Pet shop

“Here, it's damp, cold and above all dark...so dark!
My name is the bitch in the 3rd cage on the left.
That's what “they” say when they talk about me.
I'm 3 years old and about 60 days pregnant and so hungry.
Fortunately, I think I'll still get something to eat.
A piece of bread probably, but I've long since given up hope of a more substantial meal and have learned to be content with that.
There are around 25 bitches here, all more or less related.
My mom is 3 cages away, but we never see each other.
We only come out of the cages when it's time to breed, and even then, more often than not, “they” bring the male here. He's locked up 6 cages away.
I often wonder what the outside world is like. Is it dark and cold everywhere?
I'm so hungry and nobody comes.
I feel the contractions in my belly, my babies won't be long, they're impatient, but here, the expression “to see the day” doesn't exist and I'd like to hold them a little longer.
I know what's going on inside me.
After 5 litters in just over 2 years, I'm used to it, you know.”

A few days later...

“My puppies are born, I'm not sure when: day or night?
It's all dark here, so you quickly lose track of time.
There are 3 males and 5 females.
One of the little ones looked so sick, she didn't survive 24 hours.
I cried and moaned for help, but nobody came.
Much later, “they” took her lifeless little body away, cursing “that damn dog”.
I wonder where she is now.
I'm always hungry and so are my puppies.
It's hard, very hard, dark and cold.
But the presence of these little lives around me fills my heart with a little joy.
Yet they're so strangely calm.
Have I done something wrong, my tummy hurts so much.”

Five weeks later...

“I'm alone.
Yesterday 'that man' took my puppies away from me.
They're so small, too small.
I tried to protest but a slap on the head and a kick in the belly shut me up.
I had hoped that at least this time it would be different.
The hour of separation had not yet come.
Where are they now?
They know nothing of the outside world.
There are so many things I'd like to teach them, but all I've ever known is this cage!
I was born in it and I've never left.
My belly hurts terribly.
The solitude is unbearable.
I've never had anyone to play with, never had a friendly hand on me. I must have done something wrong.
Yet I gently greet “this man” in the hope of a kind word, a little caress.
I must have done something wrong.
My belly hurts so much.
I hope my little ones can manage, I've taught them so little in this cage.
3 of them are so sick, I hope they'll pull through.
The pain is getting more and more intense, I'm moaning in pain but nobody will come to my rescue.
I'm alone and miserable.
What crime have I committed?
The pain increases as the hours go by.
I'm burning with fever, I've stopped moaning. But no one comes.
As usual, I face my distress alone.
I'm hot and then cold, so hot and then so cold again.
I'm in pain, so much pain.
I don't know how long I'll last.
I'd like to keep my babies a little longer, and see the outside world at least once.
Is it that dark out there?
The pain is unbearable.
I think I'm going to fall asleep and never wake up.
But you know, my mom told me a story about a world with trees, green lawns and warm sunlight...
There were other dogs to play with...
Who knows...maybe that's where I'm going...”

A few hours later, “the man” came over, muttered an expletive at the filthy beast of a dog and called out, “hey, here's a dead one”...