Roger and Me

When I first met Roger, he scared me. Gray haired and grumpy. Bellowing at strangers. Intimidating anyone who invaded his space. He came across as a weathered and worn cranky old man.

I couldn’t blame him. He was spending his final days in a tiny unadorned cell. Confused. Lonely. Hurting. Scared. Missing his family. Missing his home. Missing the life he’d once had.

As I talked with the staff, I learned that Roger’s tough exterior was just a façade. While his grumbles and growls warned newcomers to stay away, he actually loved company. He longed for companionship. He was just afraid to let anyone know it.

So the next time I stood in his doorway – as he snarled and sneered – I took a deep breath, spoke softly, and gently eased my way into his room. And soon, into his heart, and he into mine.

Because in reality, Roger just wanted company. And belly rubs. And lots and lots of kisses.

You see, Roger was an abandoned Pitbull who was found by the local animal shelter where my daughter and I regularly volunteer.

Graying face. Cataract-covered eyes. Hearing mostly gone.

So when I stood in front of his kennel, he didn’t understand who I was or where he was. He just knew he wasn’t home. He was trapped in a strange, cold, loud place. And it was scary. So he would bark and growl when strangers came near. But only until they came inside to see him. Or better yet, until they took him outside to the shelter’s backyard, where he ran, and played, flopped, and rolled. And for a little while, he forgot that he wasn’t home.

Roger had several things working against him. He was a Pitbull, which is a banned breed in many parts of my community, including my town where the shelter is located. But the shelter where I volunteer works hard to place Pitbulls in areas where they are still welcomed.

Roger was also a senior. Older dogs are harder to place. While senior pets are some my favorites, most people don’t want to take on an older dog knowing they may not have a lot of time left.

Finally, Roger was in poor health. His sight and hearing were both limited, but that was only the start. It took a few weeks for the shelter to determine that something was seriously wrong. When they finally called on the vet, they found that a growing lump on his belly was cancerous.

At many public shelters, this would be a death sentence. But the staff decided that as long as he was happy and reasonably healthy, and as long as they had the space, they would keep trying to find him a home for his final days.

That home never came. Well, at least not in the form of an adoption.

I received a phone call one morning from the shelter letting me know Roger wasn’t doing well. It was time, and they wanted my daughter and me to be able to come say goodbye before they put him down that evening.

When we arrived, we found Roger had been moved to a quiet room in the back, where he was propped up on cushy pillows and had a red blanket across his back to help keep him toasty. The workers and a couple of other volunteers had been taking turns sitting with him all day. They read him stories. Sang him songs. And even had fed him a rotisserie chicken they’d purchased just for him – although he wasn’t very hungry.

We stayed and cuddled with Roger until the end of the day. He was tired. He was full. And I believe he was ready.

Roger was an old, battered stray. A forbidden breed. Aging. Ailing. Abandoned.

And yet, Roger still got to spend his final moments with dignity, knowing he was deeply loved.

Why I'm passionate about volunteering at the animal shelter

Yes, the shelter has lots of adorable puppies and kittens. Yes, there are plenty of amazing animals that come in. But it’s the outcasts. The abused. The seniors. The frightened. Those are the animals I love to sit with and love on. That's where the biggest impact is made, and it's what has brought me the most joy in the four years my daughter and I have volunteered at the animal shelter. I love knowing that even a few minutes a day with these abandoned pets makes a massive difference for them, and for their future owners as well.

How can my passion for rescue animals be monetized?

One thing I see again and again is people adopting an animal without really understanding what it means to be a pet owner. And not just a pet owner, but a stray pet owner. These animals come with baggage – some good, some bad. And it takes time for them to adapt, and it takes effort for the new owners to have a successful adoption.

I’ve thought for a while now about providing shelters with an affordable book they can offer or sell to their adopters to help them have a better guide of what to expect and how to proceed with their new shelter pet. (They could just add the cost into the adoption fee.)

With Memberful, that idea could expand to an online membership that provides critically important material – and more – that shelters and rescue groups could offer to their adopters and fosters. The membership could include a guide for new adopters, guidance on training and care, as well as heartwarming stories of rescued pets, like Roger, and more.

Most importantly, it could help reduce the number of animals that are returned to the shelter from failed adoptions. As a result, with the help of Memberful, these precious pets – and their families – could have a better outcome, leading to years of successful companionship and joy that only comes from the love of a pet.