Each day of the week thousands of stray, homeless, and otherwise bothersome dogs and cats are rounded
up in local municipalities and delivered to local animal shelters. More than half of these are feral, having
had little or no benevolent exposure to humans, and as a result present themselves more as pests than as
pets. Fortunately for most communities, a local animal control officer is available to round up these
unwanted vagabonds for delivery to their respective shelter; unfortunately for these homeless waifs, there
are precious few humans who want them as pets, so they find themselves in line for an early exit from this
world.
Such was the situation for one poor, unlucky fellow. He looked like anything but a prospective pet. In fact,
"Pepper" had been corralled by the local animal control officer and was only being housed temporarily in
the local shelter. He had been reported by the good citizens of the neighborhood he roamed as a
vagabond, an interloper, a nuisance that had been upsetting people’s trash cans and worrying their cats,
keeping the home folk awake at night with his incessant barking and yowling. As much as the locals had
tried to rid themselves of this bothersome pest, it had fallen to the county animal control officer to track
Pepper down and finally relieve the town folk of this pestilence once and for all.
He was a large ugly mutt, with disproportionately large feet. The shelter manager knew what lay in Pepper’s
future. Billy had been at this business a long time, and his experience told him that this mangy, flea-bitten
mutt was destined for only one place: the chamber. Pepper would receive a lethal dose of Phenobarbital
then his lifeless corpse would be consumed in the incinerator. Billy was not a ruthless man. He did not
enjoy ending an animal’s life. But Billy had enough experience to know that for some animals, an early
demise is a better way to end than as a lonely stray, suffering some lingering illness, perhaps even being
attacked and killed by other animals. No, Billy did not revel in this ugly practice, but he was determined to
do his job, and he was very efficient.
Although Billy had performed this ugly task many hundreds of times, he did bring a sense of dignity to the
event. Every animal whose life Billy ended received a name. Billy figured that he owed them that, so that is
how Pepper got his name. Billy rarely dawdled so he scheduled the procedure for the day after Pepper was
delivered.
In the meantime there were other animals at the shelter. As is the case in most animal shelters some of the
animals were adopted by loving and caring families, but most did not. Billy mostly made an effort to adopt
out an animal before he performed the deed. So it was that even Pepper received his chance. I just so
happened that the local postman made his regular visit at about the time that Pepper was brought in. Frank
and his wife had been talking about getting a dog, and had discussed their options. Would Billy mind if
Frank took a look at the dogs? Sure, go ahead.
Frank took a few moments to look over the lot, and what occurred that day is one of those moments in time
when the fates or the gods, or whatever you want to call them decided to cast a shining light on one
abandoned and unwanted canine. At first Frank’s wife was less than enthusiastic, but Pepper revealed
what any dog will when shown a little bit of TLC: he returned in kind. Frank and his wife opened their home
to the cast off, and in turn Pepper became their loyal subject. Frank took the time to teach Pepper a few
tricks, and Pepper showed himself to possess an amazing capacity to learn. In time, Pepper would fill out to
become a fit and stout, bouncing, barking and happy and loyal pup.
One day Frank’s wife noticed an ad in a magazine. A local business had need of a dog. This particular need
was no ordinary task. The job required a dog of special acumen. The dog would be required to work
around people, and he would need to be very gentle with them. On the other hand there may be some
danger involved. There might even be situations where people would find themselves threatened by other
animals. The company needed a dog that could be gentle and protective of people, without being overly
aggressive toward other animals and people.
Quite a chore, indeed, but Frank saw in Pepper that zeal and intelligence that no one else had seen, and he
felt that Pepper could be called upon to perform heroicly. So it was that Frank delivered Pepper for the
tryouts. Initially the company was not overly enamored with Pepper, but in time Frank was able to convince
them that Pepper was the dog for the job.
So it was that Pepper, former vagabond and homeless beggar -- former neighborhood pest and hapless cur
-- became employed to perform a job that would eventually make him ..., well, make him world famous. Yes.
I said world famous. As a matter of fact, Pepper would become one of the most famous dogs ever. If a vote
were cast today, Pepper might not get first place, but he would surely get second or third at worst.
Pepper? You ask. You’ve never heard of Pepper? Yes you have. Oh, I must mention that "Pepper" had
only been the name that Billy gave him; but it was not the name he went by when he became famous. You
see, after adopting Pepper, Frank changed Pepper's name. Frank no longer called him Pepper. He
changed Pepper’s name to “Spike!” Yes, it was Spike who would become the dog whose fame I now so
loudly proclaim. Spike was his name. Yes it was. Really! Spike!
Spike is known around the world for the work that he did in the employment of mankind, and one cannot go
to any country in the Western Hemisphere without at least being somewhat familiar with his exploits. Spike
performed his job so brilliantly and with so much courage that his name is forever imprinted in our minds
and our psyche. All of us at one time or another have wanted a dog like Spike, and all of us have wish at
one time or another that Spike were our dog.
Spike. Every time I think of Spike I get tears. I cannot think about him without welling up. I cannot watch
Spike performing his exploits of courage without crying. Yes, I said "Watch Spike," for you see, Spike's
exploits were recorded for posterity. Spikes deeds of selflessness and courage were recorded on film and
are replayed for us regularly so that we might witness his great and courages deeds. And even though
Spike passed away years ago, his deeds of courage in the face of danger are available to us to view
anytime we desire.
Ah, Spike! What a dog! Anytime I am afforded the opportunity to watch the exploits and witness the
wonderful and exciting adventures in which Spike found himself I do just that. And in the end just like
nearly everyone else who watches, I bawl my eyeballs out. And now that I realize that Spike was at one time
an unwanted, unloved, and otherwise uncared for vagabond I am amazed at his ultimate good fortune.
By the way, the employer changed Spike's name also. The name "Spike" didn't seem to fit. Spike's
employer had a different name in mind -- one which more befitted the spirit and appearance and
performance of Spike. Spike is a good and usually appropriate name for a dog, but for the particular role
that Spike's employer had in mind ..., "Ol' Spike" just didn't sound right. For the job Spike's employer had in
mind another moniker made more sense. That's right: Spike's employer felt that "Ol' Yeller" would be much
more appropriate. I agree.
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