Two years ago, on March 6th, 2012 while tracking a group of strays, I had come across a yard with an old and skinny pit on a chain. It was the saddest sight, and despite my ex trying to talk me out of knocking on the door, I marched up and decided to ask the owners why the heck they’re dog was SO thin. But after sitting down and talking to them, after learning about Ginger and her life up to that point, I realized; these people love their dog. They just didn’t know how to help her when she started loosing weight. They cared about her and loved her the only way they knew how. Ginger was 10 years old when I met her, her family wasn’t sure how much longer she’d live since she wasn’t gaining weight and wasn’t doing well. But something told me I had to find a way to do something for this old girl, something more than leave a bag of food and go home. So of course, I called Melissa and Jen. At that time, Dog Aide Community Awareness Program was just in the process of starting, and Ginger and her family had become one of the first few outreach families. Then with the help of Jennifer Hart and many others who donated towards Ginger’s care, we were able to get her in to the vet for care and a month later start her HW treatment. Ginger had gone from a skinny and shy dog on a chain to a fat, sassy girl who later had run of her whole yard. Even though the gate in her yard was gone, she never left the yard, with the exception of the days my car pulled up by the drive way. Then she would come prancing out and would sit on the curb waiting for me to get out and open her door so we could go to the vet. As Dog Aide continued to help the family with food, supplies, vet care and general education, her owners started to learn more and more about how to make her life a better one. Ginger went on to live 2 more years and sadly passed away last night. It’s heartbreaking to know she’s gone, but whats important to remember is that outreach and education not only changed Ginger’s life, but it changed her family’s life too. They learned how to do things differently so that their dog could be happier. They learned about the importance of spay/neuter, of vaccines and HW prevention. And through this process we became much more to them than just strangers who were worried about their dog. We became part of the family. And even though Ginger is gone, the lessons she tough us and them will always remain. This is why outreach is important, this is why education is crucial. Ginger’s goofy smile will live in our hearts forever.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:12:39 +0000
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