Everyone deserves a home

by Katie Jennings

Clouds thundered above as Amy walked into Battersea Dogs Home looking over to the iconic towers. She trembled at the thought of the suffering that had bought all of the animals here. Her high heels broke the silence as she walked into the waiting room. She reached into her handbag and pulled out the story of the new addition to her family, to pass the time while she waited for the dog to be brought to her. Why did she do this to herself? The stories always made her cry.

She straightened her shoulders, checked her watch and began to read:

His name was Walid. He was 5 years old. He had been rejected by his family when he was still a baby really, when he was just two years old.

He spent months hiding in small corners, under rusting piers, doorways and occasionally someone's abandoned house - cowering under piles of hay until inevitably chased away. Cuts never fully healing, beaten time and time again, always being told to get out, never having a real home.

He would curl up at night buried under anything he could find, no matter what it was - as long as he couldn't be seen. Everything he slept under was torn ragged. The glass in the windows around him always broken. The walls covered in illegible graffiti. Towns deserted, with the odd whistle of the wind being the soundtrack to his life.

He was so lonely.

Sometimes he would see boys playing football, but they would always chase him away if he tried to join in. No one would ever play with anything like him.

Anytime he tried to get help, or helped anyone else, everybody gave him a disgusted look - and then kicked him out of their sight and out of their mind.

He needed a chance, he needed hope. He needed anything better than the life he was living.

He needed love.

During his fight for survival he was forced to live in terrible circumstances...

A dog barking disturbed her thoughts, followed by a child's feet echoing across the long grey empty room.

"Mamma! Mamma! I found a doggie!" Walid said, a smile plastered over his face as he showed her a skinny grey whippet with the same bright blue-green eyes as Walid

"He is beautiful Walid!" Amy said, beaming at her child "what shall we call him?"

"He will be called Itfawh" Walid announced rubbing Itfawh's belly.

"What does that mean?" questioned Amy.

"It means kindness. He looks like he needs kindness given to him. I want him to be happy and to have a home. I want him to have what you gave to me" Walid explained picking up his dog as he did so.

Amy looked at her and son and new dog and remembered that day at the asylum centre where she had found Walid with sad, yet hopeful eyes. He had looked so lonely and so in need of kindness.

Everyone deserves a home.