Here in this house...

• I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks of the other dogs 'out there'.

• I can sleep soundly, assured that when I wake, my world will not have changed.

• I will never know hunger or the fear of not knowing if I'll eat.

• I will not shiver in the cold or grow weary from the heat.

• I will feel the sun's heat and the rain's coolness, and be allowed to smell all that can reach my nose.

• My fur will shine and never be dirty or matted.

Here in this house...

• There will be an effort to communicate with me on my level.

• I will be talked to and even if I don't understand, I can enjoy the warmth of the words.

• I will be given a name so that I may know who I am among many.

• My name will be used in joy and I will love the sound of it!

Here in this house...

• I will never be a substitute for anything I am not.

• I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves.

• I will be loved because I am who I am, not someone's idea of who I should be.

• I will never suffer for someone's anger, impatience, or stupidity.

• I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved by all.

• If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my teacher for blame.

Here in this house...

• I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch, knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.

• If I am ill, I will be doctored.

• If scared, I will be calmed.

• If sad, I will be cheered.

• No matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful and thought to be of value.

• I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough.

• My life is a responsibility and not an afterthought.

• I will learn that humans can almost, sometimes, be as kind and as fair as dogs.

Here in this house...

• In this house

• I will belong.

• In this house.

• I will be home.

Author unknown