How long must they wait?

I wonder sometimes, what goes through our dogs' minds when one by one, they see new dogs come and go quickly.

I know some of them become depressed, sitting in a kennel all day, watching others pass by their kennels going to a new home.

My Mutt Mutterer, Cappy, has been a guest of the shelter since March. He faced the long, hot summer with his thick chow coat and never showed anything but wagging tails when we would take him out for his walk.

Dolce, a medium-sized dalmation/terrier mix has spent almost her whole life with us. She has been with us since April and is just now a year old. How sad she must feel sometimes to have spent her puppyhood in a kennel, with numerous playmates, only to have them be adopted one by one and she stays behind.

Maybe Deva Raja, a husky mix, who was turned in to us because she didn't like the new puppy they brought home. She is an ambassador and goes to all the offsite events in hopes someone, sometime, will see her and fall in love.

Jasmine, who is a beautiful black lab mix and loves to sit in chairs, or maybe BlackJack, another black lab mix who loves soft toys and to be brushed. Our pudgie girl, Lady, pictured here, who has lost 5 pounds and has a new playmate, Droopy, to help her work even more weight off

They all have the longing look in their eyes, just waiting and wondering when their time will come. Could it be this weekend? Do you have enough love in your heart and space in your home? Please consider adoption as your only option. There are thousands of animals who need homes in this area. Contact the HSSC at 2331 15th Street in Sarasota, 955-4131 or your local shelter.

Take one look in their eyes and you will know what I am speaking of.