Thursday, July 31, 2014

Thoughtless Thursday-How Can Anyone Be So Thoughtless?

I want my blog to be a primarily happy place, filled with pleasant stories of dogs, cats, and vintage items, so I very nearly didn't write this post.  Then I decided I owe it the memory of the dog I am writing about to create something in her honor.

On Monday I saw a truly horrible example of animal cruelty.  While leaving my house to take Weasley for his evening walk I noticed a filthy pillow case lying on the side walk.  I assumed it was a piece of trash someone had dumped, then Weasley smelled the case and it moved.  Inside was a grey and white pit-bull pup.  The puppy was barely breathing and completely listless with only slight movements.  I yelled in shock which summoned the neighbors and a nearby UPS man.

The UPS man called 911 while the neighbors and I tried to get a better look at the dog.  No one had ever seen the puppy before, she seemed to be about four months old, we couldn't see any obvious injuries but we were afraid to move her.  We weren't sure if she had been hit by a car or was just very sick.  Meanwhile the 911 operator dispatched an animal control officer but had no idea how  long it would take.  I wanted to bring the dog to the vet immediately so with the help of a lady who was just passing through I put the puppy in my pet stroller and we began walking her to the vet, our vet is only a few blocks away. Several times on the walk to the vet I feared the dog had stopped breathing and I knew she was near death.  The lady I was with wanted to name her Baby and was more hopeful about her condition  then I was. 

When we got to the vet's office my regular veterinarian wasn't in so we had to see a doctor I had never met before.  She took one look at the dog and after checking her vitals said she was extremely dehydrated and weak with very pale gums.  The vet said she was near death but I asked for x-rays to see if there was perhaps a fixable problem.  X-rays revealed no injuries but just a very shrunk intestine, based on the puppy's appearance and the x-rays the vet told me she almost definitely had parvovirus.   Her prognosis was very grave even with treatment, which would cost at least 1000 dollar and held a very slim chance of survival.  By this point I was nearly crying and the animal control officer had arrived at the hospital.  The vet and the officer both advised that I let animal control take over.   The officer took my name and explained that based on the advice of the vet they would have to euthanize the dog.  Since she was not my dog I wasn't allowed to stay with her during the  procedure, which I still feel badly about.

Baby was a very young dog who should have had many happy years ahead of her.  If her owner had only paid for a few simple vaccines, available for a very low cost in several nearby locations, she would still be alive.  What is even worse then not getting her the vaccines is the way she was dumped though, like a worthless piece of trash, even if the owner could not afford vaccines or vet care there is simply no excuse for that.  He or she could have brought the dog to the local animal shelter so she wasn't afraid and alone.  

In the days since I found Baby I am feeling really down about people in general.  As most readers of this blog know I live in New Jersey, fairly near Manhattan, in a highly gentrified area that can be generously described as up and coming and more realistically described as rough.  While in many ways the area is improving thanks to the sky rocketing real estate prices in Manhattan and swankier areas of Jersey City, there is still definitely some crime here.  Just a few weeks ago a young police officer, Melvin Santiago, was tragically shot and killed at the CVS just a few blocks away.  The lack or respect for life and the violence is very depressing.

However, if I focus on the bright side of things I acknowledge that several of the people in my neighborhood were very concerned about the puppy.  I was able to tell a few people that didn't know before the Mayor's office has low cost veterinary health services.  Hopefully they will tell others and it will do some good, often this information is only on the internet and doesn't reach the people who need it the most.  When I lived in Brooklyn I used to see mobile low cost vet clinic vans, but sadly I don't see them in Jersey.   After the incident the lady who went to the vet with me and who had taken my number texted me to ask how the dog was doing.  She was pretty upset she hadn't made it but told me she was happy to know there were people like me who still cared.  She isn't a pet owner but she told me that she plans to do some volunteer work with animals now and I gave her the information for the local animal shelter. 

Baby ? 2014-July 29, 2014



 

25 comments:

  1. I was saddened to read this post. We have two labs and even though I often wish we had a larger property for them to run around on all day, we do our best to care for them. I don't understand why you would get a pet of any kind without taking on the responsibility of caring for them. We had a time a couple years ago where people kept abandoning dogs and cats at our church. Members took as many home as they could, but we had to start taking them to an animal shelter, because there were too many. Eventually even the local shelter ran out of room for them. Somehow a lady was able to convince another shelter to take them even though it was technically in another county.
    God says in the Bible that "the heart of man is deceitfully wicked above all things, who can know it?" The point in context being that we all have the potential to do horrible things as humans to each other and animals, things that defy our understanding of why we or others do them. The hope can be found in knowing that even though God knows every detail of our hearts and even our thoughts (even the ones we would be ashamed for anyone to ever know about), He still loved us enough to send Jesus His Son to take our place and face the punishment we deserved for our sins. We are all capable of doing horrible things, but God's grace and love can overcome our very nature.
    Praying that things look more hopeful in your future.
    Sarah

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    1. Nicely put, Sarah.

      While this is very sad, I am glad that in the end, Baby was cared for and loved by those of you that took the time to try and help her.

