Today is International Dog Day
It seems there is a day for everything and for once I am not disappointed that is the case. I feel like a lot of these labels we put on certain days are kind of superfluous in most cases but finally there is a day that I can truly identify with.
Unless your religion forbids it (which is the case with a rather large portion of the population here in Krabi) I would say that most people have a soft spot for dogs in their hearts. The amount of joy and protection and unconditional love that these fine creatures show to people around the world ensure that they will always be very special creatures to us. There are some people I know that are rather indifferent towards dogs or all other pets for that matter but for the most part, they will still succumb to the cuteness overload that certain dogs bring into our lives.
They are our guardians, our confidantes, our protectors and those we must protect. It is a relationship like no other and one that for many is the greatest joy followed by the greatest heartache when their short time on this planet comes to an end.
We dress them up in clothes that they do not need and tend to their needs with great care. Give them the finest medical care and celebrate their birthdays. Doggie cookies and cakes might seem ridiculous to some, but for others this is so important that the dog pastry industry is BOOMING. These animals have it lucky to have such a wonderful owner, but unfortunately not all are so lucky.
For the less fortunate four-legged friends, thankfully there are organizations all over the world, a favorite of mine is Territorio de Zaguates, which may very well be the largest animal sanctuary in the world. They, like many animal-welfare charities, started out with just a few dogs and at the moment they house, bathe, and treat over 1300 dogs and cats on their extensive land in Costa Rica. That may seem like an astounding amount of dogs to be looking after, and it is. How did they get so many cases... have they been around for 50 years? Unfortunately, they have only been around for 8 years and this showcases exactly how profound the stray dog population is in the world. These 1300 dogs would have almost certainly lived a life of pain and suffering as they searched for scraps of food on the streets of Costa Rica, a far cry from the shirt wearing, designer dogs. They are no less deserving of care and compassion though.
So on this International Dog Day I ask that you show some compassion to a stray if they are in your community, or perhaps plan a day in the future to volunteer at a local animal shelter or animal-rescue near you. If this isn't possible a donation to many of these shelters (including ours, wink wink) is always appreciated and especially during the past 5 months, is probably desperately needed.
If you have your own doggo at home, perhaps today is the day to thank them for being such a huge part of your life. If you are like me, you probably don't need an "International Day" in order to do that.
If you would like to see how you can help out, or simply spread the word, please visit our website at
http://krabianimalwelfare.org
เป็นผู้สนับสนุนรายเดือนหรือบริจาคครั้งเดียวได้ที่:
there are too man of these (insert whatever) days out there but this is one i can get behind...