Nermal’S HAPPY ENDING
Dear Animal Advocates,
A few months ago I phoned you about an old dog on a chain near me that I used to see when I walked my dog. I tried to tell his owners that this was no life for a dog, but I couldn’t communicate with them. The neighbours around here say he has been there for about ten years, and they’ve all tried to get him help, but they had to give up.
He was a friendly old boy and he would come as far as his chain allowed to say hello to me and my dog, but then about six months ago I stopped seeing him. All winter I walked past and I thought he must be gone. And then one day, I heard him crying. There was no one home so I walked up the driveway to his doghouse and there he was, his rear end paralysed and unable to get out to pee or defecate. He was frozen to the floor of the doghouse by his own urine-soaked long hair.
And he was matted all over his body, huge, heavy mats full of urine and feces. His water bowl had only a bit of dirty water in it.
I just want you to know that I took that old dog, and got him all fixed up and he’s with friends, and has lots of dog and cat buddies, and family, and love and he is getting around like a champ in his cart, and I just wish to God that I’d taken him when I first saw him, but at least the last year or two of his life will help to make up for all the years of loneliness…
