At the Kennel: A Student's Answer to a Kennel-SPCA Dilemma

"This place is going to the dogs," said Murphy, the kennel manager. "We have at least six pups for every boarder now, and almost all of them are under a year of age. It is as if there has been a population explosion this past winter."

For some reason, a number of people had been dropping off unwanted pups at the kennel in the wee hours of the night, instead of taking them to the SPCA, where they should go. 

Madeline, his assistant, was busy bottle-feeding one of the young pups from a new litter of eleven that someone had abandoned and left at their doorway, several days earlier. 

"They are so sweet!" she said, but also understood the current dilemma. "What can we do?" she wondered. "This is a serious problem."

"We are not equipped to take care of that many dogs; nor will we ever be!"

Murphy was angry, as the kennel was a place for people to leave their pets when they went away for an extended length of time, or on vacation. Their boarders were supposed to be paying customers only. "This is not a puppy mill."

"I know," she replied, uncertain what to say because she knew that the existing SPCA facility in the area was too small.

"I have to go away on a job for a few weeks," one of their wealthiest customers stated, a few hours later. 

"Will you be able to board my two German shepherds while I am away?"

"I never turn good customers away," explained Murphy to his customer, who smiled sweetly at Madeline.

"We will work it out," she assured them both, at the same time wondering, "How can we do that when the kennel is already overflowing?"

Suddenly, she had an idea. A high-school class was planning a visit to the kennel that afternoon. She talked to Murphy about inviting the local vet and the SPCA manager, too. Together, they might be able to work something out.

Murphy smiled. "I knew it was a good idea to hire you."

The vet arrived early, but only found one non-boarder in need of care for a leg injury sustained at birth. He agreed to make certain that all of the new pups had their needles and proper health care. Euthanasia would not be necessary.

Several students immediately wanted to adopt young pups, but the SPCA manager suggested that they go through the proper channels, and offered to work with each one of them to help find suitable pets. They could also do volunteer work at the SPCA.

One of the young female students came up with a long-term solution that surprised everyone. No one could refute it. Her parents owned a large, vacant facility that would be an improvement on the existing SPCA, with a few alterations. She would approach them about it and if they agreed, then the class would take on the new SPCA renovation project in terms of work for students and do fund raising for the SPCA.

Madeline decided to adopt the pup she had been feeding, immediately.

Murphy breathed a huge sigh of relief. Life at his kennel would soon return to normal, and it did.