What could make a story of saving hurt, abandoned dogs extra special? How about if they come from halfway across the world? My sharp-eyed friend Doug (you did it again, D!) sent me a clipping from the Portland Oregonian's March 3 2009 issue. Its title: "Importing abused dogs for adoption hailed, faulted." So I was hooked. Unfortunately the Oregonian makes you subscribe to see their articles online. I must give you the gist of the story.
Two Portland-area shelters decided to open their hearts and resources to four dogs from Mexico and three dogs from Thailand. One of the shelters, Must Love Dogs NW, had never taken dogs from farther than Bend (Oregon) before, but made an exception for the Thai dogs as a favor to a veterinarian friend. The Pixie Project places dogs from Mexico when they can. Unfortunately, the poverty of many other countries doesn't permit the same care and nurture of pets we try (try, I say) to provide in the US. The dogs arrived afraid, physically hurt, starving, obviously terrorized by people - sometimes missing bits. Now they are on the mend till they find their new homes.
Some folks thought this was great. Other folks thought this was stupid and said so.
In the final analysis, living beings have had their sufferings amended. You can't always tell where you will find a suffering creature, so why not try to help if your heart calls you to do so? I remember people thinking I was a tad nuts for taking Elizabeth in, but it worked out.
Anyway, both shelters have very nice websites and you should look at them.
Here's Must Love Dogs NW.
Here's The Pixie Project.
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- curator
- Washington, United States
- loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !
2 comments:
It's a hard call, isn't it? I find that because of the Internet I have a sense that the world is closing in and we are becoming more aware of each other, but the flip side is that I sometimes feel overwhelmed at how enormously wide-spread the suffering is.
I agree with you - in the end, some animals were helped.
It reminds me of the story of the guy who comes across an old man walking along the beach picking up stranded starfish that have been washed up in their thousands because of a storm. The guy says he thinks the old man isn't making a difference. The old man throws yet another starfish into the water and says, "Well, I made a difference to this one."
Exactly, Parlance. "I made a difference to that one."
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