Ode to all dogs

This post goes for Titã, the four-month-old Brazilian dog that was ill-treated and buried alive by his owner only a few days ago. He was buried for 12 hours until he was found by a passer-by. Fortunately, he was rescued in time and is now slowly recovering from such atrocity.



Titã is being taken care of by veterinary Viviane Cristina da Silva

(Image: www.redpaa.org)


And for Star, a female dog who suffered something similar in Malta. She was shot in the head 40 times and then buried alive up to her nose. A few animal welfare officers heard whimpering and dug her out of the ground, only to find that her four legs had been tied up together. Star was operated on right after the rescue but died 18 days later.


Brave Star lost her battle for life (Image: www.timesofmalta.com)



And for Nataku, who was screaming in pain while staggering down a road in Spain. He was mentally and physically shattered. They had spilt corrosive liquid all over his head and it was burnt, including his eyes and ears. Nataku did not survive.


Sadly, Nataku could not overcome such cruelty
(Image: www.anaaweb.org)



And for Lou, who was tied to a car with a rope and dragged along the road, as a result of which he was partially skinned. He could hardly breathe and was so starved that his waist could be encircled with only one hand.


Lou's face was a reflection of the pain he had suffered

  (Image: http://gataweb.org)

And for all the greyhounds that are killed everyday in Spain in horrible ways only to see them suffer. For the purpose of prolonging their agony, people hang them with their hind legs slightly touching the ground, or throw them to a pit with a long stick through their mouth going down their body, inject them with bleach, beat them up or burn them alive.


Dead greyhound hanging from a tree (Image: http://sosgalgos.com)



And for Nina, my beautiful and sweet doggy, who was thrown out of a lorry when she was pregnant. What the lorry driver will never know is that he let go the most loving thing in the world.

My dog Nina will no longer be the scared dog we found on the streets

And for the thousands of mistreated, neglected, injured, distressed, abandoned or abused dogs in the world. For these good-natured little beings, because THEY would NEVER do that to you. And against those coward, uncivilized, mentally unbalanced, heartless and horrible people who enjoy hurting such special and admirable animals in exchange of the unconditional love and loyalty that they show. That makes me ashamed of being human and I cannot help but to blame the poor animal welfare laws that are in force in many countries for allowing such cruelty.

It is Christmas Day today. Today many people are thinking about their loved ones and fewer others may also be thinking about all the poverty, hunger, violence and all kinds of disasters happening in our planet. I am thinking about all the dogs that have ever been or are being maltreated. Unfortunately, these little defenceless creatures are very often forgotten by most of us either on Christmas Day or on any other day...