Written by Francis Aguiar of the Dominican Republic
All my life I have been rescuing animals from the streets of my city. I can remember my mother sending me back with little puppies in my arms I just had found in the streets. With eyes fulls of tears, I told her that as soon as I grew up, I would have a refuge for all those beloved creatures.
Time passed, and even though I do not a have a refuge of my own, I have rescued and helped others rescue lots of dogs and cats. We have a group here in the Dominican Republic that rescues, saves, spays and neuters and finds homes for street dogs.
We don’t have a law to protect animals, and we are currently fighting to get one, so rescuing and saving streets animals is completely in the hands of animal lovers.
This story is about a little black mix puppy who one of my daughters, who grew up loving and rescuing animals with me, rescued from a sure death one night on one of the busiest streets of our big neighborhood. She was coming back from the gym, when all of the sudden she spotted a tiny black bulk in the middle of the street. Cars were running just around it not to run over it and that’s when she realized it was moving.
Right in that moment, she stopped her car in front of the puppy and start waving her arms to catch the attention of the passers-by, so a young man that was jogging nearby came to help her. While he stopped the cars, she took the towel she was carrying to the gym and took the puppy from the street right away and put it inside her car and she headed to my home that was very close.
When I First Met Her
There was my daughter, with her eyes wide open and scared that the puppy was beyond our help, because she didn’t stop to examine her, but she instinctively took her away from the inmediate danger. It was then that we realized that she was about two months old, both of her back legs broken in different parts, and she was covered with Demodex mange and had a hole filled with worms in one her back legs.
We understood that the reason she was was in the middle of the street was that she was so tired and in pain that she gave up walking in the worst place ever.
So to the vet we went and when he examined her, he took some x-rays of the legs. He told us that one of the injuries was up in the femur and was already sealed out of place, and the only remedy was to break it again and put in place, or leave it like that to see if she would not limp so much or else put her to sleep because she had her two back legs broken. We immediately started asking for another solution, because we were not going to put her to sleep, even if we would have to carry her for the rest of her life, so he started treating her for the mange right away, cleansed the worms from her injury and prescribed the antibiotics and told us to have her rest and see what happens.
We took her back to my house where we prepared a very cozy bed and placed her there. She was so exhausted that she stayed there for days. She would even eat in her bed and she woke up only to go potty in the backyard. At this time, I kept her apart from my other four dogs so they would not become infested with mange, but they stared at her curiosly through the fenced door.
Miraculous Recovery
I will never stop being amazed of what a little love can do. The moment she entered our lives, she didn’t stop being cared for and pampered. We gave her medical baths for the mange, and in as little as three weeks, she started to grow new black, shiny hair all over her body, and as for the back legs, she was limping less and less each day. We had her secluded in a limited area so she couldn’t jump and run too far, but she was able to walk and go outside to the backyard all by herself.
When we were finally sure that her mange was gone, she started right away to go inside the house and she adored playing with my Taylor, a Yorkshire Terrier who was one and a half years old, and is very playful and friendly.
I remember the day when I was looking for her all around the house and couldn’t find her. She was playing on the second floor with the my other dogs. I couldn’t believe she had climbed the stairs by herself, and that was not the first time. As soon as she entered the house, she would go right up the stairs, with no problem or limping. She was the sweetest girl ever. She would bark for me as soon she knew I had arrived home.
After three months of caring and loving, she found the family for her. It was sweet and sour to let her go. I knew that if a family fit for her wouldn’t appear, she was going to stay with us, but since I try to rescue and help as many dogs as I can, to let them stay makes the chances to rescue others more difficult for me.
So, it was through a friend that she found her loving home. The day she arrived at her new home, they told me that she spotted a rug, right in front of her new master’s bed, and she landed there and made that her favorite place!
I am sure that it was God who placed her in that street in that moment, so she could be rescued and saved. See PHOTOS of Ebony Right After Rescue
BREAKING NEWS – A New Law for Animals Has Passed:
Just as this story was about to go live, we got some incredible news from Francis who tells us that after years of struggle, negotiations and outright pleading, a law for animal protection has finally passed in Dominican Republic.
As enforcement of that law is going to take consistent pressure and reinforcement from animal advocates, they are today asking for help with a petition against the killing of 36 street dogs all of whom were very affectionate and had already been spayed/neutered and vaccinated. “They did not pose a threat for tourists” Francis explains. “To the contrary, many tourist donated for them to be vaccinated and taken care of. This is shameful, outrageous, frustrating and heart breaking, but we are determined not to stop until justice is done!” Click here to visit and sign their petition
Related Stories:
Hungry Dog With Porcupine Quills in Face Gets Rescued in Mountains
“Just Chase Her Into the Basement” — Saving the Neighbor’s Neglected Dog
Man’s Stealth Moonlit Rescue of a Chained Dog After Law Fails to Help
Read more: dog with broken legs, Francis Aguiar, great animal rescue chase
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
Interesting! Thanks
They are really making the case for more government regulation of the banking industry, aren't they?…
Sherrie said: "Clearly, Liliana, you are not aware of how the scientific process works or you would know…
229 comments
+ add your ownGlad that I had tisues handy! Beautiful story!
This is such a beautiful story, thank you for all your wonderful work and to your daughter, giving these dogs happier and better lives!
to add; Poor little doggy. glas she has found a home by a lovely person
You are a most WONDERFUL UNIQUE PERSON. Goodness and health and love to you and all the animals.
Thank you, and your daughter, for rescuing so many animals!
Francis and her daughter are to be commended for their efforts. This adorable pup just needed some care, love and time for her family to have a chance to find her!
Thanks for loving and caring about animals. God will bless you for your many kind acts.
What a wonderful person you are Frances!!! :)
Signed petition & Shared on Facebook.
Francis -- thank you for being the great person you are, along with your daughter -- the more people like you in the world, the better for us all, human and animal -- may you continue rescuing and caring and never give up nor give in -- i love you for the work you do -- it's not enough to think only with your head, thinking also with your heart leads to making the right decisions -- Francis, you have both working for you -- an intelligent mind along with a compassionate soul. Keep it up! I will be signing petition.
A person with a brain does not always act but a person with a heart never hesitates to act..Ann
login to add your comment
use your care2 login
add your comment