Fences For Fido - "Boy, Barnabas & Ryu"
While we found them living in situations that had stark contrasts, still there were enough similarities that found us in two different backyards on two different days in the wine country of Yamhill County, Oregon.
Three chained dogs outside 24 hours a day but for different reasons.
Ryu & Barnabas are huggable bundles of love. And, unfortunately they were chained outside because their family wasn’t allowed to have pets inside the house. But, they’re still very much part of the family, and are very much loved. The thing about this two-some is that they are quite the voyagers and never turn down an adventure, getting themselves into all sorts of trouble which is why the family resorted to chaining them – as a way to keep them safe and out of trouble.
The family loves their four-legged family members very much, and R & B love their two-legged family right back. As an example of just how in touch R & B are with their family – we saw them go from full of energy jumping beans to gentle calm giants while in the presence of their two children. They knew they were vulnerable.
Boy on the other hand is a 16 year old rottie mix, and when you’re 16 & chained inside a dark kennel – every minute matters. Unfortunately, last winter what little fence the family did have gave way during a winter storm, so Boy’s family resorted to tethering Boy to his kennel nearly 22 hours a day, for some of the same reasons that Ryu & Barnabas were chained ... because Boy liked to cause mischief in the neighborhood, at least enough to get the attention from animal control.
But, one look into Boy’s big brown eyes you could tell that being chained utterly shattered his spirt & in talking with his family you could hear that the conditions in which Boy currently lived also broke their hearts.
Back to the similarities that gave us comfort and hope– both families self-applied for theirs fences because they wanted more for their four-legged family members, and both were grateful and humbled and a little embarrassed for a day that was life changing for their entire families … and for us it was a reminder that in midst of darkness … light can be found because on Saturday mornings we are perfection.
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