Tonight a gentle and noble soul lay sleeping soundly beside me; and as I looked into his cloudy eyes, I saw not the protruding ribs from a too thin body or the unsteady legs gnarled with arthiritis but a glimpse of a "champion" that he once was.
So begins my story of a brown abandoned dog that was found in a carpark in town this week....
In the last few weeks, he had walked many streets searching desperately for the friendly faces of his people he once called family. Everything looked unfamiliar but yet they were strangely the same. Bright street lights assaulted him on his lonely trek, zooming cars whizzed past him and countless angry screaming people hurled stones as he approached. All this made him extremely frightened and confused! It wasn't long ago when things were so much different!
He is now very tired and sad - his last fond memories were that of a car ride that he had eagerly anticipated with his family. But suddenly, all that changed - they called him out of the door and he bounded out happily eager to please and as soon as he was on the pavent - his cloudy eyes could just barely make out the sight of an all too familiar car hurtling away in the distance and in an instant, he was left all alone.
He is certain that they will return for him. Minutes pass, hours lapse, days come and go and with it he things that something has happened to his family. He feels the need to look for them as they are not safe without their little "champion".
He is certain that they love him. He has not changed from the playful puppy they once selected and loved. Although he is now older, he was still the same dog that "championed" the causes they being humans, strongly believed in. Had he not been loyal, brave and selfless as he dutifully played protector to both their house and family. His heart pounded as strongly and as bravely as when he was a pup, his bark remained loud and confident and his unwavering and steadfast love was the same as ever. No - they did not leave him because he had become old!!!!
He needed to find them - they would be in peril without him - and so he continues his lonely quest to find them - the family that he so loved.
Today, his legs have failed him - he lies down quietly in a secluded area. Some people gather around him, he looks up but sees no one. He closes his eyes. He is injured they exclaim. He must be in pain - is he dying? He hears their voices of concern but they mean nothing to him. They are right, he is dying - the pain from a broken heart overwhelms him and his breathing becomes laboured. He waits for a quick release ..... willing for it to happen as fast as possible.
Suddenly he hears voices - voices that ease the pain somewhat - the tightness eases -he struggles to his feet - he looks up and though the face is unfamiliar it is the tone he recognises. He edges closer - unsure and fearful of possible rejection - will she too turn him away as so many have done so not too long ago? He gingerly licks her fingers not knowing what to expect and felt her warm hands cupping his face, stroking his grey whiskers before whispering quietly in his blood-swollen ears - "You will be fine my dear- you will be going home........ "
So ends our dog's quest to find his home - in this instance he found another - where he will be loved till it is time for him to bid his final goodbye. Sadly such endings are a rarity in these times - there are just too many unwanted animals and too few homes out there willing to take them.
The hard financial reality of abandoned animals is that it is far cheaper to have them euthanized as opposed to rehoming them. For Noah's Ark - each animal taken into our folds amounts to anything between $ 400 - $ 1,000 in medical fees. The cost and time of our fostering and training can not even be quantified!! Yet ever so often we are screamed at and cursed when we are unable to accede to every request to help.
Please try to understand that we have both our financial and physical limitations. We are trying our best to do what we feel is in the best interests' of the animal so bear with us. Sadly we will not be able to save most of these animals and hence our continued commitment to mass sterilization and educate responsible animal ownership entails. We believe that without these two prongs of action - things can never get better.
So if you really wish to help such animals - look within yourself first - what are you prepared to sacrifice - your time, your money , your home to help.... or is the only thing you freely give are your words?
Yet despite these setbacks, we will continue with our limited resources to do what we can for such animals and more. I guess for all of us at Noah's Ark - we believe that every bit makes a difference to these animals so if you too believe - please continue to help us help them.
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