Today is my birthday, but it’s also the day I was abandoned.
I woke up this morning just like I do every day—snuggled up in my little bed, feeling the warmth of the sun as it peeked through the window. It was supposed to be a good day, right? I mean, birthdays are special, aren’t they? People celebrate them, they smile, they give hugs, they share treats… I’ve seen it happen with other humans. They make it seem so magical, so full of love. I couldn’t wait for today to be my day. I had been wagging my tail all morning, hoping someone would come and greet me with a big, happy “Happy Birthday!”
But, as the hours passed, I realized something—no one was coming. The door stayed closed, and the house was eerily quiet. I waited, trying to stay patient. I was just a puppy, after all, and I didn’t understand why things felt different today. I had been such a good dog—always wagging my tail when I saw my human, always jumping up for attention when they walked through the door, always cuddling close when they needed comfort.
I had hoped today would be different. I thought my human would come running over to hug me, maybe even let me have a little extra treat or a toy to play with. I’ve seen them celebrate birthdays before, so why not mine? I waited by the door, my little paws twitching in excitement. But still, no one came.
The day felt long, and the silence in the house felt even longer. As the hours ticked by, something strange began to happen. My human opened the door, but instead of a smile, there was just an empty, distant look in their eyes. They didn’t say “Happy Birthday.” They didn’t give me a hug. In fact, they didn’t even look at me. They grabbed my leash and led me outside, but this time, something was wrong. This time, they didn’t smile when I wagged my tail. This time, there was no playful petting, no kind words.
Before I knew it, we were walking further than usual. I didn’t recognize where we were going. The street was filled with people I didn’t know, the sounds unfamiliar and unsettling. I tried to stay close to my human, but they walked away from me faster and faster, as though they didn’t even care that I was by their side. I tried calling out to them with my little bark, but they kept walking, not looking back.
And then, they did something that broke my heart. They opened a gate, pushed me inside, and walked away. Just like that. My human turned their back on me and left. I tried running after them, but the gate was too high, and my little legs couldn’t keep up. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest, a mix of confusion and fear. I was alone. No one was there to comfort me, to explain what was happening. I couldn’t understand why my human was leaving me behind. I thought they loved me. I thought they needed me. But now, it felt like all that love had disappeared, replaced by an empty space where my heart used to feel safe.
The world around me was so big and so frightening. The streets felt cold, and I didn’t know where to go. My little paws hurt from walking, and my stomach growled with hunger. I longed for the warmth and love I used to have, the days when my human would pet me and tell me how much they cared for me. But now, all I had were these empty streets, and the longing in my heart was unbearable.
It wasn’t just my body that hurt—it was my soul. How could they just leave me? How could they walk away and leave me in this strange place? I thought we were family. I thought my birthday would be a happy day. But instead, it became the day I was abandoned, the day my heart broke in a way I didn’t even know was possible.
I tried to stay brave, to hold on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, my human would come back and take me home. But as the sun set and the world grew darker, I realized that wasn’t going to happen. I was truly alone. I couldn’t stop the tears in my eyes, the sadness that filled me completely.
But I want to say something to anyone who will listen: please, don’t let this happen. If you love your puppy, don’t let the day come when they feel this kind of heartbreak. Don’t make them feel abandoned and unloved. A dog, a puppy, will love you with all their heart, no matter what mistakes you make or how imperfect you may feel. They don’t care about your flaws. They only care about being by your side, loving you with a devotion that never fades.
Please, don’t leave them behind. Don’t let them feel the pain of abandonment, of being forgotten on the day that should have been their special day. Because no puppy should ever have to experience that loneliness. We love so purely, so unconditionally. And all we ask in return is to be loved, to be kept close, to feel safe and cherished every day, not just on birthdays.
I may not have a home right now. I may not have my human beside me, but I still believe in love. I still believe that someone will find me and show me the care I deserve. Until then, I’ll hold on to the memory of what it felt like to be loved, and I’ll never stop hoping that one day, I’ll have that again.
But for now, it’s my lonely birthday, and all I can do is wait, hope, and dream.
