We received a call from a lady saying that a very weak
looking dog had strayed into her office, situated near a golf course and
agricultural land. She sent us a picture of the dog and told us the dog smelled
really bad and looked even worse. She gave him some water and we told her to
rush the dog to the vet.
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| This was the photo we received today from the lady |
It took her an hour to get the pet transport to pick the dog
up, and while waiting, the dog lay on the ground, gasping for air. His
breathing was so shallow and laboured that we knew he was struggling to
survive.
We don’t know where he had come from but where he was found,
there are a few breeding farms in the vicinity. We can only speculate where he
originated from.
I had made the vet appointments and was on standby to rush and
meet the dog at the vet but just as I was on the way, the pet transport called
to say the dog had passed away in his van. My heart sank. We then had to change
course, from vet to crematorium.
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| Dead on arrival |
It's been a long time since I have shed tears for a dog but when I saw the dog lying in a box at
the clinic, body all stiffened, my heart broke and tears fell. The smell of
maggots filled the room, lingering on my hair and clothes, it was overpowering
and nauseating. The dog was so badly matted, all I could tell was that it was a
brownish poodle / terrier looking dog. The fur on his legs was all wet and
smelly, as if it had been caged and neglected for years.
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| His legs |
I couldn’t tell how old he was and the lady who found him
named him Harry. So Harry he was.
I put on a pair of gloves and flipped his hardened body
over, revealing hundreds of maggots! They were thriving and feasting on what
had previously been his anus and testicles. The hole on his anus was huge
enough for me to stick my entire fist in! To reach a wound this size, and the
amount of maggots on him, it would have been at least two weeks.
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| His maggot infested wound |
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| Wound huge enough to fit my entire fist in |
Words cannot express my pain and sadness in seeing yet
another innocent life suffer.
Assuming he was a breeding / stud dog, he would have been
caged all his life for the sole purpose of making money for the owner we call
human. Perhaps he had gotten into a dog fight and had a small wound, left
untreated, it got to this stage. Or did someone cut off his testicles? We will never know the truth. For a person with no conscience, to save money
on vet bills, the easiest option was to just let the dog out and roam free. It
had outlived its purpose. A dog that had been caged all its life would have no
idea where to look for food, how to cross the road etc and with his extremely
painful wound, hunger and thirst, we can never imagine the pain, fear and
anxiety he went through just to seek help.
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| What a sorry sight. I can't imagine where they locked him |
He had found this kind lady to ask for help and as soon as
she found him, he collapsed and passed on shortly after. Perhaps he knew he was
finally safe.
I am sorry he had to suffer such a fate from mankind.
I wish we could have done more for him...
I won’t ask that breeding farms be shut down, because it is a commercial entity and it will never happen. I do however hope that we see an advancement in animal welfare, where we practice ethical breeding, letting breeding dogs rest in between heats, breeding them after they turn 2 years old and not when they are younger, providing them with nutritious food, sufficient space to run and play like a regular pet, not denying them medical attention when they require and most importantly, allowing them to retire with dignity.
I hope that the authorities come to their senses soon and try to make a positive difference for these poor dogs that make them good money.
I also hope that people STOP buying pets and consider
adoption instead. Why support breeders and animal cruelty?
Got a cute puppy recently? Look again, does it by any chance
resemble this dog? You will never know who your puppies’ parents are, don’t be
fooled.
This poor dog, Harry, will be cremated tomorrow morning.
Alas, there was an end to his suffering.
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| Rest in peace, dear child |
