Burned for no reason

A Good Samaritan brought her to the Animal Defense League. A 7-month old Dachshund whose back had been severely burned.

ADL’s veterinary staff believe the burn may be the result of the puppy running under a car and being trapped underneath the catalytic converter although it is also possible someone poured acid on her back.

Sadly, that's very possible.

She is just one more example of what humans do to animals. Abuse them beyond reason. Beyond my ability to understand. The violence makes me cry,

We named her Gracie. And she is being treated at ADL. She will recover although she will be scared for life. Once her wounds heal she will be put up for adoption. ADL staff named her “Gracie.”

But despite what a human did to her Gracie loves people. Amazing.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

Hung from a tree.

We named her Chloe. She was found this morning hanging from a tree at Saunders and Durango near downtown San Antonio by a Good Samaritan who brought her to the Animal Defense League. She was literally hanging from a tree, a cord around her neck, tied in a slip-not so the more she moved the tighter it got.

The Good Samaritan told me, “She was crying very loudly. You could tell how scared she was. My friend and I cut her down from the tree and brought her to ADL.”

In addition to the rope burns around her neck Chloe is also covered with mange. She will be treated and rehabilitated by ADL’s veterinary staff and put up for adoption as soon as she is healed.

The Animal Defense League is the oldest no-kill shelter in South Texas and the only one with a full time veterinary hospital and staff. Part of ADL’s mission is to rescue and rehabilitate dogs and cats like Chloe so they can be adopted into forever homes.

I see animal abuse all the time. But I rarely meet the people who commit these obscene acts. Perhaps it is best we not meet. What kind of a person will hang a puppy from a tree? She is so small. So delicate. Just five months old. A Chihuahua mix who should hate humans. But as we see so often, no matter the abuse, no matter what a human has done to a dog or cat, they turn around and give us their unconditional love.

Looking into Chloe's eyes I could feel her pain. And yet I could also feel hope and love and more.

She should be fine. She will soon find a forever home. And we will share her story with her new adoptive family. They deed to know what she's been through. So they can love her even more.

Great News. Chloe went home on July 7 with a wonderful family who will foster her for a few weeks and then, if all works out, they will formally adopt her.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

A Pox on Yoshi's Human.

He's a wonderful little dog who was adopted 12 years ago from the Animal Defense League but returned to the shelter a few days ago because his human said he’s blind, old and “we don’t want him any more.”

How sad. How awful. How thoughtless. Older dogs often suffer from depression when removed from their homes. And for an older dog who also happens to be blind, the adjustment is made even more difficult.

I wasn't there when Yoshi's human brought him to ADL. Maybe that's a good thing. Because I would not have been nice to her. Not nice at all. I would have asked her whether someone should dump her when she gets old and maybe blind. Where is her sense of compassion, loyalty, love.

Dogs don't really ask for much. A little food. A little water. A little care. And yet they give so much back in return.

We’re hopeful someone will adopt Yoshi. Give him the love he so richly deserves. Yorkies can live to age 15-17 with few problems so Yoshi has a lot of years left!

As for Yoshi's former human. Boo and a phooey. May her remaining days on earth be lonely and desperate.

Great news....Yoshi was adopted by a San Antonio couple who are longtime Yorkie lovers. He has found his forever home.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008

Can you love humans too much?

Her name is Daisy. She's a lover. A beautiful German Short Haired Pointer. Her human decided he didn't want her any more because she wasn't mean, vicious or aggressive enough. He wanted a dog who would attack humans. Guard his house. A vicious killer.

He told my friend he wanted to get rid of Daisy. And he didn't care where or how. Dead would have been fine with him.

My friend brought her to the Animal Defense League. And she was adopted by a loving family within days of her arrival.

What motivates folks to spend big bucks for a dog just to turn around and dump her? He must have paid between $400 and $800 for Daisy. That's what breeders get. The family adopted Daisy for just $60.

And why would anyone intentionally want a dog that's a threat to one and all? Security experts will tell you that watch dogs come in every size and shape. Every breed. The key is do they bark when they sense a stranger in the yard or at your door. No need to bite. No need to attack. Most thugs are driven off by a barking dog.

For Daisy this story has a happy ending. Thanks to a caring Good Samaritan.

(c) Ron Aaron. 2008