Spca June 2020
Recently, a friend of mine found a puppy on the side of the road. Emaciated, tick and flea infested, wormy but seemingly healthy. Tender hearted animal lovers, with a companion dog at home, they knew they could not leave this little one to fend for herself any longer. They bundled her into their car and immediately took her to the vet for a check-up. With a clean bill of health, they decided to keep her as part of their family.
Their question to me was how does a four- month- old helpless puppy end up abandoned and alone?
Sadly, there are several possibilities and none of them put human beings in a positive light. The most common scenario is that the puppy, as well as her littermates, may have been dumped in the nearby woods. Another possibility, equally disturbing is that the mother was discarded and gave birth in the wild. For this puppy to have been on her own for four months is difficult to comprehend but it happens more than we like to know.
When dogs roam away from their homes, they will use their keen sense of smell to hopefully find their way back. However, when a dog has been abandoned, it will usually stay in the area where it was discarded for two reasons: It has no tracks to follow home or it’s waiting for the owner to return.
Unless rescued and brought to safety, many of these animals will not make it in the wild. For them, their fates are sealed with the disappearing taillights.
We have domesticated these animals and they rely on humans for their survival. The unconscionable decision to discard helpless animals is morally wrong, inhumane and illegal.
There are three open admission animal shelters in our surrounding area. They provide a safe place to relinquish animals with no questions asked and no judgment. When a haven for the unwanted is so convenient, there is no reason to discard any domesticated animal on the side of the road.
Be responsible. Relinquish your unwanted animals to the local shelter. At least they will be protected, fed, loved and cared for. More importantly, they will be given a chance to find a good life with someone who will love them. It’s the right thing to do.
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