We celebrate national dog day!
Meet five very good dogs FOUR PAWS helped this year
As Head of Companion Animal Campaigns at FOUR PAWS it’s my huge privilege to meet and learn about the dogs that our team of courageous campaigners, veterinarians and investigators help around the word.
Today is #NationalDogDay, so in honour of this important date, let’s meet some of the amazing canines FOUR PAWS has helped this year! But be warned: the cuteness may be a little overwhelming…
Bobby: Saved from the dog meat trade
Sadly, selling pet dogs into the dog meat trade is not uncommon in Southeast Asia, but there are many caring people who are willing to intervene and help them.
When a woman at a temple overheard Bobby’s owner talking about selling him to a restaurant, she stepped in immediately. After discussing with the owner, she took Bobby to FOUR PAWS’ partner charity, Animal Rescue Cambodia.
Now safe and sound with our team, Bobby is coming out of his shell and learning how to trust again. We are working with Bobby to give him all the exercise, toys, cuddles and training he needs to prepare for his adoption and new life with a loving home.
Crumb: Standing up to a bully is easier when you have friends like FOUR PAWS
Crumb, a Maltese Terrier had been advertised on a German eBay classified site and became seriously ill soon after purchase. We learned that he had been bought from a notorious puppy dealer. The dealer refused to reimburse the owners for the thousands of pounds they had to spend on veterinary expenses to make him better.
Often puppy dealers will get away with this kind of behaviour. But this time, Crumb’s owners fought back. FOUR PAWS provided information to the owners and police that helped them take their case to court. The dealer was ordered to reimburse the owner for veterinary costs and legal fees. And as you can see, Crumb and his owners are very happy that justice was served!
Learn more about our puppy trade campaign
Kaya: Sometimes a rescue dog will rescue you right back
Never has this been truer than in the case of Kaya. This golden girl was discovered with her mother and nine other puppies in an abandoned industrial area of Bulgaria. Left to fend for themselves with no food or water, they were luckily foundand brought to the local shelter. That’s where FOUR PAWS found Kaya. Noticing her friendly and gentle nature, FOUR PAWS realised she would be a perfect candidate for our Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) programme. Kaya has now been adopted into a loving home with a professional animal handler who will prepare Kaya for her future as a FOUR PAWS therapy dog. Kaya’s gentle personality will provide support to adolescents with problem behaviours and adults with intellectual disabilities. By doing so, she’ll be an ambassador for stray dogs everywhere, showing the value they all have within society.
Find out more about our Animal Assisted Interventions programme
Sopol & Neary: A narrowly avoided death
Sopol and Neary almost ended up on the menu at a dog meat restaurant in Cambodia, but our teams in Southeast Asia were able to rescue them both and give them a second chance at life.
In Cambodia, millions of dogs are killed each year to supply the brutal dog meat trade. While Sopol and Neary were lucky, this is sadly not the case for every dog and we arecurrently working with the Cambodian government and local charity partners to end the dog meat trade for good.
It boggles my mind that unthinkable cruelty is inflicted on “man’s best friend”. If we can’t protect even the most beloved companion animal on the planet - an animal who is intertwined in our lives, homes and families - what hope do other species have? I believe our treatment of dogs is an indication for how great humanity can be. But sadly, it still too often indicates how far we are yet to develop our compassion for other animals.
We simply couldn’t have helped any of these dogs without your support. Thank you!
Find out more about how FOUR PAWS is helping dogs around the world, and how you can too.
