Strange statement that may seem, but how many times do you hear people comment how good it would to be a dog? "Next life I am coming back as a dog, lay around all day, go for walks, get fed and patted". You know the deal.
If only it were that way. Not all dogs have it good. Some are abused and mistreated from conception. See "Oscar's law". If that little fella doesn't break your heart, well you best be off to the doctor to check you still have one!
http://www.oscarslaw.org/
My second labrador came from a pet shop. It was one of those adopt a pet weekends. Really a shameless marketing scam to sell people dogs. I saw this pitiful little female lab in the window and well I just had to do it. We took her home and all weekend I worked on my partner (now husband) to keep her, after all our 2 year old lab needed a friend. I won, but I did have to take her back to the pet shop to complain.
 |
| Meg, 11 years old - she was hit by a car a few weeks later |
At the vet check she had ear mites, fleas, muscle waste and calcium deficiency, in all likelihood she was going to have joint problems. So I fronted to the pet shop, kindly demanded some ear and flea treatment and calcium and complained about the state of the supposed 8 week old pup. The less than charming response was "We can take her back and refund your money".
As if I was going to hand her over to someone who wouldn't love her as much as me! We called her Meg.
I discovered she came from a "breeder" (I use that term loosely) in Victoria. At around the same time Don Burke from Burke's Backyard was highlighting the "puppy farm" industry, that is where my Meg came from.
Over the years I have told anyone who will listen not to buy from pet shops, but I never knew the extent of the industry until joining Oscars Law. Deb Tranter and her merry band of volunteers I thank you for bringing the cause to the people and highlighting the truly disgusting conditions some of these dogs begin and end their lives in.
We are also all too aware of those poor creatures who find a home and are severely mistreated. They end up dead through neglect or chronic disease, sometimes they can not be rehabilitated to be rehomed and are euthanased. Bait dogs, racing dogs, working dogs, pet dogs.
Thankfully we have people like the volunteers at South Australian Dog Rescue, AWL, RSPCA, Lort Smith Animal Hospital, CARS, CAWS and Flicks Cat Rescue, Help save the furry ones and I know there are more.
Today I took my girls out to the family day at Pet Deli Anzac Highway for the Pawfect match day. This is where SADR bring some of their prized K9s looking for some new place to call home.
I fell in love with a girl called Chicken. I could see from her scars she had been living a rough life before hand, but she was just so beautiful and gentle. I had to resist even though I know Charlie our current lab (No.3) would love her. We hope to renovate soon and I know too many stories of builders leaving gates open.
So Chicken I pray that you find a good home and that you get the love you deserve. To all the dogs and cats in limbo tonight, I am sending you my love and hopes for you to get a new home.
I am so grateful not to be a dog, although it would be pretty good to come back as one of my dogs...........
 |
| Charlie was "to give away to a good home" and 3 years old when we got him, he is 9 now. |
This is the gratitude train, enjoy your journey and be thankful you can choose where you sleep tonight.
http://www.sadogrescue.com/Dogs-for-Adoption.html
Another wonderful NO KILL SHELTER
http://www.moorookanimalshelter.com.au/
No comments:
Post a Comment