Dog Pound

Since our boss in the government internship also happens to be a veterinarian, we have gone out into town to do various jobs. Currently, he’s treating a horse with pneumonia, which had been sick for months, but the owner didn't call until a couple of weeks ago. In the same estate, he treated another two horses for deworming. It’s funny to see the way these horses react every time they see him. They all gallop away as far from the gate as possible whenever we pull up.

We have also gone to the dog pound a few times now. The conditions of the dog pound are not good at all but the greatest problem is the size. There are only 26 cages, some of which are doubled. That doesn't seem like a problem until I mention that they receive 80-100 dogs a month and only 150-200 are adopted every year. So there are many perfectly good dogs that have to be put down because they can't find a home for them. Obviously the oldest and weakest go first but it’s heartbreaking every time. Pitbulls have the worst luck of all because it costs more to own a pitbull because of their aggressive nature hence they are often overlooked. One of the days we were there we had to put down four dogs one of which was a beautiful, perfectly healthy pitbull around 4 or 5 years old.

However, there is hope for the future. The City Hall has a plan to construct a bigger pound within the next couple years. A better facility means there will be more space for more dogs as well as an area for them to run around freely. Currently, the only way they see light of day is if we give them a bath or take them for a walk. Other than that they are just waiting to see what happens with their uncertain future. Whether they will be one of the lucky few that will be adopted or one of the many that will be put down. And if they are adopted, try not to be part of the 20% that are returned.