I know I'm Just A Dog

The first time you pass,
I can understand,
your a busy human
In your great land

the second time you pass,
I want you to know,
I'll always love you,
please don't go

The third time you pass,
please acknoledge me,
I'm happy your home,
why can't you see me

The fourth time you pass,
I don't understand,
no bear-hug or pat,
from your friendly hand

This fifth time you passed,
was all in one day,
you stopped and looked at me,
and had nothing to say

So I say to you,
my master, my friend,
I'm always chained,
I'm here to the end
Shannon Campbell-1999

This is a hand-written poem that has been taped to the wall of out vet clinic for years. I don't know the person who wrote it and whether it was copied from a book or if it was a citizen, but it touches my heart every time I read it just like the poem that I just read from Jim Willis! I Thought you would like to read it if you haven't already. I too face many problems with our S.P.C.A. I'm from Yellowknife, and am the adoptions co-ordinator/secretary @ the only veterinary clinic in the Northwest Territories. Our SPCA cannot be counted on to do very much of anything for our animals in need. They don't have their own facility established. All that they provide for the public is an answering machine, a website that has some photos of our animals for adoption(only updated once a month)+ a few posters with our animals pics(posted every 4-6wks) and one show on our community channel that airs I think once a week advertising our dogs and cats(also only updated once a month). Dr. Tom Pisz, who owns the clinic, pays for all of the cost that our pound animals require including food, vaccines,housing etc out of his pocket. We have no bylaw for our cats and the city bylaw for dogs will pay for the boarding + euthanasia after five business days, and this is only if they catch them, not if hey are found by a citizen. Usually we end up keeping our animals long past their due dates, up to 4 months! Because of the fact that our spca refuses to participate in helping stray animals in time of need, I have set up my own piggy bank at the front desk of our clinic. So far our funds have saved several dogs from death. Just this summer we raised $1900.00 with the help of our local paper to pay for the double leg cruciate repair of an extremly obese rotti. She has since been adopted + she has lost 50 pounds! Hers is a long story! Last summer we raised $1200 for a male husky/lab x that was found on the side of the road starving with a broken leg. He has also since found a wonderful home. Just last week we had an owner from a community bring in a golden retreiver with a thick metal chain grown into his neck. It had obviously been put on when he was a puppy and as he grew it cut into his flesh. This dog just like all the rest survived the harsh winters that we have up here (up to -60) chained with a padlock to a house. What makes everything so bad is that the SPCA ignored my reguest to even talk with the owners about the situation. The owners obviously had $$, they paid with no flinches for his expensive surgery. (The chain had to be sugically removed from his neck, then the scar tissue had to be cut off.) But that's not the point. It was pure neglect & abuse towards this gentle starved dog. And it really bothers me to know that there is no-one around in this part of the world that can legally make a difference. We would confiscate the dog but it is illegal. We are bringing the RCMP into the matter, but like all other cases of abuse and neglect that members of our staff have reported, nothing is ever done about it, and I doubt that they will change anything for this case. An example: Last winter I had a call regarding a man who inquired if we would take a litter of puppies from him to go up for adoption in our pound. I said yes I will come to your house to pick them up. The man told me that they were in his back yard in a shed and just to take them anytime even if he wasn't home, just not the mother. When I arrived at the scene I was shocked to find that in a tiny shed in his back yard there was a black lab mother with 7 tiny starved puppies. No food and water was available for them. One puppy was already dead. All of these animals were covered in their own feces. I threw the puppies in a box and brought them all to our clinic where they were givin IV fluids. Only two survived after the entire litter was diagnosed with the parvo virus. The owner refused to let me take the mother away, she was later brought in for a spay paid through donations. The RCMP were contacted on this matter and didn't do anything about it.

Anyway I saw your site as I was browsing and felt like I would make an input. I'm very proud of you guys for what your doing to make a difference in the world. Your efforts are appreciated by many animals around more than any words could ever say. Keep up the good work!