They entered a room lined with large cages. At the end of the row, Alice saw a gorgeous Shetland sheepdog, tail upright and wagging.
“What a beautiful dog,” she exclaimed. “I can't imagine anyone not wanting him.”
“Isn't he sweet?” Sandy said. “That little sheltie was brought in by his in-town owners because he was just too energetic for their tiny yard and small children. Such a shame.” She shook her head in dismay. “I'd take him home in a heartbeat if I had room. But I suppose my three cats would be highly displeased.”
“What happens to all these animals at Christmastime?” Alice asked.
“It's just another day for shelter animals,” Sandy answered. “The day is divided between staff and volunteers like me, so no one has to work a full shift. It's a sad day, though. Hardly anyone wants to adopt a shelter dog or cat to give as a Christmas present,” she said. “Generally speaking, there aren't many winter placements.”
“Oh, that is sad,” Alice agreed, the slow germ of an idea forming in her mind.
“Would you like to see our kitties?” Sandy asked.
“Maybe not today, thank you.” Alice was already so sad about the dogs, she was sure she'd break out in tears if she saw homeless cats penned up and unwanted.
Sandy led the way back to the reception area. “Ladies, thank you so much for bringing this dog in. We'll do our best to locate her owners.”
“If you do find out whom she belongs to, would you please let me know?” Alice asked, requesting a pen and paper to leave her number. “I'll worry until I know she's home.”
“Certainly. I know just how you feel. I love volunteering here on my days off, but sometimes I'm really sad about our homeless waifs.”
As they left the shelter, Alice shivered. The day had grown much colder, and a brisk wind whipped around the corner of the shelter. But it wasn't the weather that troubled her. She felt heavyhearted about all the animals that wouldn't have a home at Christmastime.
Wendell rubbed against Alice's leg, an unusual bid for attention from the independent feline.
“You can tell I've been to the animal shelter, can't you?” Alice asked as she scooped him up. “I wonder how you'd like a playmate. Maybe a nice Shetland sheepdog.”
Wendell yawned, showing his sharp little teeth, and Alice could imagine his indignation if she brought home a new pet. When she put him down, he swished off with his tail held high.
“Nearly time for dinner,” Jane said, sticking her head into the library where Alice had been brooding about the plight of the shelter's inmates.
“Wonderful! I forgot to eat lunch, and I'm famished,” Alice said.
When she joined her sisters in the kitchen, she was surprised to see Aunt Ethel wasn't there. She'd been invited to join them for one of her favorite meals. When she asked about her, Louise explained that she was entertaining a friend for dinner in the carriage house. Their aunt rarely cooked for others, so Alice was surprised by the news.
“I think she gets lonesome for people her own age,” Jane explained. “A woman she knew when she was still on the farm is passing through Acorn Hill. I invited Ethel to bring her here, but I think she wanted time alone with her to talk over old times. So I sent a chicken potpie and some yeast rolls for their dinner. That's what we're having too, so there was plenty.”
“I hadn't thought about it, but I imagine Aunt Ethel does get lonesome at times,” Alice said after the blessing. “Sometimes we get too busy to give her much companionship. Maybe she needs a pet to talk to.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?” Louise asked, daintily breaking the crust on her portion of potpie.
“I guess all the homeless dogs and cats at the shelter got to me,” Alice explained. “There must be lots of people in Acorn Hill who would enjoy a pet. In fact, a big house like ours could easily accommodate one more.”
“Oh dear,” Louise said, laying her fork down. “I know what a softie you are. You're not thinking of bringing home a stray, are you?”
“I hate the idea of ten dogs and half a dozen cats spending Christmas in cages,” Alice said a bit defensively.
“We're running a bed-and-breakfast, not a home for stray animals,” Louise said, sounding unusually testy.
“I don't suppose one more cat would bother our guests,” Jane said, giving tentative support to Alice.
