Gedankenreflex

I live in the south of Spain in a rural area where animal rights are still ignored in many chases. People throw out dogs like garbage, sometimes kill them before. So I had to learn the hard lesson that it is impossible to help all the animals in need. There are a lot of heartbreaking stories to tell, but I will start with an older one I still have in mind.
I managed to help out as a volunteer with a private rescue group for about 2 years and have been in Spain for 3 years when I found the old dog.

I had to drive a few miles that morning bringing my son to school and as usual I was late and in a hurry. It was winter, that doesn`t mean any snow or frost in this part of the country. But a lot of rainfalls are normal at this time of the year. When I passed a shopping center I saw a dog lying in the drainage channel in the middle of the four lane street. It was a bigger dog and he looked like dead.

Just another dog killed in the traffic I thought and drove further. When I came back a short time later I realized that the body of the dog had changed position. I took a closer look while driving and saw that the dog was curled now and this head was moving slightly. Clearly he was hurt but still alive.

Immediately I hit the shoulder of the road, stopped the car and jumped out of it. I crossed the street running through the morning traffic. When I reached the drainage channel I carefully moved closer to that dog
It was a German shepherd. He wasn`t afraid and I was able to touch him and examine him. He was an elderly one. He had a broken front leg, where a car had hit him. I tried to get him on his feet for bringing him to my car but he was simply unable to walk or even to stand and laid there where he was, softly wagging his tail. So I decided I had to carry this at least 70 pound body somehow to my car for bringing him to the Vet. I stood there looking for help, but there was none.

The dog was too big and too heavy for me to lift him up and so I helped him in the sit-position, put my arms around his chest, lifted his front part. Now he could walk on his hind legs and off we went through the busy morning traffic which I ignored.

Drivers yelled out of their cars, brakes squealed and horns honked but nobody, really NOBODY helped in any way. Unharmed I crossed the street with the dog and lifted him in my car. He seemed to understand because he helped with his own movement as good as he could.
I brought him to the Vet-office of the protection group I volunteered. The 2 Vets took him in for a longer check, and told me to call later. It was clear that this poor one had to stay there for a while and so I left. All the time there was no single sound coming out of this dog.

When I was back home walking my own dogs I got a call from the rescue group. I had to come there immediately. What a crazy morning I thought and hurried to their shelter.

When I arrived there the female leader rushed out of the house and cursed at me what the hell I did, bringing that sick abandoned dog to their vet, spending their money they don`t have.

I stood there in front of her, stunned, and was not able to say any word. I never asked them to pay the vet-bill for that dog neither told the Vets they would do. Without a word I went to the work I had to do there (animals are not guilty) and then left because she denied talking with me anymore. Later in the evening of that crazy day I got a call from a German woman who was the sponsor of the rescue group. I explained everything how it happened and offered to pay the vet bill by my own. She calmed me down. There is no reason to be worry she said.

That night were very heavy rainfalls in the area and I was glad that I were able to rescue this poor old abandoned dog and he was now save and dry in the vet office.

The next day the Vets called me. I had to come in and make a decision about that dog I brought in the day before. This sounded not so good and I drove there with very mixed and bad feelings. I was right. I turns out, that the dog was very old, about 15 or 16 years, what means really old for a Shepperd. His broken front leg came from a car accident but his general state was worse. Almost all inner organs were in a very bad condition. He could not hold his water correctly. He had heard problems and his liver and kidneys were sick too and didn`t work well. He did not eat any food and it would be best to put him to sleep. But because I found him and brought him in the final decision should be mine. They did the best helping this poor creature with medication and pain killers.

I nodded and wished to see him once more for saying good bye. When I entered the room, where the dog was he lifted his head and did a few tail wags. With tears in my eyes I touched him gently said good bye and promised him, he will be on a better place now across the rainbow bridge. He licked my hand but soon fall asleep from the drugs he got.

I took a last look at him and left the room. One of the Vets waited outside. I asked him for the bill and how much all that would be, ready to pay but the vet refused. Germany is paying everything. He said. Don`t be worry about that. You are free to go.

Still very sad I made it home driving through mixed whether with sunshine and rainfalls at the same time.

Suddenly saw a big bright shining rainbow across the street I drove. I took it as a sign and made the resolve that I never ever would stop helping animals.