SPECIAL GIFT: A volunteer with the McKean County SPCA brought in this poem to remind residents of the “family members” they may be forgetting as the temperature outside drops. We ran it in the column several years ago.

“Special Gift”

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house…

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, with no thought

Of the dog filling their heads

And Mama in her ‘kerchief and I in my cap, knew he was cold but

Didn’t care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the

Bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, figuring the dog was free

Of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the luster of midday to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but Santa Claus —

With eyes full of tears.

He unchained the dog, once so lively and quick, last year’s Christmas

Present, now painfully thin and sick.

More rapid than eagles, he called the dog’s name, and the dog ran

To him, despite all his pain.

“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Let’s find this dog a home

Where he’ll be loved by all.”

I knew in an instant there would be not gifts this year,

For Santa had made one thing quite clear.

The gift of a dog is not just for the season, we had gotten the pup

For all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think of the kids a gift, there was one

Important thing we missed.

A dog should be family and cared for the same. You don’t give a

Gift, then put it on a chain.

And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,

“You were given a gift!

You were given a life!”