“You're forgetting about my Christmas concert a week from Thursday,” Louise said in a distressed voice. “I can't have the inn overrun with animals when I have a friend from the National Piano Guild coming. She only visits relatives in Potterston on rare occasions. My best students have been practicing for weeks, and so have I.”
“I wasn't thinking of bringing all of them here,” Alice said. “Maybe just the sheltie and a couple of kittens.”
“Oh dear,” Louise said. “You're talking about a potential disaster.”
“After our current guests leave, we don't have any scheduled until after Christmas. We wouldn't have to worry about anyone being allergic.”
“Imagine what a couple of strange cats could do to the furniture. You don't even know if any of the animals at the shelter are housebroken.”
“I wouldn't let them in the parlor,” Alice said a bit indignantly.
“When did we ever keep Wendell from going wherever he likes?” Louise nodded as the cat strolled into the kitchen to investigate his feeding dish.
“Fine. I won't bring any of them here,” Alice reluctantly agreed, a bit surprised by her older sister's vehement objection. It wasn't at all like Louise to be so out of sorts with either her or Jane.
Louise was as fond of Wendell as she and Jane were, but she probably did have a point. A new pet required a lot of attention. Even though Alice was taking vacation time the week before Christmas, it would be a busy time. But she couldn't get into the Christmas spirit knowing lost and abandoned animals would be spending the holiday season penned up.
Her work at the hospital kept her busier than usual, as she was filling in for a nurse who was taking vacation time. Alice liked the morning shift, even though a number of patients with seasonal illnesses kept the urgent care staff hopping. Still, her thoughts kept coming back to the sad-eyed animals at the shelter.
After work Tuesday afternoon, she decided there wasn't any harm in calling the shelter to find out whether Spusky's people had claimed her. If they had, it would be one fewer forlorn pet to worry about.
Fortunately, Sandy answered the phone, so Alice didn't have to explain her interest in the lost dog.
“Did you find Spusky's owners?” she asked.
“Happily, they found us,” Sandy said. “They were in the process of moving to Acorn Hill when Blue—that's her name—wandered off and couldn't find her new home. They were frantic until they learned she's here at the shelter.”
“That's such good news,” Alice said. “I hope Vera and I didn't make their job harder by bringing her there.”
“Just the opposite. They thought she'd been left behind at their old home. They did their own moving, and things were really hectic. Their worst fear was that she'd wandered off and been hit by a car.”
“Then I guess they were really relieved,” Alice said.
“They want to thank you, but I didn't know whether to give them your name,” Sandy said. “They're picking up their dog at around five this afternoon. Maybe you'd like to come meet them.”
“I'd love to if you think it's all right,” Alice quickly agreed.
“They sound like lovely people on the phone. I'm sure you're welcome to come say good-bye to Spusky-Blue,” Sandy said enthusiastically.
When Alice walked into the shelter, Sandy wasn't anywhere in sight, but a young couple in blue jeans and heavy winter jackets stood waiting with two little girls who looked to be around three and six years old.
“Are you Spusky-Blue's owners?” Alice asked.
“Yes, the shelter volunteer has gone to get her now. We're the Nielsens, Tom and Ramona,” the man said. “This is Kasey and he
r sister Reese. Are you the lady who found her?”
“My friend and I did. I hope I did the right thing bringing her here.”
“You did a wonderful thing!” Mrs. Nielsen said. “Blue had a fenced yard at our last home. She has no street smarts whatsoever. We were scared silly she might have been hit by a car.”
“Blue!” the younger child shrieked when Sandy brought in the dog. She ran and hugged her, joined by her sister, who was just as happy to see their pet.
“As you can see, Blue is one of the family,” Mr. Nielsen said. “Again, we can't thank you enough for getting her off the streets. Our first project this spring is to install a fence around our new back yard.”
Alice watched with Sandy as the family left with Spusky—it was hard to think of the dog as Blue. She was happy for the Nielsen family but sad about all the other dogs and cats who weren't as fortunate.
