Baby steps back from hell

As a dog, being born unwanted in Romania means they will most likely suffer the consequences for it. Justice or logic will not stand in the way of them getting abused, injured or, often times, killed. Stray dogs are responsible for a number of things that go wrong in this country, including poverty, as it is a known fact that their keep in public and private shelters sucks a lot of the budget funds that should be better used in hospitals and schools; never mind that public shelters use that money only on paper and that private shelters are not funded by the government, the general public knows best.

            Although useless, dangerous and dirty, stray dogs have the great quality of being excellent target practice material for professional or amateur hunters. One can find them dumped all over the fields and, because they haven’t completely lost their domestic side, they come greeting the hunter in the hope of being rescued, instead of running away and saving their lives. The police and media keep silent, because nobody cares about a few stray dogs getting shot and the general public can sleep peacefully knowing that Bambi wasn’t murdered...seriously, it’s just a few dogs no one wants, thousands more will be born in no time...

            Lucky is the survivor of such an attack and, because she was found in time, by good people, she became the leading lady of her sad story; hundreds of other such victims die alone, unknown, without ever experiencing anything but hunger and pain.

She was found this winter on a field, lying in her own blood, after being shot and left for dead in the middle of nowhere. Lucky was rushed to the clinic and benefited the Homeless Animal Hospital program, which means she had top quality medical services for free. Both her hind legs were broken and dozens of bullet parts were found under the skin in different areas; she almost lost the fight after the first surgery that fixed her right back leg. A long and very hard recovery followed, but Lucky’s will to live touched everyone’s hearts. I was there for 4 days and got to witness her ordeal. I took her out in the yard a few times a day and fed her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible, although she had an external fixation on her right leg and still a broken tibia on her left; she ate, but her body was too hurt at that time and we were afraid for her life. Lucky had to have a blood transfusion, after which her health improved a lot. 

Lucky spent a few minutes outside with me or with another member of the staff; though painful, she was trying to stand for a few minutes to pee and then carefully get away so she wouldn’t get dirty. Watching her stand still, with her plastic cone and metal fixation, without making a peep, without complaining or asking why did this happen to her or asking for justice or hysterically cursing her attacker...just staring at the concrete or sometimes looking for the sky, humbly accepting whatever we were offering, food and water or even medicine, basic things that should have been hers all along, made me rethink a lot of things. She didn’t know why she was there or what she had done to deserve this, but that small crate was her home where she felt safe and wanted, a home she had earned at the expense of her blood.

This brave girl pulled through and had her second surgery that fixed the broken tibia. She is now on all four and recovering in the home of her rescuer, Mama Hope, where she is also learning about how it feels to be loved and cared for. Lucky is a very sweet girl and her heart, although stopped for a few moments on the operating table, was never resentful towards people. Such a great lesson to be learned by all of us about forgiveness and humility and such a painful way for her to show it to us! We are lucky to have them as best friends...while we still do!

Lucky is one of the fortunate few who make it back from hell. She got to see the humanity’s worst side, but she is now taking baby steps in finding out just how great life can be.

If you were touched by Lucky’s story, please support Romania Animal Rescue’s struggle in preventing such violence by sparing the lives of the thousands of unwanted puppies born each year    in Romania. Spay/neuter is the kindest, most selfless act of love we could do for them, as it prevents them having to experience a life full of torture and indifference. Also, learn about our Homeless Animal Hospital project that helps animal in need and poor owners and their pets: http://homeless-animal-hospital.org/http://homeless-animal-hospital.org/

Choose to be part of the solution, support free spay/neuter projects throughout Romania by donating to Romania Animal Rescue using these details:

                                USA paypal : romaniadogs@sbcglobal.net;

                                UK paypal: donations@animalsni.uk

Please check out our website: http://www.romaniaanimalrescue.org/

Thank you!