Sammy in his foster home courtesy of Noah's Arks Rescue
This morning while on Craigslist.com, I cruised over to the pet forum to see what was the "topic" of the day. A thread titled Sammy's Story seemed to provoke a lot of commentary.
I learned that this past January, a stray dog in Rains, South Carolina was found wandering the streets with both his eyes gouged out. The local shelter rescued the dog, then notified, Noahs Arks Rescue, an organization in Greenville, who covered the cost of Sammy's surgery and veterinary care.
After three hours of surgery his eyes were removed, and the sockets were sewn shut. As the Noah's Arks website states, "I now know why he has such beautiful big ears. They will now be his eyes for him."
As his recovery progressed, it was noted over and over again what a sweet dog Sammy is. How, when he was taken outside, "...he leans against you while he is walking. He is one special fellow."
Back on the Craigslist thread, critics of Sammy's story felt that far too much money was spent on one dog when the same amount could have spayed or neutered dozens of animals. Supporters of Sammy were so deeply moved by what he had endured yet survived, that they felt he deserved a second chance at life.
When an animal is purposefully harmed by human hands, what is the best recourse? Provide the necessary but expensive care? Or euthanize him to put him out of his misery, leaving the bank account intact?
In Sammy's case, a sweet dog who has a zest for life is winning the battle against the criminal who tortured him. Good people set aside financial concerns and provided the love and help this dog needed. Had he been euthanized, we would not have seen the restoration of a dog and the decency of humans.
Jennifer Smith, President of Noah's Arks Rescue gives us this update on Sammy: "Sammy is doing incredible. It is hard to believe this dog has endured so much and yet is so loving, sweet and trusting. He runs and plays just like any other dog. He knows that we will tell him to stop if he is in danger of running into or over something he shouldn't. "
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Comments
Brilliant point, Shelley, on a tough question that is that the heart of rescue, especially these days when money is so tight. Why bother saving one dog? As you put it, Sammy and the team of good people who are helping him have indeed won the fight against the loser who tortured him, and have restored not just one dog, but 'the decency of humans.' Well done!
Having donated to Sammy's rescue effort (as well as a number of other deserving canines at NAR), I feel compelled to address those who would criticize or even question others for their compassionate financial contributions to ANY particular "critical case":
Who are you to question the motivation or "logic" of a donor's choice to come to the aid of a companion animal in dire need... more often than not, a victim of heinous abuse?
I am a single parent, struggling to raise a 14-going-on-24-year-old daughter and see her though her college preparatory high school years... in addition to providing for the needs of the nine (six canine, three feline - at last count!) rescues that comprise our "forever home".
Between my daughter's tuition and "extra curriculars", completing the restoration of our 1900 Victorian home, plus the annual and "incidental" veterinary care expenses and the cost of providing premium quality food for those I've promised life-long care, there's precious little left for "discretionary" expenditures: We don't have recreational watercraft nor snowmobiles, fancy or expensive automobiles, don't take vacations (of consequence), don't indulge ourselves in expensive sporting activities, dining out, attending rock concerts, etc..
But we DO somehow manage to find $5 to $10 here, or $50 there to donate to the desperate, often life-saving medical interventions of those whose need may be greater or more immediate than our own.
During any given month, I donate via PayPal, Fundable.com, ChipIn.com (or sometimes, directly via EFT or "snail-mail") to a dozen or more such pleas... averaging perhaps $100 to $200 a month.
Not much, I'll grant you... but combined with the donations of countless other companion animal advocates across the nation (or in some more widely publicized instances, the world), I rarely see targets go unfulfilled... including those that frequently run into the thousands of dollars!
In addition, countless others contribute time and money in the form of transportation for hundreds of animal that daily traverse this country - moving from imminent euthanization at horrendously overcrowded facilities, to adoptive homes, rescues, foster care, and "no-kill" shelters that desperately try to save the lives of innumerable abandoned, unwanted, "surrendered" or abused companions... trying to compensate for the callous indifference of the general populace or to care for those misfortunate products of the insatiable avarice of puppy mill operators and "back-yard breeders", who exploit these precious souls for personal gain.
I don't presume to criticize other for what most would consider excessive or conspicuous consumption, as it is their right to do as they wish with their financial resources.
In reciprocity, I ask no less of others.
Until you've held a precious companion in your arms as they return from the brink of passing from this world - innocent victims of unspeakable abuse, whose only act of kindness ever received may have been the grocery money you've spent in desperation, trying to save their lives - and have felt the immeasurable, indescribable gratitude offered in return (unconditional love - rarely if ever found among our own species), then please refrain from even "musing" over the wisdom or sagacity of proffering substantial financial resources toward such worthy endeavors!
This poor dog deserves all the medical help, attention, and care as any animal does no matter what the cost is. I just wish they could find the sick ass so-called human beings that did this and gouge there eyes out. It just makes me sick that somebody could do this to a harmless innocent animal. Thank You to the team who helped this poor dog! All of you just ROCK! I wanna adopt Sammy and give him a great happy, loving, and caring life and home!
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