3 - Do They Know It's Christmas?
Joey parked his car and climbed out, shutting the door gently behind him. He walked forward and into the building, where he was greeted with the familiar cacophony of sound. Clanking, snuffling, yelping, thumping, barking. The air smelt of biscuits and fur and the smell that accompanies all dogs. He moved round the pens, the staff not stopping him as he came so regularly now. A lazy king Charles cavalier spaniel looked up at him with large chocolate brown pools for eyes. He smiled fondly and greeted her warmly. A large sleek greyhound eyed him nervously, too shy and scared to bark or bite. Again, Joey spent some time with the creature before moving on.
All of the dogs were so lonely, so timid, Joey felt sorry for them. He was well aware of the approaching Christmas season, and he wondered if any of the dogs would get to experience the love and joy of the season, or if it would just be another boring day at the shelter for them. As he reached the ends of the pens, he noticed a German shepherd, and his heartbeat quickened. For subconsciously, he came to the shelter for one reason, and possibly, he had found it. He reached the pen, and his heart sank. Too young, and female. The dog greeted him warmly, whilst crunching biscuits in a bowl. He smiled wistfully at the creature, before finishing his rounds.
On his way out, he popped a substantial donation into the plastic dog box, and made his way back to his car. It wasn't fair, how all of those dogs were homeless. And he just hoped that eventually they would be able to experience Christmas properly. Just as Edgar had once done.