(People who work in animal rescue and welfare speak of the ‘war’ – it is a war against incredible odds with scarce resources and a never-ending time-frame. I’m not sure we’re winning it. – animalman)
Today I put down a dog. I don’t know if she had an owner and I don’t know if she had a name.
She was just an old dog, probably not nearly as old as she looked, who had spent her whole sad life in a bad place. She was very thin and had bad mange of most of her body, and ticks and fleas and worms. Her hindquarter had collapsed, partly from malnutrition and partly from bad arthritis from old untreated injuries. Her ears had been cut short and were eaten away by flies. Her teeth were stumps,probably from biting at wire or a chain. Her well-worn teats were hanging from raising litter after litter of puppies. There was no fur on her back end from dragging herself around. She wagged her naked tail and tried to crawl to us, thrilled to have a kind touch, even though she was in a strange vehicle taken by strange people to a strange place.
She is not a newsworthy abuse case, or a dramatic rescue story, or a happy-ending adoption. One of the FOUR PAWS teams got to her in time to give her a kind and gentle death. But nobody was there to give her a better life. Everything wrong with her was preventable or treatable. She shows us that there is still not enough….
Not enough public awareness or education about animal welfare
Not enough organisations prepared to go into the bad places
Not enough money or people or vehicles for those that are
Not enough people marketing and fundraising for charities
Not enough professionals prepared to do charity work
Not enough people volunteering to help a little
Not enough shelters with not enough space
Not enough enforced legislation against neglect and abuse
She’s just another nameless casualty in the battle against ignorance and the pet population explosion. There is no armistice in this war. The burden falls on too few too much of the time. The grave of the unknown soldier is a black plastic bag in a freezer in a veterinary clinic. And the war goes on.
Shelagh Hahn
So true my friend. I weep but this is not going to help these animals. You need support, money and people need to open their eyes to the cruelty they inflict upon innocent animals. There needs to be laws in place to end the breeding of animals, whilst animals are killed in their thousands in shelters.
So many wrongs, but when will we ever learn???? :((((
it was so difficult to read this but totally necessary as even the remarks after are all so true…. definately not enough as shirley said… education education education!!! would it help – perhaps?
It’s just too terribly sad and heart wrenching! I wish I could have been there to lift her up into my arms and give her some genuine love and affection. I know whoever did pick her up must have done it for me and I thank you beautiful people over and over again for the unbelievable hard work that you do. It must tear up your hearts every day, but also give you so much joy and happiness to see the magnificent results you achieve! Thank you so very much, you will all be blessed. If you have never loved an animal, you have never loved.
That poor little poppet, and she still wagged her tail! How can any human being ignore such suffering.
the human race is a let down …..we are not the “supreme” being that we think we are! too many people dont care or just walk past and just dont think its their problem… we were put on this earth with ALL OTHER LIVING CREATURES…..YET WE ARE ONES KILLING FOR “FUN” OR “SPORT” OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT… compassion is very hard to find and to those who rescue and dont turn their backs and take it upon themselves to help these poor souls…YOU ARE NOT HUMANS….YOU ARE ANGELS BECAUSE HUMANS ARE MONSTERS!!!!
dis so hartseer, het trane in my oë ek wens ek het geweet waarom mense so iets aan diere doen. sy is nou by ‘n beter plekkie naby Jesus se voete. al haar pyn en lyding is weg en ek is seker sy is nou die gelukkigste hond wat mens in die hemel kan kry.
That’s the problem with the world…NOT ENOUGH
NOT ENOUGH caring
NOT ENOUGH compassion
NOT ENOUGH understanding
NOT ENOUGH love
I am just at an utter loss for words 🙁
And we are called superior, why can’t we treat all God’s creation with the love and respect it so deserves. Where is the compassion in this superior creation. I need to toughen up and face reality and try to change the way people treat animals and at the very least see animals. If each of us do just a little bit we can make a difference is some animals lives. Let each of us try.
Again the tears fall. What is it with humans and thank God we have somewone like this who is not afriad to say it how it is. I do agree that abuse against children receives far higher support and I know some cannot speak for themselves but these poor abused defensless animals bear what ever is thrown at them and still wag their tails and trust us. Why? Maybe one day they will turn and start defending themselves and I hope I am there to see it for all those people without a heart or soul.
Oh no so sad,I so wish I could have been there for her,its rips my heart apart reading this. R.I.P at rainbow bridge. XXXX
Sad but true.
i really wish more people could read this. I will share with as much people as i can.
Very, very sad. Incredibly heartbreaking – but so very, very true. This doesn’t say much about humans – and I am not proud to be one (even though my animals are treated exceedingly well and I do help wherever and whenever I can). I don’t like people even though I know that there are many good ones out there. How can we be at peace with ourselves when there is so much pain out there being suffered by those that rely on us. Ghandi has a phrase that I believe in so strongly and I base my judgment of others on it – “you can tell the measure of a country and its people by the way they treat their animals (and children)” – the “and children” is my inclusion – because there is also so much abuse against children in this country.
There is a hell and it is here on this planet earth and the animals are suffering in it!