On my birthday, being an unloved and ugly dog, I’ve been overlooked by all; I’m still longing for a happy day
Today is my birthday, but it feels like any other day. No one has remembered, no one has noticed, and no one has cared. I am an unloved dog, forgotten by the world, and overlooked by everyone who passes by. I may not be the prettiest or the friendliest dog, but I still have feelings. I still long for a happy day, even though it seems that happiness is always out of reach for someone like me.My fur is scruffy and matted, my eyes no longer shine the way they used to, and my body has grown thin from lack of food. I wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, I was a cute puppy with shiny fur and bright eyes. People used to stop and smile at me, petting my head and cooing over how adorable I was. But as I grew older, and perhaps less adorable by human standards, the attention I once received slowly faded away.
It’s funny how quickly people forget about you when you no longer fit their idea of “cute.” I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. I’ve watched as other dogs—cuter, younger, or better-behaved—get adopted, petted, and loved, while I sit on the sidelines, waiting for someone to see me. But no one does. I’m the dog people avoid. I’m the dog that doesn’t get a second glance, let alone a home.The years have passed, and with each one, my hope has dimmed a little more. Today, as I sit here on my birthday, that hope is barely a flicker. It’s hard not to feel bitter. It’s hard not to ask why? Why am I the one who’s unloved? Why am I the dog that no one wants? Is it because I’m not beautiful? Is it because I’m not young and playful anymore? Or is it simply because the world has moved on, and I’m just one more stray in a world full of forgotten animals?The loneliness I feel is overwhelming. Every day, I watch as people walk by, too busy to even look in my direction. They’re wrapped up in their own lives, their own problems, and I can’t blame them for that. But I can’t help but wish that, just once, someone would stop. Someone would notice me and offer a kind word, a pat on the head, or even just a smile. I don’t ask for much—just a little love, a little recognition that I’m still here, still alive, still waiting for happiness.
I know I’m not the only dog who feels this way. There are many like me—dogs who have been abandoned, neglected, and overlooked by a world that seems to value youth and beauty above all else. We are the forgotten ones, the dogs left behind when our cuteness fades, and the excitement of having a puppy wears off. But just because we’re not puppies anymore doesn’t mean we don’t deserve love. We still have so much to give, if only someone would take the time to see us.As the sun sets on my birthday, I think back to the days when I was loved. It wasn’t that long ago, though it feels like a lifetime now. I had a family once. They weren’t perfect, but they were mine. They gave me food, shelter, and a little bit of love—enough to keep me happy, enough to make me feel like I belonged somewhere. But then, things changed. I don’t know why. Maybe they grew tired of me, or maybe life got too busy, and I became an afterthought.
Whatever the reason, they left me. One day, they didn’t come home, and I was left to fend for myself. At first, I waited. I waited for days, then weeks, hoping they would come back for me. But they never did. Eventually, I realized that they weren’t coming back, and I had to find my own way in the world. It wasn’t easy. I had no idea how to survive on my own. I scavenged for food, slept in alleyways, and learned to avoid the dangers of the streets. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the loneliness.It’s hard to describe what it feels like to be unloved. It’s a heavy, hollow feeling that sits in your chest and never quite goes away. It follows you everywhere, reminding you that you’re not wanted, that you’re not worth loving. And yet, despite everything, there’s still a part of me that holds on to hope. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because, deep down, I still believe that happiness is possible. Maybe it’s because, even though the world has forgotten me, I haven’t completely forgotten how to hope.
I’ve heard stories of dogs like me—dogs who were unloved and overlooked for years, only to find a family who truly cared for them. It gives me a little bit of comfort to know that it’s possible, that maybe one day, someone will see me and realize that I’m not just an ugly, unloved dog. I’m more than that. I have a heart, I have feelings, and I have love to give. I just need someone to give it to.So, on this birthday of mine, as I sit here in the fading light, I make a wish. I wish for a happy day. I wish for a day when someone will notice me, when someone will see past the dirt and the scruff and recognize the dog I still am inside. I wish for a day when I won’t have to go to bed hungry, when I won’t have to wonder if anyone cares about me. I wish for a day when I’ll feel loved again.It’s a simple wish, really. But it’s all I have.Until then, I’ll keep waiting. I’ll keep hoping. Because even though the world has overlooked me, even though I’ve been forgotten by everyone who once cared about me, I haven’t given up. I’m still here, and I’m still longing for a happy day.
