Goodbye Fear...Hello World

My name is Roscoe and I will proudly lead this year’s Paws in the Park Petwalk.

A few months ago, no one would have thought that possible. I was dragged into the DCSPCA by one of the first humans to touch my life. I was shaking, sad, fearful and left in the lobby on that momentous day - the day that saved my life. I was afraid of everything. The staff had to whisper in my presence or I would run off into a corner and shake. As I sat in that lobby alone and afraid, one voice didn’t seem so scary.

A staff member from the Humane Law Department got down on the floor and reassured me that life was going to start anew. Of course, once I responded to her, she was hooked and became my friend, teacher and foster mom. My first job was to learn how to say “Hello” to other humans. My foster mom went slowly bringing a treat from my nose to a new human hand every day. One by one, I allowed other humans into my small but growing world. I slowly adjusted to my foster family with a big sister dog (ok), cats (strange fast little creatures), a human man (phew, that was scary and took a while), and this really neat little human boy (the best to play with). My transformation took me from a sad puppy shaking in a corner to a proud dog who gives high five shakes to all my human friends. Looking back, I see that I could have become a statistic, one of those dogs who become a fear biter because all other options are removed.

Instead, thanks to the DCSPCA, I’m an ambassador for all that can be if a puppy is taught to say goodbye to fear and hello to the world. I have become a dog with a very important mission. As a mascot for the DCSPCA Humane Law Department, I will teach others how to fight animal cruelty. I will teach humans by showing them that mine is not a breed to fear - that a kind touch and a little education can create a “Canine Good Citizen”. Come and meet me at Paws in the Park Petwalk on October 1, 2011. If you don’t have a dog of your own to sponsor, collect money from your relatives, friends and co-workers in my name. Just share my story and you’ll have them hooked. It is important because there are many other Roscoe’s out there afraid and waiting to be saved by the DCSPCA.