Hygge

Can this Dutch concept make the world a better place for our dogs, too?

The dog in the photo was abandoned at a park just outside of New Haven, Connecticut, not far from where I live. He’s the third abandoned dog (that we know of) in Connecticut this week.

I think of the morning he was left. His owner, clips the leash to his collar. The dog jumps in the car, happy to go on a walk. His owner asks him to sit.

“Good boy” should be said, but it is not said. Nothing is said. The human ties the leash to the fence. Walks away.

The dog scrunches his body and wriggles, confused. What is this new game and is he supposed to do something? His human disappears and he doesn’t return. He sits and waits, gets thirsty, a little hungry, a lot scared.

Strange humans come, shout, put him in the back of a van. He’s taken to the shelter where there are loud, barking dogs. He doesn’t know it, but he will stay there until he’s adopted or euthanized.

I want to believe that his owner was in some sort of desperate situation, but I know there are people who can tie a dog to a fence …