A lot of people talk about caring, but more often than not, it's just lip service. Caring is more than just a word or a passive feeling. Real caring requires action. One of the things I find most attractive about Stevie is that she really cares, deep in her heart. You'll pick up on it in almost every conversation you have with her, from politics to the environment, but you'll also see it. 100% of the time, without fail, Stevie shows up. 
During our last couple days in Pavones a dying dog managed to hobble its way to the van and collapse. Why he chose our van I don't know. Maybe he felt Stevie's energy. The dog had a broken leg and he looked awful. He couldn't drink, his tongue was covered in dirt, he smelled, and he was covered with flies and ticks. I'm pretty sure he had been poisoned. This is a common practice in Mexico and Central America. People don't like dogs so they wrap rat poison in raw meat and feed it to the strays. It's actually a horrible slow death for the animal. I am a caring person, so naturally I thought about moving him to a quiet place away from my van so he could die in peace. But that would require touching him. I was in the midst of devising a plan to move him which didn't require actual contact when Stevie showed up and proceeded to give me a lesson in real caring. After trying to feed him water with a bowl, she realized he couldn't swallow, so she started pumping water down his throat with a plastic syringe. This required putting her hands in his mouth, which was pretty nasty. She sat by his side and stroked his head. His tail wagged. She continued to nurse him through the day. By evening he had crawled into a bush by the fence. Stevie continued to water and pet and talk to him as if there was hope. I knew there wasn't. The locals asked why she would bother giving him water if he was just going to die. Stevie's reply, "because he is suffering." He died a day later. I think that his last hours on earth were easier and more peaceful because of Stevie's compassion. His wagging tail in the final hours of life was proof of that -TREE
15 comments:
And now im crying. I can't believe people do that. Ya know there are too many people, why don't we poison them?!
Stevie your the best!!! Need more persons in the world like you.
I'll help you Stevie!!!
Well done Stevie. Well done. You're a champion for the helpless and a Hero to the Simko's.
Well I guess you already know that you've married an angel and that dog was lucky to spend it last day with your angel.
Rick
That is so cruel. I can't believe people do that to those poor dogs.
I agree with John Simko, Stevie, you are a champion for the helpless, and it warms my heart to know that an Angel is watching out and caring for my son.
Sr
Your post brought me to tears. God bless you Stevie for having the heart and the guts to do the right thing. We certainly can't save every abused animal we come across but you certainly made the final days easier for that poor thing and brought some comfort.
When I was working briefly as a vet tech it would make me murderously mad. One time it was a cops dog...twtf did the dog to do to deserve it...he was loved by a police officer. It is super hard to save animals from poisoning...but it felt amazing when we would.
Stevie, I honor you! You are an amazing person with a deep heart, I believe the spirit of this sweet dog that you help have a peaceful end will be looking over you as you continue on your journey. I believe Kiki is very proud of her Mom and Dad.
Blessing
Aunt Debby
Mmmmmmmmm fresh tacos....
that's my girl!
ugh. i'm sad now.
You are my Teachers.
There should be more people like you two.
-sel-
How priviledged we are here in Europe. And how priviledged our pets are. Just another example of how little most humans care in general for any other living being - out of all inhumane act, posoning a life form is the most cruel. I am glad you were there to comfort this poor creature in its final hours.
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