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  2. I read about this on your facebook page a few days ago. I am glad you told the story here also. Sometimes the hard things in life need to be discussed , and it seems that the people here in blogville always are intuitive to even what are needs of a writer are. I have been reading a lot lately about fighting dogs, pit bull puppies, etc. etc. I wonder if where she came from could have been one of those places and after they realized she was sick, then she was of no use to them. I don't know, I just know that for a short time in her life, she knew much more love and caring then ever before, and that was because of you. You did a good job. I know you heart is hurting.
    Hugs
    Stella Rose's Momma

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  3. People really make mom sick sometimes too. What a tragedy about the pup and kudos to you. Mom said she is buying an island and moving there to get away from this madness
    Snorts
    Lily & Edward

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  4. What a sad sad story. How can anybody do such thing to a living being? Sorry you could help the puppy, but you did what you could.

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  5. Very sad. It truly is hard to understand some human beings. That's probably why I love my dogs so much.

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  6. Aw how can anyone be so thoughtless indeed. Very nice post and I hope it drives some perspective in others. Thanks for sharing on Thoughtless Thursday with us!

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  7. Oh no...what a sad story. How could anyone do such thing to this precious life.
    Thank you for rescuing her. Even though she could not make it, you did the best you could do for her.

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  8. oh my god!
    That would be such a horrid thing to find...I am so sorry they could not help her. Why are people so stupid! I teared up through reading this post! There are far to many stories like this out there, and it just sickens me. Thanks you for beinging attention to it today.
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  9. Gosh that's so sad. I'm so sorry you had to experience that, but so glad that YOU found her and at the very least, she didn't die a prolonged death. People just really suck some times. That is probably one of the harder things I've found about pet blogging, you really get exposed to the terrible side of humanity.

    But YOU, you did a good thing and I hope in time you will be able to see what a blessing you were to Baby. Thank you for doing that. It is people like you who give me faith in the human race.

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  10. Thank you for your kindness towards animals...we've rescued many a dumped cat and several litters of kittens people have dumped near our house. We've thankfully been able to adopt them all out, we had one stray kitten I nursed until she was old enough to go to a friend of mine. You can hear her whole story here: she got me into blogging http://aaveryscorner.blogspot.com/2014/05/orphaned-kitten-part-1.html

    It's terrible what people do to animals - I just thank God their are people out their like us who care.

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  11. Hugs to you for doing what you could for Baby. I cannot understand how anyone could do this. just so sad.
    love
    Bailey, Hazel & Greta

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  12. Oh dear that is such a sad story. We can always try to look for the positives, but sometimes it is difficult not to despair.
    All the best from your friends in Scotland,
    Gail and Bertie.

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  13. Thanks for taking care of that poor baby during her last few hours of what must have been a very unloved life. Humans...I just don't understand them sometimes. ♥

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  14. You did right by that puppy in every way possible. I have no answer to how people can be so cruel, but you did a lot of very good things to help people in the neighborhood find resources to be better pet parents. As terrible as this was, your kindness made it better than it would have been if you hadn't been there.

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  15. Sometimes people really, truly suck. Glad that Baby had a dignified and peaceful end instead of starving to death on the street. You are good people.

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  16. You tried so hard to help, and you did all that you could.
    I know your hurting soo bad,,, and this story is soo sad.
    love
    tweedles

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  17. This is so terrible. I'm so sorry you went through this, but you did a great thing - you gave that puppy cuddles and love for the last few hours/moments of her life. Whoever abandoned her was cruel beyond belief, but thank God for kindhearted people like you. <3 RIP, Baby!

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  18. Like you, I get very down about people when I hear about incidents like this. As you say, however, it highlighted the goodness in other people, yourself included, and I am also glad to be reminded of that.

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  19. I am so sorry to read about what happened. Of course you will feel down and upset. However you did the right thing. I too don't understand people who can do such a callous thing. Unfortunately there are people who have no respect for the living. In all of this there are good people and try and cling onto that. Sending virtual hugs.
    Best wishes Molly

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  20. This is a really sad incident! :( I think the worst part is you not being able to stay with her because she "wasn't your dog".

    I also live in North NJ, and I'd like to have an American Pit Bull Terrier in our family (no pets now), so the story seems "nearer" to me.

    The concern of neighbors for this sweet dog is a bright spot. I hope you have a really nice vacation this month. :)

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  21. What a terrible fate for any animal. They are not trash. Thank you and those who cared! Baby might not have made it but it sounds as if she left a legacy of hope and help for others.

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  22. I am completely heartbroken reading this post. I'd like to say this surprises me, but sadly it doesn't... people are awful. Thank YOU for finding Baby and trying as hard as you could to give her a life which she so deserved. She sure is a cutie pie... I hope that she is happily romping over the Bridge. (and as for the vet, I simply can not believe they would not allow you to stay with her while she crossed)

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  23. Every fiber of my being is grieving over this incredibly heartbreaking, horrifically sad story. Thank you, Kate, thank you more than I could ever put into words, for doing all that you could to try and help Baby. She was, and now is even more so, an angel, who didn't deserve this for the tiniest of seconds (no animal ever does!!!).

    ♥ Jessica

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  24. So very sad. I'm sure that precious baby was happy to know that through her last hours, people loved and cared for her. You did an incredibly kind thing taking her straight to the vet Kate, so sorry she didn't make it.
    Lynne x

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