Boo! It’s finally October folks, and Fall is upon us once again, when the leaves and temperature (hopefully) begin to drop, sweaters make a blissful appearance, and Halloween rears its ghostly head.
So it’s a typical morning at Animal Rescue of Fresno (ARF) and you’re hanging out by the food bowl with your buddies, and wondering who ate all the chewy chicken pieces again. Probably that new pug mix, who’s always rooting around, taking your favorite poultry flavor, and leaving behind that dreaded morsel of misery reviled by small children and dogs all over the world—liver. Bleah. Just when you think the day is getting off to a rocky start, you see them: A whole herd of humans strolling out to the yard, lead by a knowledgeable volunteer, heading straight in your direction. This is it.
I suppose if you’re a lonely little dog, stuck in the scary confines of a shelter or rescue, life can seem a bit like starring in an emotional prison movie. You’re with a bunch of crazy critters you don’t know, you’re pretty sure you don’t belong there, the noise level is insane and some varmints just aren’t familiar with the term “personal space.” You didn’t sign up for this. You didn’t ask for 47 roommates. And you certainly didn’t agree to share a bed with a bunch of total strangers. Yuck.
This is a story about second chances. This is a story about the brave canine soul. This also just happens to be a story about both the well-meaning kindness of the human heart, and the occasional foolhardiness it can cause. As a weekend volunteer at Animal Rescue of Fresno (ARF), I am privy to all the good, bad, and ugly things that can happen on a dog day afternoon.
What exactly is Heaven Can Wait? Heaven Can Wait is a transportation unit that takes dogs of any size that were going to be euthanized out of the Central Valley and drives them to Medford, Oregon to give them a second chance at life instead of death.
What better way to celebrate Halloween than by being able to not only have a fun scary evening, but also help animals in need. Next weekend on October 25 and 26, Animal Rescue of Fresno (ARF) will be having its sixth annual Halloween Fright Night, which will raise funds for their animal rescue work. The fright night's are basically like an obstacle course in the dark with actors and you become part of the story.
