Overlooked No More

I fell, had an injury during a race one day
“Oh no, He can’t come back from that” my trainer did say
“To the vet, then the kennel for you lad. “You need a home.”
“Don’t worry now. It’s just different from all you have known.”

I love my racing life, now I’m scared, I worry
Put me back on the track I know and in a hurry
I don’t know what a home is, have never needed one
Race is all I have ever known, it’s all I have ever done.

I am off to the vets to mend my broken leg
Please make it good as new. In my head I beg,
But when I wake up, I know, it’s quite plain to see
My leg shall never be quite what it used to be.

After rest and medication I am sent off from the vet
Straight to the kennel to wait to become someone’s pet.
It’s a shock all these changes, it’s all so new to me
As I go to wait patiently for my new family.

People come, people go, some take us for a walk.
We play in the paddock as they stand and talk
We get fed, kept warm, safe, it’s really not so bad
Yet when I recall my racing days I feel a little sad.

The days they pass quite quickly, Spring is here again,
It’s my third seen in these kennels, waiting here in vain
I know one of these days THE ONE shall appear,
It’s happened for the other dogs, my day must be getting near.

I don’t think of my racing days much, only now and then.
Of getting my home is all I think of and when.
I know my name now, it was never used before,
I am not identified by my ear tattoo anymore.

I am still here waiting, so please come to visit me
Take me for a walk, who knows what will be.
It may just be the start of my forever home
The beginning of the best friendship we have ever known.

Yet the days are still passing by, I stay here and wait
Then I hear my name spoken by a familiar voice at the gate.
It’s one of the volunteer walkers, they come here a lot
They always have a cuddle for me, so I go out like a shot!

“Hello boy. It’s us again. Are you ready to go?”
We walk to a car, what’s happening? I don’t know.
We drive away, I lay quietly in the back of the car
I wonder where were going? Is it near or far?

Then suddenly we stop and out we all get
“Come on then boy, in we go. Welcome home pet!”
Did I hear those words right? Dare I really believe?
I’m led to the garden so myself I can relieve.

They praised me when I had a wee, took me back inside,
It all smelled so strange I wanted to go and hide.
They called me to a duvet, soft, deep on the floor
Gave me a pig’s ear, here I stayed forever more.

Author:Tracy Errington

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