Each one of us is born to a life where we long to feel as though we matter. For people, the longing is deep. We spend a lifetime trying to express and satisfy that longing.

For dogs, so do they. Currently, there are thousands of dogs sitting in concrete kennels or overcrowded living rooms of foster homes, all feeling as though their lives don’t matter.

For no fault of their own, they felt the worst insult a living being can feel:

That their life doesn’t matter.

Even more are sitting in the bowels of Texas in high-kill shelters, where they are given hours, in the case of owner-surrender, to a few days in the case of strays, for someone to show up and tell them that their life matters.

Some of them make it up here, where they have a chance to change their story. Others, become part of the new statistics for post-pandemic euthanasia rates.

Was it something any one dog did? Who can know, for a dog needs training. Everyone needs to learn how to become a good canine citizen.

Conflict in the home with another dog? Who can tell? Isn’t that what separate rooms and supervision/ training are for?

Maybe it was that their person died, fell on hard times, or the bright and shiny puppy grew up to be an unholy terror because no one taught him how to behave.

Or maybe, their person simply fell out of love.

Regardless of the reasons, more dogs are hearing than not these days:

Honey, don’t forget to drop the dog off at the shelter on the way to Costco.

As a result, more dogs are sitting alone, left by their people and loved by no one, wondering why their life no longer matters.

If you’re feeling distraught about the plight of our society or disappointed in the incivility in humanity, Get in your car and go do something good.

Tell a shelter or rescue dog today, “You matter, I want you, I will commit to giving you all the good you deserve, I will give you a chance because regardless of what’s happened to you before we met, you matter now.”

Make a promise to a homeless dog today. October is Adopt-a-Dog Month.

Curious to know some of the dogs in need? Check out the Humane Society of Boulder Valley at https:// www.boulderhumane.org/dogs/ or Charlie’s Place, the shelter in Gilpin / Clear Creek County at https:// www.pbase.com/charlies_ place/ adoptable_ dogs. Both of these places are close-by, populated with eager dogs, longing to hear again.

You matter. Adopt a dog today.