Hello, my
name is Sparks. Today my owner put me in his fancy car and drove me to an
animal shelter. When we arrived I could hear barking and sense the fear and
anxiety of the animals around me. I didn’t want to leave the car but my owner
coaxed me out
. I trusted
him.
I had never
visited a similar place. I had never left my home. The smells were
overpowering. The sounds were unfamiliar. I cowered and closed my eyes. I
didn’t budge. A rope was placed around my neck. I dug my paws in and wouldn’t
move. The rope tightened a little, “come on Sparks”. I followed for a few short
steps and then I lay down and my muscles began to quiver involuntarily. I was
afraid, I didn’t understand. Shortly afterwards my owner’s footsteps moved
towards the door, I quickly turned to follow. Again the rope tightened, a
little more this time. A familiar, cheerful voice called out , “ Goodbye
Sparks” and then I heard the sound of the car engine, the car in which I had
confidently jumped into earlier on…and then I was alone, all alone. People
surrounded me, hands stroked me but they were strangers’ hands.
“What
shall we do with him?
He isn’t neutered, he isn’t vaccinated, he’s covered with fleas. He is a plain
brown dog. His ears are quite big. He looks like most of the other dogs at the
kennels. None of them have been adopted.
What are
his chances of being adopted ? Probably none.
Will
anyone even look at him? Probably not. “
It was my
lucky day , or was it?
I had been
saved because I had been dumped. An unknown person had felt sorry for me.
Needles
pierced my skin, hands examined me and then lifted me up and carried me to my
future. I wet myself, I had no control over my fear. I was placed in a cage and
the door slammed. I closed my eyes…
Is it a
door to a new life ?
Is it the
door to the end of his life ?
It all
depends on whether someone chooses him out of the other hundreds of homeless,
needy dogs. Will someone look into his pleading eyes and take a chance on him?
Will he learn to sit at his new master’s feet and sigh with happiness at the
touch of a gentle hand or will he stare out endlessly from behind the bars of a
cage ? Incarcerated, all he will know is cold, bare concrete under his feet, a
wooden crate for a bed .Life will revolve around feed times and the occasional
, brief walk. His hopes will be raised when visitors walk by. Most won’t even
acknowledge his existence. He won’t even remember his name because on his cage
there is only a number. He will just become a statistic. He did not ask to be
born. He committed no crime.
THIS IS
WHERE YOU COME IN J Please chose to adopt. Every time you buy, a shelter pet dies. Spay and
neuter all your pets. Many cats and dogs are bought on impulse and then shortly
after they are no longer wanted and are neglected. Hundreds are surrendered or
abandoned . Only a few are adopted from shelters. The remainder are not wanted.
There is very little hope for them.
Please help
us to make a difference,
If you
cannot adopt, donate
If you
cannot donate, volunteer.
If you
cannot volunteer, educate.
Animals
need a’ voice’ , they cannot speak for themselves.
We are open
every day of the year ( please check times on weekends and public holidays )We
never turn an animal away. We endeavour to help owners and their pets, whatever
the circumstances .
Thank you
for your continued support.
The Harare
SPCA.
