One of my new friends over at "Don't Make Drugs" is a sweet girl named Lacey. Lacey and I are finding out that we have much more in common than we knew. One of those things got sparked when she wrote a post that struck a cord in me called Lady T.R.A.S.H. I knew she had something deep in her, that I have deep in me. It is something that I know God sees as a blessing, but sometimes my family and friends have seen as an obscene annoyance. It is a deep compassion and drive that (comes at the most inconvenient times)leads you save and help animals in need. She told her story and in honor of the emblem we now share on our blogs, I thought I should tell a deserving story too! (Future note Lacey: I think that should be the entitlement for people to take the logo if they want to be in TRASH!)
It was the fall of 2005, and our family had out of town guest come to visit. Along with another family we met up with we all went up to Caesar's Creek for their annual Pioneer Village. This is held outside throughout the woods. It was in the 50's and a beautiful autumn day, getting closer and closer to bitter cold nights. The people there were all dressed up in their pioneer garb and pots of apple butter and stew were cooking in the breeze. The leaves were all colorful and fallen and there were 12 of us, 6 adults, and 6 kids. We came across a little Benji type mutt who the pioneer workers said they fed frequently and lived in the woods. This little guy had tuffs of brown hair (what hair he had) but mainly just patches of tough hard scabbed skin. He was a solid bone. From top to bottom, just skin covering his bones. When you petted him. I was horrified, the the workers nonchalantly said "oh yes, we see him and feed him when we can!" They told me that this state park was a common drop off spot for people to leave their dogs. I think the thing that broke my heart the most was the demeanor of this dog. His face lit up when he saw someone giving him love and he was so friendly and adoring. Here life had not done a thing for him, and routinely people passed him by, but he looked up at you with a happy face! I got him a bowl of water and we scrounged up some food, and I knew I couldn't just walk away. It was almost winter, and it was getting cold. There was no shelter for him, he had almost no hair. It was the weekend and we had all these children and friends looking at me. I pleadingly looked at my husband to help me. We called the emergency number for the Humane Society, and they said it would take 30 minutes at least. I apologized to my friends, and while Mike and them went off to salvage the day, me and that dog found a sunny patch and laid in the sun and waited.
I knew it probably wouldn't be good for the dog. But it was all I could do at the moment. He and I laid there and I petted him. I stroked him from head to tail and talked soothingly. His brown eyes looked up at me trustingly and he even dozed off a few times. He was at such loving peace with me there in that warm sun patch getting petted.
Soon enough they came from the SPCA. They told me he was covered in Mange and that I needed to go home and shower and wash my clothes. I felt miserable for the dog. I felt miserable for my guests.
I let it eat at me until the following Monday, I showed up when they opened, just to see how he was doing...maybe I could work it out with another dog.
Oh no, they said. He was too far gone. They had to put him down right away. He had a severe case of mange and was very sick.
No, it wasn't a happy ending......but that little dog did not die cold, and alone, starving in the wood. I feel what I did was all I could. It makes me so mad that people are not responsible enough to take care of animals that they just drop them off like that!
Well, there is one of my stories. If you feel a comradeship like that you are welcome to join us! Take our logo~and go fight dirty!
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