The Secret Shelter revisited
I recently brought you the story of a shelter in Thailand where a number of paralysed dogs are given a new lease of life. See The Man That Rescues Dogs. In fact, wheelchairs for dogs are not new and have been around for many years.
Today, I bring you something that is maybe a little unusual as the second story about The Secret Shelter is also about a wheelchair user with a difference. Mind you, anyone who knows the ebullient Gogo, this will come as no surprise.
Arou
It was winter, and despite what many think, the sun doesn’t shine for 365 days a year on the island of Crete. It does rain, it can be very wet, and it can be very cold, so anyone hurrying home late at night could be forgiven for ignoring the plaintive cry of a kitten. After all, there are endless stray cats and dogs, but passing a wheelie bin, Gogo heard the call of a kitten in distress. Peering through the gloom, under the bin she discovered a cardboard box and inside was a tiny kitten. It appeared to be approximately three months old but there was something terribly wrong. The kitten gave the impression of being very sick. Apart from being wet and cold, its refusal to move and its contorted body shape gave Gogo grave concern. The following day a visit to the veterinary surgeon exposed the true horror. An x-ray confirmed the vet’s diagnosis; the kitten had been shot, and to make matters worse, the pellet was hard up against the spine. Paralysed for life.
Now a lesser person might have suggested to the vet that euthanasia would have been a kind release. After all, what sort of life could there be for a cat that would never climb a tree, that would be permanently incontinent and would never be able to lead any sort of normal life?
For the irrepressible Gogo, however, euthanasia was never an option, the kitten was named Arou and the search for a wheelchair was instigated. A regular supply of No1 Pampers was acquired, a little baggy for starters, but Aru rapidly grew into her mini diapers and showed no distress at having to wear such a garment.
It’s been two years, a set of wheels was swiftly obtained, and she continues to live with the family, goes for walks every day, adores being cuddled and plays games at every opportunity.
Without a doubt, Arou has rewarded Gogo and her family many times over and will continue to do so as the years pass.
Richter
Now we all know that one should never ask a lady her age.
In the Secret Shelter, the age of the oldest resident is estimated by veterinary surgeons to be at least 18 years, an incredible age for a stray dog that had been so badly abused. In human terms, this makes her in her nineties. Another year, and she will become a centenarian. When estimating a dog’s age, many factors have to be considered. This can be difficult in very old dogs if their history is unknown. A life spent on the streets as a stray or being tied up at the end of a piece of chain will make it much more difficult to estimate age as opposed to a pampered pet. The veterinary surgeon will use a combination of the following to conclude.
- The state of the teeth.
- Hair colour, particularly greyness around the muzzle, the eyes and sometimes around the paws.
- In old animals, the eyes may appear to be cloudy. The appearance of cataracts tends to be another sign of ageing.
- The condition of the paws: in old animals the pads may be cracked and damaged.
- Hearing loss is another indication of old age.
- The mobility of the dog is the onset of issues like arthritis or rheumatism.
So welcome to the world of Richter. Because she is so elderly, she is affected by all of the above, but don’t feel sorry for her; she won’t thank you. Compare her life now to her previous existence, and you will see that Richter is living proof that the existence of the Secret Shelter is so critical for the old dogs that are considered to be detritus and have been treated accordingly.
She was originally found sheltering under a tree in the pouring rain. She was emaciated, and her claws were so long that she could barely walk. Tests showed that she had been deprived of food for an extended period, and further marks on her body indicated that she had been restrained, leading to very poor muscle tone.
Richter would need months to recover as her ravaged body needed to heal from the appalling neglect. Despite extensive inquiries, her past life remains a mystery, and the conclusion has to be that she was dumped.
This occurred several years ago, but Richter continues to enjoy life. As winter has arrived, she has been transferred to the home of Gogo so that she can be closely monitored, ensuring that her medication for a serious heart condition is given regularly. Richter is taken to the shelter at least twice a week to meet up with her friends, and when the summer arrives she will return to the shelter permanently where the Cretan climate will allow Richter along with her mates to lie out in the Aegean sun get some heat into their old bones and a receive a good dose of vitamin B.
“Never complain about the paw prints on the floor, the smudges on the window, or the dog hair on the your clothes. One day you will wish they were still there.”
Anon