Rosy gets abandoned in a quiet neighborhood in the suburbs of Thessaloniki, Greece. She climbs into one of the yards and prepares herself a cozy nest where, a couple of days later, malnourished and exhausted, she gives birth to seven (seven!) beautiful puppies.
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Exhausted mum |
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| Three of Rosy's babies |
Beginning of August 2017
Almost everybody in the neighborhood surrenders to puppy cuteness. As a result, both the mummy and her babies receive attention, food and water. Relieved, the dog mum starts feeling like home.
Mid-August 2017
The neighbors start getting annoyed by the presence of the dog family. Intensive efforts to start homes for the puppies begin.
End of August 2017
The puppies find homes/yards and the mum is left on her own. The food left out for her is less and less, the isn't always fresh water in her bowl. I visit as often as I can. I leave food, check if she has fresh water. I even give her a bath.
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| Clean and looking good :) |
September 2017
Rosy gets collected by ΣΥΠΠΑΖΑΘ, a Stray Animal Protection Welfare Organisation of Eastern Thessaloniki. She gets neutered and, to the great disappointment of many in the neighborhood, she returns "home". She happily wags her tail at people who no longer want her there.
Mid-October 2017
Rosy eats something that puts her life at risk. I find her in a bad condition when I go to visit. She doesn't even lift her head to look at me, when on other days she would run to greet me as soon as she saw my car in the distance.
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| Sick |
I take her to the vet. After a few days on a drip and no signs of improvement, she gets collected by ΣΥΠΠΑΖΑΘ again. This time she will have to stay longer. She doesn't eat, doesn't drink much, and demonstrates suspicious symptoms of poisoning. Whenever I call to ask about her progress, they refer to her as "the dog in good health that doesn't eat or drink". That's because her results are good and biologically there is nothing wrong. She struggles her way back into life for over a month. She survives. A bag of bones, but she survives. Diagnosis: food poisoning. Conclusion: her old place is no longer safe for her. I don't have much time. I know that very soon they will call to inform me that she will be discharged from the clinic where ΣΥΠΠΑΖΑΘ placed her and that they will ask me: "Where should we drop her off?".
End of November 2017
The day has come. I am informed that Rosy has started eating and drinking, and that she can survive outside the clinic now. Although skinny and weak, she can be now reintegrated into the streets; anywhere within the borders of the municipality, I am informed. If I don’t tell them where to drop her off, I might never see her again. If I don’t want that, I have to either assign a spot where she is to be reintegrated, somewhere convenient for me, so that I know where she lives as a stray and I can go and see her from time to time, or tell them the address of her future home. These are my options.
29 November 2017
A miracle. A colleague gets me in touch with a man who wants to adopt Rosy. I'm the happiest person on earth. We arrange for the adoption to take place two days later, on 1 December 2017, in the evening.
30 November 2017
I call ΣΥΠΠΑΖΑΘ and tell them the great news. They commit to take Rosy to the doctor again for the last check, and we agree that they will bring her to my place on the morning of 1 December, the adoption day.
1 December 2017
Rosy arrives. Skinny, weak, and totally confused, with an expressionless gaze.
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| Bag of bones |
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| Adoption day |
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| Welcome, stranger |
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| Let sleeping dogs (and a cat) lie |
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| Curled up |
In the evening I drop her with her new family. I'm convinced that things can only get better now.
2 December 2017
Noon. I receive a phone call: "Do you accept returns?" My blood freezes. We arrange that he will bring her back the next day.
3 December 2017
She is with me again. This time, really happy to see me. I hug her and she puts her head on my shoulder; it weighs a hundred kilos. I swear I can hear a sigh of relief. I look at her and I think: "What am I going to do with you ...?"
To be continued
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