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Saturday, November 19, 2011

What I've learned

12 days of caring for thrown away puppies collected from a drainage ditch near my home. Feeding and sugar water given every few hours, poop and pee clean up frequently. 2 vet visits......and all 7 died. I was so angry with the man who tossed them out until....

I learned this low paid guard for a neighboring compound loved the mama dog so much, he couldn't bear to see her sucked to death. So each litter he kept only the strongest pup and tossed the rest. You see, he has no money to spay her, is not allowed to keep her in the compound (and prevent her being bred) and doesn't even cook there for himself, so can't cook for her.

He has accepted my offer to have his dog spayed once the saved out pup is weaned, about 2 weeks from now. He knew who I was as he saw that I had rescued Siraf, a saved out pup from a litter last year.

God told me to do what I could do, and He would do the rest. Well, He has. He taught me about Healers, those gifted with knowing when to feed or give water, to wake and force feeding or allow to sleep, to have eyes to see small changes and move to bring life. I am not a Healer, but I do what I can...I continue to learn, seek understanding and forgiveness and use His resources to bring healing and comfort where possible. It is enough.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

What Next??

Well, I guess I've really put my foot in it...

Last night my dogs were all upset over the whining/crying of puppies in the neighborhood. This morning it continued. When I went with Stephen, who was visiting, to look, we found 6-7 puppies, about 2 weeks old in a deep drainage ditch where they had been tossed. I thought Stephen might take one to his father, but turned out his dad already has one.

We left to go check out Kajanzi, an area that I may move to in a year or two. When we came back home 3 hours later, it was threatening to rain and then big drops began to fall. I sat in the living room, wondering what about those puppies? They would surely drown if the rain was big. There is no County Pound Officer or SPCA to call. Well, there is a Uganda version of SPCA, but they just do fostering, no facilities, especially for babies like those ones.

I don't need or want puppies. I have 3 dogs....I argued with myself. But, unto the least of these...my other self argued. Back and forth for a few minutes. The rain came down harder.

Grabbing my umbrella and a gallon sized pail, I dashed off down the road to find them. Getting into the 2 1/2' ditch required sitting in mud and sliding into the ditch. Even the runt, that looked like it was dying this morning was still alive. I put them all in the pail and started to get out. Then I heard another cry. I looked into the culvert, nothing but a small stream of water coming down. I looked in an empty plastic bag. Still nothing. Finally found another pup tangled in some weeds along the side of the ditch. With all the pups in the pail, I had to climb back out of the ditch. I was more than a muddy mess by the time I started up the hill to home.

Once home, Miriam brought in the baby bath tub we use for washing clothes and a nest of shredded newspaper was the first thing. Then warm water mixed with milk was fed to the pups by small syringes. Florence heard them whining and came to help. She found a bag of cloth scraps and made a big nest in the tub. when all the pups had been fed 3-4 times we put them into the nest. For right now, they are all quiet and asleep.

In an hour or two, there will have to be a bath for each one as they have fleas, of course, a drying off and then feeding again.

Pray for good homes for all these little ones. I am hoping to talk with the bitch's owner on Monday and see if he/she won't spay that mom so we don't go through this again. It isn't right or fair. And please pray that all homeless ones find love and compassion, be it human or animal that gives and receives.