animals make us laugh, cry and connect on a level that many people in our lives just can’t seem to do. Isn’t that all we truly want though? To be understood. To be loved unconditionally. To be accepted as we are. To, at least momentarily, forget about our troubles and enjoy a few moments of bliss. (Below Jelly Bean is at our Niagara Square Adoption Centre, declawed and ready for a new place to hang out)!
Watching the nightly news often brings stories and accounts of loss, tragedy and destruction right into our homes. Often, we don’t sit back and reflect on this or think about how this affects us on an emotional subconscious level. We turn on the television and are bombarded with negativity, from the poor lifestyle choices of celebrities to wars overseas to political campaigns filled with hypocrisy and slander.
Bad news sells, but it takes it’s toll. We become less trusting, more suspicious of others and much less willing to lend a helping hand. One has to think; isn’t there more to life than this? (Below Red, who is good with other dogs, kids, and cats. She is house broken, submissive, and playful and at our shelter NOW)!
Below, Mabel a Shepherd Mix …looking for YOU!
Below… Crimson, a Red Tick Coon Hound. What a beauty!
The answer is yes, absolutely! You have to seek it, though, and sometimes that might not be so easy. In today’s society, everything is at our fingertips. It’s easy to find anything we wish to. But is that truly how we find happiness? I believe that anything that is wholesome comes with it’s challenges, and often can not be easy—such as life. It brings us on a journey with ups and downs, all leading towards a strengthened and more refined version of ourselves. In life we laugh, we cry, we fall in love and experience heartbreak. That’s what it is to be human. But…we can’t do it alone.
This brings me to my main point, the Niagara Falls Humane Society as a whole. We have two locations currently, one being the cat adoption centre located in Niagara Square. For a period of time (before the cold weather—fyi: the cold weather and I are not friends) my wife and I spent a good chunk of time each week walking the dogs, getting to know them and help shape basic commands, like sit, walk and heel. I wasn’t so successful in this. All the dogs wanted to do was play and be excited dogs. I don’t blame them at all after being cooped up in a cage all night. Who would want to be in a cage anyways? I certainly wouldn’t.
This is why we need people like you—yes you—the readers and members of our community to step up, be bold and help us find our puppies a forever home. I will guarantee that our dogs, cats and other furry critters will bring a renewed energy and uplifting spirit into your home and into your life. That’s what we all need. Positivity. Energy. Life. Strength and hope to continue on life’s journey. That’s what we all want; we want to feel good about ourselves and others that we care about. Helping another being is rewarding, whether it be a fellow human being or another animal on this planet. All of our staff is so welcoming and generous. Countless times I have asked for advice or more information about one of our pets and our friendly staff are quick to provide answers for me. They sometimes add a friendly smile to my questions, which is an added bonus. Talk about stellar service!
Add us on FaceBook. I would love to hear from you. I often will publish touching stories that are submitted by our readers on social media and through our website email. Like I said, I love animals, and our readers do too. Share the good stories, the touching moment and the inspiring tales of those furry ones that bless and nourish your own life. There are countless stories on our website about adopted pets from our Shelters. Help us make more successful stories by contributing. In a world obsesses with so much negativity, lets work together to enrich our own experience with some positivity. (Below Keko is a Greyhound/Lab Mix)…
I want to highlight that a few of our dogs and cats at the Shelter have been waiting for a number of weeks to find their Forever Homes. When I go to visit them, they stare up at me with their longing eyes and ask me when they will go home. It’s sometimes heart breaking, but I assure them that their Forever Family is on the way and they will soon be home, safe and secure again. Being around so many amazing animals truly inspires me to be a better person. Throughout this article I have added pictures of some of our pets longing to be adopted, and all of them are beautiful souls.
We are not alone in this world. Animals will never give up on us. Together, through adversity, there is hope. A lot of us struggle, but it does not have to be alone. Our furry friends will be our companions until the end. Until we are successful and overcome.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
This is how we learn to lean on each other. The Niagara Falls Humane Society shelter will be closed Easter Monday (March 28th), and the Adoption Centre will be closed Easter Sunday (March 27th).
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