There are millions of dogs and cats in shelters, waiting for someone to make a decision for them. However, some of them have a timer, known in shelters as a ,,death watch”. Each of these animals has a specific date by which they must be adopted, otherwise they will be put to sleep by the shelter.
Such is the case of Mocha, a one-year-old pit bull mix who was abandoned at the Rowan County Animal Shelter in Salisbury, North Carolina. She had been left with another dog by her heartless owner and was unable to do anything on her own. The shelter had set a deadline of November 1 for Mocha. If she was not adopted by then, she would be put down.
The frightened puppy was shivering in her cage and potential foster parents came to them. She was covered in fleas and paralyzed with fear. One of the volunteers at the shelter, Albina Albiie Chanel, wanted to show Mocha that not all people are bad. She was very sad about Mocha’s situation and wanted to give her a chance to find a family.
Every day we face human cruelty and evil. ,,This cute little girl broke my heart. Her owner abandoned her. She is skeletal, covered in fleas, constantly shaking and can’t even stand up to walk. She is a broken soul. Some days I hate people so much. Hang in there, little Moka. He has seen so much suffering in just one year.” Albina wrote. She decided to write a letter from Mocha and post it on Facebook.
She wrote: ,,Dear people, I am sitting here on death row and I am completely depressed, but I hope at least my offspring will have a better life than me. I’m sitting here very scared and waiting to be put to sleep. You see, I’m only one year old, I’ve never had a good life.”
She continues: ,,I shake so much in my hut that people pass me by. But I can’t help it, people don’t treat me well. I’m very thin but I like to eat. I tried to be brave for my photos today but I couldn’t even stand up. I tried anyway and I think the girls who were with me knew I was trying.”
The heartbreaking letter ended like this: ,,I was abandoned at boarding school with my friend by my owner. But remember, it may take me a while to get used to you because I am very scared. You can find me in hut number five. Love, Mocha.”
The message went viral and was commented and shared by thousands of people. Fortunately, a kind person heard about Mocha and went to the shelter to rescue her. Albina updated the post to tell everyone that Mocha and her sister, who came with her to the shelter, were safe. After Albina was rescued, she wrote a letter to Mocha.
She wrote the following: ,,Dear Mocha, I sat next to you and wrote a letter for the whole world to see, and that’s what they did. Happy second chance, sweet girl. May you finally be loved and cherished forever. Best wishes, my love. I love you and will always remember you.”
Thank you so much to everyone who rescued Mocha. She is just one of many on death row waiting for a loving home. Think twice before adopting or caring for an animal, it’s the only way to help close the death row in mental hospitals.