A couple once decided to expand their family, and they got a few puppies and started raising them. They took their family responsibilities very seriously, and did everything they could to make sure their pets were treated well, given good food, and were exposed to experiences that helped them grow and prosper. The couple was by no means perfect, but the puppies were well-loved, and the family was very happy and enjoyed their time together.
One day, the couple came across an abused dog that was wandering in the neighborhood. While it had belonged to a neighbor, the neighbor was no longer able to care for it, and had actually hurt the dog on numerous occasions. The couple, being full of compassion for the abused pet, decided to take it in and love it like their other pets. At first the abused dog was wary, but it learned the family routine, and was soon running and jumping like the other dogs. It shared in the good food and other outings the family enjoyed, and it prospered and lived a new and exciting life full of possibilities. The couple loved each of their dogs equally, and was delighted to note the differences in abilities and personalities. They encouraged each of their pets to do their best in whatever area they exceled in, and they often took all of their dogs to dog parks, competitions, beaches, walks through the neighborhood, and other fun activities.
The new dog, named Agape, prospered in her new home for the first several years. Then, one day, she discovered that she could escape the backyard enclosure by digging out under the fence. Agape loved the freedom of being out of the back yard, and even though she had plenty of good food at home, she found that the neighbors often left their trash cans unattended, and she started digging through them and eating the scraps she found inside. Eating that trash made her stomach hurt and sometimes made her sick, but she continued, day after day, digging under the fence and eating the trash. She liked the trash so much, that she began avoiding her food bowl and rarely ate anything at home.
The couple was distressed and tried fill in the hole, but Agape dug new ones and still left the yard on a regular basis. She often returned after an entire evening of roaming the neighborhood, and many times, she vomited in the yard after eating food that didn’t agree with her stomach. The other dogs sometimes ate the vomit, and it made them sick as well. The couple finally put an electric fence around the bottom to keep Agape from digging, but after tasting that freedom, she was determined to get out, and soon learned how to jump over the fence, avoiding all precautions the couple put in place. She still usually returned the next morning, but when the couple tried to feed her, she now snapped at them and often bit their hands when they poured the food into the bowl.
The couple was very upset, and often had to seek medical attention for the dog bites on their hands, arms, and legs. Agape got more and more vicious, and although the couple still loved Agape, they weren’t sure how to show her love since she was so aggressive. They tried to get help and contacted a dog trainer, but even after months of training, Agage didn’t change. In fact, the biting got worse, and she managed to draw blood on several occasions and really wound the couple. The other dogs also became more aggressive, and the happy times the family had experienced in the past seemed like a dim memory.
Finally, Agape jumped the fence and didn’t come home the next morning. Although the couple looked for her and tried to find her, she could not be found. Days later, they found Agape living in a trash pile, but when they tried to approach her, she once again snapped at them, and viciously bit them both. The couple left her there, devastated. They agreed to try to help her if she ever returned home, but they realized that they could not force Agape to leave the trash pile, despite their good intentions. Agape had made her choice.
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