“If I could have one wish for Christmas, it would be to see all the animals in the shelter spend the holiday with people who would love and care for them,” Alice said.
“Yes, I know how you feel,” Sandy said. “It's the hardest part of working here, knowing some animals will never find homes.”
“I wonder..” Alice was thinking furiously, trying to find a solution to the problem. “No, it wouldn't work.”
“What wouldn't work?” Sandy asked.
“I read a story once, a long time ago. It was about an orphanage that convinced people in the community to take an orphan home for the holidays so every child could experience Christmas with a family. It had a happy ending. Some of the orphans got adopted by their host families.”
“Was it a true story?” Sandy asked.
“I can't remember,” Alice said laughing. “But I do remember thinking how kind people can be. I wonder if the idea would work with animals.”
“Are you suggesting temporary homes for our cats and dogs over the holidays?” Sandy sounded skeptical, and Alice didn't blame her.
“The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. The schools will be closed next week. The shelter could lend out pets to keep children occupied in the days before Christmas with no obligation to keep them—the animals, not the kids.” Alice knew it was a wild idea, but not an impossible one.
“A week is plenty of time to get attached to a pet,” Sandy said, “but the shelter doesn't have the personnel to carry out a big project like that on such short notice.”
“Would there be any objections?” Alice asked.
“The director is out of town, but I could send her an e-mail and ask,” Sandy offered. “In fact, I'll do it right now. Would you like to visit our guests while I do?”
“I'd love to!” Alice said. “I haven't been able to get the Shetland sheepdog out of my mind. He's a beautiful dog and shouldn't be penned up.”
Sandy let her wander back to the dog kennels on her own. A chorus of barks greeted her as she walked past the cages, looking at all the beautiful animals in the wire enclosures. She stooped in front of the sheltie, fervently wishing she could take him home and keep him. Louise was right, though. Grace Chapel Inn was a business, and they had their hands full without trying to shelter stray animals.
“We have to find a good home for you,” Alice said, stooping and reaching her hand through an opening to let the dog sniff her fingers.
Stifling tears, she went back to learn the results of Sandy's e-mail to her boss.
“She thinks it's a wonderful idea,” Sandy said, “but the shelter doesn't have the resources—the people or funds—to undertake such a big project.”
“Would she object if I try on my own?” Alice impulsively asked.
“Not at all!” Sandy excitedly assured her. “She's one-hundred percent behind any idea that will find homes for our animals. If even one dog or cat is adopted after Christmas, it would be wonderful.”
“I have friends who love cats,” Alice said. “I'm sure I'll find people who love dogs. I know almost everyone in Acorn Hill, not to mention the staff at the hospital here. I'm sure I can persuade people to take all your animals.”
“I can't imagine a better Christmas present for everyone involved in the shelter,” Sandy said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I would love to show pictures to potential hosts. Is there any way I can get a photo of each dog and cat? I'll have copies run off after work tomorrow.”
“You won't need to. We have a flyer for every animal available for adoption. The flyers have descriptions and as much history as we know. Maybe you've seen some on the grocery store bulletin board.”
“Yes, I have, although I didn't pay much attention at the time.”
“All the animals we have for adoption have had their shots and are in good health. That's an important point,” Sandy noted. “I'll run off copies for you now if you have time to wait for them.”
“Gladly,” Alice said.
While Sandy printed out a generous number of sheets for each animal, Alice tried to make a mental list of people who might consider taking a pet for the holidays. When she got home, she would begin by enlisting helpers, since she couldn't possibly talk to every prospect herself. Vera might be willing to make an announcement to her class, and it wouldn't be hard to spread the word at the hospital. Jane might know a few people, but she'd better not bother Louise when she was so focused on her concert.
When Sandy handed over an impressive stack of flyers, Alice thanked her profusely. She wasn't going to let the forlorn animals dampen her love of the Savior's birthday, not when there was something she could do about them.
