Sad, but True…
(The essay below came to me at the end of a harrowing period for the writer, one in which I felt powerless to help in any concrete fashion. It is s story that is repeated weekly and the Animails are full of the consequences of a combination of economic and social woes – to say that I am saddened every day by such events is to understate the sheer size of the problem, but we MUST soldier on…)
To dear Storm, Tessa, Blackjack and Alaska who will never understand.
I have been receiving Animails for many years. I was even lucky enough to adopt a wonderful dog named Blackjack from the network. So many times I looked at the photos of the animals on the network and thought of the heartless people who simply gave up their animals without a second thought and wished I could adopt them all.
2009 came as the most nasty surprise to me. I was still happily living on a plot with my 4 dogs, numerous cats and ancient cockatiel and in June everything changed and by August I was divorced. I had three White Shepherds and Blackjack, a black Shepherd. I could not stay on the plot alone for safety reasons and had to move to town. I was lucky that the cats could remain on the plot with the other tenants. My dogs were not used to living in town and the neighbors complained about the barking. I then got anti-barking devices which worked but the neighbors continued to complain and only after my dogs were sent away for training, I found out the owners of the two different houses were in the middle of a feud and my dogs were paying the price
I sent my dogs for obedience training for 8 weeks while I looked for suitable accommodation for myself and my dogs. I found accommodation on a plot. A week before I had to fetch the dogs from training, I was informed by the owner of the plot that the dogs would have to stay in kennels while I was at work as they would be looking after their grandchildren during the day. 8 – 10 hours in a kennel? The problems I faced was I had three big dogs, I actually had to be near my parents who are 74 years of age, I have no transport as my ex-husband had sold my car . I had also taken responsibility for all the debt from the marriage so I am under terrible financial strain. Both my sisters are overseas so I am responsible for keeping an eye over my parents. The area my parents live in is expensive and my parents were scared of having three big dogs by them. One day they would say I could keep the dogs and the next day they would change their minds. I eventually asked Retha at the Dog Training Centre to find homes for my dogs. They were only two years old and fully trained. Blackjack and Alaska immediately got homes as they had already been neutered and spayed but Tessa still had to be sterilized. I then found accommodation where I could keep Tessa. Just before I had to move to the garden flat where I could keep Tessa, the owners changed their minds about me keeping Tessa and informed me I could not longer keep her there. My parents then said I could Tessa could stay with me by them. But that was not to be either. A few days later my parents changed their minds. My mother was bitten by a big dog as a child and has a genuine fear of big dogs. I then decided to let Tessa go to a home where she would be welcome
I spent R10 500.00 in two months on anti-barking devices, training and the food for the period the dogs were at training. They were my children. Not for one minute did I think the day I took them for training that that would be the last time I would see my dogs.
I would have done anything to keep my dogs but circumstances just did not allow it and in the end I had to make the choice of giving up my dogs and letting them go to homes where they would be looked after and be welcome.
So to my dear dogs, go to your new homes and be loved and give as much joy to your new owners as you gave to me and know you are forever in my heart.
To the other owners whose animals are on Animails for whatever reason, parting with your pet is not easy, you have all my sympathy
To Maxi, Wendy, Tracy and Derek who were there for me during the worst time in my life I say thank you.
Elaine Schlebusch
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