Every Dog’s Story Matters: Even When It Is Cut Short
A Brutal Act of Cruelty
A stray dog came into our care after suffering an injury so horrific it is difficult to comprehend.
Someone had slammed her back end into the ground with the force of a boot. The trauma forced both her knees sideways.
Perhaps the most difficult thing to accept about this case is that her injury was not recent. Our vet estimated she had been living with the damage for four to six months.
For all that time, people had seen her struggling and yet walked by, doing nothing to help. The thought of the pain she endured day after day, unseen and unsupported, makes her story all the more tragic.
A Chance at Hope
The vet team moved quickly to give her the best possible chance.
Under the guidance of a university professor of veterinary medicine, our orthopedic surgeon performed a complex and delicate operation to repair the damage. The surgery itself was a success, and for a brief time, there was hope that she might reclaim some of the life stolen from her.
Tragedy After Surgery
Fate dealt a very cruel blow that none of us could have anticipated.
Every surgery carries risk. We accept that when we go in, comforted by the knowledge that the risks are small and the benefits so often life-changing. Yet, sometimes, fate is unkind. Our fragile little waif, born in the wrong country at the wrong time, did not survive. A sudden, devastating thromboembolism took her from us.
For our vets, these moments are unbearably hard. They carry the weight of every loss, no matter how skilled, careful, and dedicated they are.
Every dog they save lifts them, but every dog they lose leaves a scar. These tragedies haunt us all, but especially those on the front line, reminding us how relentlessly cruel the environment we work in can be.
Why We Tell These Stories
Her story is not easy to tell, and perhaps even harder to read. You may feel angry or tearful, maybe even frustrated after reading this. Some people even lash out at us telling us that we should not have shared. Yet we believe it must be told.
This dog was not “just a stray.” She was a life, a soul, and a victim of senseless cruelty. She deserved a chance, and thanks to the compassion and expertise of those who fought for her, she received one.
Many organisations would have put her to sleep without question citing “its kinder” which is speak for it’s too expensive & we don’t want a backlash if we can’t save the dog because the risks are too high.
We do not operate that way. We have an unwavering commitment to every dog who needs our help & if there is a chance for them we take it.
We would never forgive ourselves if we didn’t because most of the time, despite the odds stacked against them, the dogs not only survive, they thrive.