Good things with your hands

This morning at church, our minister said that faith should give you "something good to do with your hands." I believe that the world needs more love. I believe that dogs are one of the purest forms of love we have. So, it is part of my spiritual practice to help these dogs bring more love to the world.

Some of the good things I get to do with my hands, because of DREAM and dachshund rescue.

• Change the bandages on Luke's foot each day. He gets so excited about being able to get around, he sometimes bangs up his feet, and his wounds take a long time to heal. Whenever I change his bandage, he lays his long nose next to my face. (Sometimes he kicks me because the sensation is returning, too.)


• Lift a dog out of the cage from animal control, sign the papers to set them free, place them in my car, and buy them a cheeseburger (no onions) to celebrate.


• Hold a suffering dog whose painful heartworm disease is too advanced to reverse, because her owners didn't use preventative, and didn't bother to get her heartworm treatment in time. I believe her euthanization is the last act of love I can give her, and that she can at least die with someone holding her, crying for her, and loving her for a few minutes.


• Wrap Princeton's four prescription pills (2 antibiotics for his respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, an anti-inflammatory for his back, and a strong antihistamine) in a lump of liverwurst. Prepare his meals, glad that he will finally eat, after 4 days of refusing food.


• Write a contract for Tosca to be adopted by a delightful family with 2 kids and another DREAM doggie sister.


• Take Arthur to agility training (donated by Jabula), and feed him lots of treats as he learns the "dog walk," the "A-Frame," and the tunnel.


• Stroke Fella's head when he jumps into my lap and asks for affection, and remember the time when he couldn't be petted at all.


• Squeeze Tabby's bladder, because she can't go by herself.

I know this isn't what my minister meant, but I am grateful to have good things to do with my hands, and I am grateful for these dogs, and I am grateful for the love they bring to the world, and I am grateful to be a small part of reducing their suffering and abandonment.

One day, rescue will no longer be needed. Every puppy born will already have a home, and people will not abandon their dogs. When that day comes, I will be grateful to search for something else for these hands to do instead.