Performed by Val Cole

A Rescues Song, by Tommy Anderson

Once upon a time I was a lost dog. I was abandoned, lonely, forgotten,
and praying for a home. I had no place to hide, no place to go,
no one person who would love me and let me love them.

I had been abused, starved, left alone out in the heat, and the snow.
I was frightened by the storms and was offered no shelter to
protect me from them. I ate what I could find from what was tossed out.
I had to move all the time just to survive.

I was so skinny my ribs stuck out. I ached with pain and my skin itched.
No one knew the love that was inside me.
I was hoping for that one special human to call my own.

I never felt the joy of love or caring, and Hiding was my life.
Cruel humans received their joy from taunting me, and for them it was a sport.
Then one day a police officer found me and took me to a shelter.
I was finally warm and fed, but so alone, and so scared.
We were all scared at the shelter, I could tell.

I was so scared of men; they had been the worst to me.
But one day a man came, a sad and lonely veteran. He saw me,
Then he stopped and talked to me. He showed me love
for the first time. He held me and spoke softly to me.
I licked the tears from his cheeks as he told me we would both be ok.

He said, “I’ve got your Six Buddy”. He promised to always be there for me.
He promised no one would hurt me again.
He kept saying I will never leave you behind.
He held me as he talked so softly to me.
Come with me, and there will be no more fear for you or me.

I will not leave you outside again. You will always be warm and fed.
You will be loved, and you will be cherished.
You will always have a soft place to sleep,
and you will have so many toys to play with.

I was so scared because he was a man. Men have hurt me and scared me in the past.
I have been scared for so long that I knew no other life.
But for me to trust again and with this
new human felt right. I felt he needed me as much as I needed him.

He kept his word to me, he fed me well, he held me at night when we slept.
He brushed my coat and made sure I was clean.
I had so many toys and we would go for rides together.
He never left my side even when I first feared him.

I waited every day at first for things to change and I was so patient.
I waited to see if this was real, the days passed and then the weeks,
but the love between us grew so strong.
As the months passed, we became so close we were now inseparable.

It did not take long really, because I felt the love the very first day.
I knew he was my very own human, who loved me, and I thanked
God each day that this man saved my life.
I thanked him every day for the life I now have, and to be genuinely loved.
I know he thanked God for me saving his life as well.

So, I want to tell all my friends in the shelters, there are
loving humans that check the shelters each day.
They will share their home with you, and you will be loved once you are found.

So, all you other humans out there open your hearts.
You do not have to search far. You will have that perfect home for a tender heart.
You can be that shining star in a beautiful creature’s heart like mine.

If you do, then a new member will join your family circle.
You will all grow together and be a family.
There is room for one of us with you,
because without you we have nowhere else to go.