Unsung Heroes
In the rescue world, there are more heroes than most people know about. Of course, there are also those who everyone does know about. They do a good job of marketing their efforts. However, at German Shepherd Rescue of OC, we have one group in particular who I consider heroes and the backbone of this rescue.
Today, it is going to be 100 degrees outside. Most people will stay inside where it is cool. But as you pour yourself a second cup of coffee, there is a group of 20-25 people who are getting ready to make a drive over to a kennel to pick up a dog. This is not just any dog. It is a dog that someone else threw away. It is a dog who would not get any attention if it wasn't for this person. This dog wouldn't get to go on a car ride today. She wouldn't get brushed and loved. She wouldn't get to be out of her kennel for 5-6 hours today stretching her legs, making friends and HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY finding her home. That is what this group is doing today. Giving these dogs hope. Giving them a chance. You can bet that they fall in love every Saturday. And you can bet their hearts break a little every Saturday, too.
You see, after standing in the heat all day, dousing the dogs with love and ice water...they have to take the babies back to the kennel and drop them off. It is not easy. Truth is, it rips your heart out. But these heroes do it every weekend. They give up every Saturday to do the work that no one talks about in rescue. They load the dogs into their own cars, surely getting hair and who knows what else all over their cars. They buy treats. They open their hearts for this day, for this dog. It isn't glamorous like pulling a dog from a shelter and whisking them off to safety. It isn't placing a dog in a home and taking the Happy Ending pics as the dog rides off into the sunset.
This is the heart hard work. This is hero work.
