Forgotten Shelter Angels and a young artist trying to make a difference

Sky is our Husky X. She was saved from
 the Dover Shelter in San Bernardino, CA.

Forgotten Angels
by Roland H. S. Ferrer

As many of my readers already know our pack consists of three shelter dogs. All three are mixed breeds and two of them were set to die the day we brought them home. They were all sick to some degree and two needed to be hospitalized. It was not an easy road in choosing to save dogs that were so sick and injured but no one in my family has a single regret. They have become the heart and soul of our clan. Our Shelter angels have taught us so many life lessons, not the least of which is compassion.

River is our Shepard X. She was saved
with Sky from the Dover Shelter. 

Ke-ola is a Pit Bull X. He was saved
from the Carson Shelter in Carson, CA.

My family and I thought that by adopting these poor dogs that we were saving their lives yet as it has turned out it is they that have saved us. Sky, River and Ke-ola each brought a set of challenges as well as a multitude of gifts. While it hasn't been easy it has been some of the most rewarding work we have ever done. Our shelter angels have enriched our lives in ways we could not have foreseen.

Sadly hundreds of animals are euthanized in our state's shelters (California) everyday. These are animals that won't have a chance to enrich the lives of humans. They have been discarded and forgotten. Their gifts are wasted and no one will benefit. It is humanity's loss. 

Shelter animals have an uncanny ability to recognize grief and despair in their humans. We are only hurting ourselves by not realizing that these injured, abused, neglected animals have the power to heal the deepest of human hurts. My family and I see these furred and feathered babies as angels among us. That's why I couldn't be prouder to share "Forgotten Angels" with you.

My youngest son, Roland, created the "Forgotten Angels" piece for his senior AP art concentration. The theme of his work was indignation vs inspiration. In this piece we see a sad and dishearten angel sitting above the bones and pelt of a euthanized shelter dog. Roland said he made this piece so that more people could see what animal/nature lovers already know...each animal has a special role to play in the ebb and flow of life. Every time we kill a shelter animal we are killing the possibility of bringing an angel into the life of a human.

I hope you'll find this piece meaningful. "Forgotten Angels" makes me cry every time I see it. I cry for the needless loss of these beautiful angels and I cry with pride that my son has been touched by their love and wants to share it.

Being a voice for the voiceless is something we can all do. It just takes one person willing to speak up to inspire others to do the same. Please consider adoption from a shelter or a rescue the next time you want to bring an animal into your life. Together we can make the world better for all creatures, great and small. 

Wishing you and your pack peace today and everyday. Thank you for visiting.

You can find us on Facebook:
Page https://www.facebook.com/iloveshelterdogs
Our page hopes to encourage more people to adopt not shop by sharing stories of successful shelter/rescue dog adoptions & useful info for a healthy dog.
Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1405355683042930/
This group is an open group for rescues, fosters, shelter staff, volunteers to post dogs in need of adoption, transport or rescue. Our group’s admin is not affiliated with any posts or posters nor do we have any further information about a post. We are merely offing another place online to help get dogs seen, safe and in their forever homes. 
Roland is also a professional musician for more information about him goto his Facebook music page at https://www.facebook.com/RolandHFerrer

POI