Now her first step was to tell her sisters about the project. She drove home with her head full of ideas.
At the hospital Wednesday, Alice intended to talk up her idea of taking home a pet for the holidays, but she was much too busy to do more than mention it to a few friends. Not only that, her mind was full of other things she had to do before Christmas.
For one thing, she'd forgotten to pick up a book she'd ordered as a gift for her special friend, Mark Graves, the head vet at the Philadelphia Zoo. He was hard to shop for, but her friend Viola Reed at Nine Lives had ordered a beautifully illustrated book about the endangered species of Africa.
Now that she thought of it, she could pick up the book after work and tell the shop's owner about her pets-for-Christmas project. No one in Acorn Hill loved cats more than Viola, which made her a good prospect to take at least one from the shelter.
Viola was busy with a customer when Alice walked into her shop, so she browsed until the owner was free.
“You're going to love this book,” Viola said enthusiastically when she and Alice were the only ones in the shop. “It's even nicer than it looked online.”
“I hope Mark doesn't already have it,” Alice said.
“Unlikely, since it's hot off the presses,” Viola assured her, laying it on the counter for Alice to inspect. “But if he does have it, I'll be happy to exchange it. In fact, I may order more copies. I have several customers who are interested in preserving endangered species.”
“Speaking of endangered animals,” Alice said, seizing the moment to bring up her project, “the animal shelter has a full house for Christmas. I'm trying to help place some in homes. My idea is to have people take a pet for the holidays with no obligation to keep it.”
“Sort of a trial adoption,” Viola said thoughtfully. “I imagine most people would get attached and want to keep their guest pet.”
“That's what I'm hoping. I know you have quite a few cats..”
“Nine at last count,” Viola said with a small laugh, flicking back the long gold and green silk scarf around her neck.
“Is there any chance you could take one more?” Alice asked.
“I'd absolutely love to, but there's a problem. Gatsby—you know I name all my cats after literary figures—has been out of sorts lately. It's made him hard to live with, and I'm afraid a new cat would stress him too much.”
“Is he the big black and white?” Alice a
sked.
“Yes, seventeen pounds of feline fury when he's aroused. The others avoid him, but I'm afraid a newcomer might become a target.”
“I shouldn't have asked you,” Alice said. “You already have a house full of cats to take care of.”
“Nonsense! You don't know how tempted I am to adopt one of the shelter's strays, but it's not possible right now. Maybe I can help you in some other way.”
“That would be wonderful! I have a stack of flyers in my car. Maybe you could post a few in your store window and talk up my project. I need all the help I can get.”
“It shouldn't be too hard to get people to take an animal for the holidays,” Viola said. “It's a great way to discover whether a pet is right for a family.”
“I hope you're correct,” Alice said, mentally counting the ten days until Christmas. It didn't seem like much time to place ten dogs and six cats, but she was determined to give it her best effort.
“My helper can watch the shop for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon,” Viola said. “Why don't we go out together when you're through with work? I'll make a list of people who might be willing to take a pet on a trial basis, and we can make some house calls.”
“That's a wonderful idea! I can't tell you how much I'd appreciate your help,” Alice said as she completed the transaction for the book.
“It will be fun, but let's go by car instead of traipsing all over town. My feet have had it after a long day in the store.”
“Good idea,” Alice agreed, glad she wouldn't have to worry about Viola tripping over one of the long skirts she habitually wore. “I'll come by the store as soon as I can tomorrow afternoon.”
Buoyed by Viola's enthusiasm, Alice went home with her mind full of possible prospects.
Unfortunately, her friend June Carter, owner of the Coffee Shop, was out of town visiting family in Philadelphia for the holidays. She headed a feline rescue group and no doubt would be willing to help. Alice thought of calling her for advice, but decided against it. June worked exceedingly hard, dividing her time between her business and rescue efforts. She deserved a change of scene without taking on Alice's cause.
Tales from Grace Chapel Inn Page 13