Day 7 - Giving back

After a week of looking inward, it is time now time to take a look outward and find a place that needs your help. Nicosia Dog Shelter became my place, from the first week we arrived. I've never seen a shelter with so many beautiful, peaceful dogs. Pet ownership is not like back home. These dogs do not wear designer labels, eat gourmet foods or heaven forbid, even sleep indoors most homes. No, these animals are disposable here. Many are hunters dogs who are later left abandoned in the fields, or worse yet, the streets. Others are pets gone wrong - also just left to roam the streets. A few actually are brought in by their fickle owners who have half a heart.

The dogs live outside their pens most of the daytime hours, lazing in the shade, sharing their old bathtubs of water and vying for the attention of the few that come to visit. There are no pack issues here...everyone just finds a way to get along and wait for a new forever home. Many never get one. Having arrived with two large dogs I didn't expect to make room for one more, but pregnancy and nesting got the best of me and we took our Kimo home when he was just a little runt on the verge of starvation. He is our Cyprus poodle and the best thing we ever did. We still help out the shelter - even if its just to go show up and give some belly rubs, but it never feels like its enough. If I ever get that big "break" in life, I promise everyone right here and now...I am going to adopt them all.

So, today's theme was to give back...and once you start doing it, go and give back some more!