Hammer
by
Marion Churchill
It was the carefully collected and neatly
packaged and folded assortment of coats
and other heavy winter clothing that
brought me to the non-profit children's
community group in the first place. The
agency director appeared pleased.
Later on, the director gave me a tour
of the place. It was there, from a third
floor bedroom window, that I spotted
Hammer for the first time.
I stood for a moment and observed the
ashen-colored dog through the drizzle
of an overcast day. A heavy chain was
wrapped around the dog's neck and the
extension was fastened to a dilapidated
fence that partially surrounded the filthy
back yard.
"Did you know there is a dog in
that yard?" I quietly asked the
director.
Looking
puzzled, she replied, "Oh,
sure. It's been there like that for over
three years."
I
was dumbfounded by her callous attitude. "This
dog," still staring out of the window, "has
been chained out there without any shelter
for three years?" I said, and then
turned to look at her. "Couldn't
you have called a —?" trailing
off as I noticed the director's surprised
and now irritated look on her face.
"There's a piece of plywood for
shelter," she stated, determined
to conclude the conversation.
The plywood that the agency director
had pointed out as shelter was leaning
up against the chain link fence. 'I guess
that's the end of my tour,' I thought.
It was.
A while later, I pulled up in front
of the dog's house. Just like the back
yard, the front yard, and the house itself,
was equally decayed and strewn with trash.
'For
the hundredth time, I'm late again,'
I mumbled as I'm knocking of the front
door. A woman opened and I introduced
myself. I smiled and handed her my business
card. "I'm here about your dog," I
said.
"My
dog? I don't have a dog," the
woman responded. Then, moments later
she seemed to remember a dog. "Oh,
you mean Hammer? It's my son's dog." The
young person now standing behind her
appeared to be about 14.
"Hammer may be his dog, but all
responsibilities of harboring a dog in
the city fall on you," I said with
the biggest smile I could muster, "but
all of us at Compassion for Camden are
always happy to help."
Although completely confused, the woman
invited me into the house. A short while
later we were standing in the back yard.
The light drizzle had turned into a freezing
rain. Hammer climbed out from under his
plywood. The large, gray pit bull was
exited to see us. He immediately began
showing off his back yard by climbing
over all sorts of junk.
The
big dog carefully avoided getting tangled
up in all the debris by constantly
throwing his heavy chain in an almost
elegant motion. He came over to me
and I bent down and hugged him, thinking
of the agency director's words.
"Why do you care so much about
this dog?" the woman asked, bringing
me back to reality.
"He…" I hesitated quietly.
Still hugging Hammer, I whispered into
his fur and lied, "reminds me of
a dog I once knew."
All told, I did the best I could that
day. I drove out to the suburbs to buy
Hammer a dog house, bedding and food.
Later, back in the city, I realized that
I hadn't and couldn't buy what he needed
most.
Postscript
We monitored Hammer for several weeks,
including trips to the vet. Things seemed
to improve for him for a while. But as
it often happens, it was the people of
the house who eventually felt left out.
Perhaps in an effort of profiting somehow
for themselves they let Hammer go. We
were told he ran away; our searches for
him were in vain. Knowing the apathy
of the court system, there was no need
to take any other action.
Please consider this:
If you contribute to non-profits for
any cause, including animal welfare,
think of these groups as potential partners
to help fight animal abuse. Don't assume
that just because you're giving to an
animal shelter that the group is involved
in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Sending
a check is often more of a gift to
us than the charity involved, and of
course, sometimes we just don't have
time. But, please realize that your money
may end up funding programs contrary
to your beliefs. The old phrase — think
globally, act locally — still stands.
It's best that you familiarize yourself
by visiting the facility in person, asking
questions, and checking their newsletters
and web sites.
We
often get calls from people who have
no idea what we stand for, but wish to
donate anyway. We always send a newsletter
and give our web site address before
we give our physical address.
This
year, before sending your check, ask
what the group's level of interest
in animal welfare is, preventive and
otherwise: do they offer humane education — do
they understand the animal cruelty/child
abuse/other violent crime connection — do
they incorporate proper companion animal
care information as part of their community
outreach — would they report animal
cruelty?
Your
efforts will make a difference. Thank
you.
Top
of Page
Also
Read
In Memory of Chessi
A Dog Sits Waiting
Diary of a dog who survived Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
Sarah
by Marion Churchill
Sarah’s
Story
Reason
for Surrender by Steve Grunow
Hammer
by Marion Churchill
About
Dogs by Gardner McKay
What
Are You Going to Do About THIS Mayor of Camden?
Ballad
of the Homeless by Unknown Author
The
Railroad Tracks by Marion Churchill
How
Didn't They Know? by Kristen Sharer
Unseen
They Suffer, Unheard They Cry by Marion Churchill
Epitaph
for a Friendship by Laura Moretti
Cry
From a Lonely Dog by Unknown Author |
