Aiken County Animal Advocates
THE VOICE OF PAWS
(Palmetto Animal Welfare Services, Inc.)
By Joya DiStefano
This Aiken County Animal Advocates Columns was posted in the Aiken Standard on XXXX
When she first heard the plaintive cry she thought it might be a cat in distress. The location in Hitchcock Woods made it seem unlikely, but the woman stopped. The dogs did not seem to notice the cry. It may have been far enough off to be a bird in one of the tall pines in the distance. She walked on.
Two days later, travelling the same path behind her dogs, the cry came again, closer this time. The dogs found him first, backed up against a small tree maybe twenty feet off the trail and hundreds of yards from any houses. The black and white kitten was electrified with terror at the dogs’ curiosity; every hair was erect. Little white paws flared with claws extended, the feeble hiss was as ferocious as the tiny creature could make it. The woman scooped the flailing kitten up. Half way to her chest he gave up the fight and curled his emaciated body into her protective arms. Days later he had a new home.
Same week, in another part of town, a lovely young bull terrier mix named Pandora had become such a nuisance to her owners that when a teenage youth went to return her to the yard where she easily and often cleared the fence, the owners said he could have her; they didn’t want her anymore. The boy was delighted and took her back down the street to the modest rental where he lived. His mom and big sister were terrified of the dog, but said that he could keep her. He set Pandora up with a bed in the shed behind the house. Their fence was no better at confining Pandora than where she’d come from. The very next day she cleared it and got into a fracas with a dog being leash-walked past the house. The owner walking her dog got nicked attempting to break up the fight and called Public Safety.
Pandora arrived at the Aiken County Shelter in the trunk, the boy’s mother being too afraid to have the dog inside the car while she drove. The youth carried the dog to the office wrapping his arms around her chest; her long body suspended nearly the length of his own.
It was Saturday. Two inmates and two employees were handling the calls, the public, and the volunteers. A family with two young boys was delivering the mountain of dog food, blankets and toys, the older son had received from well-wishers for his seventh birthday. They were accompanied by their neighbor who noticed that the delight of the two children, on their proud adventure, stood in sharp contrast to the youth, his worried mom, and little sister, waiting for the Animal Control Officer to arrive from the scene of the dogfight in their neighborhood. The birthday boy’s neighbor asked the youth about the dog, now on a leash, which stood quietly beside him with intelligent interest cocking her head side to side.
He explained how he had come by the dog the day before and added shyly, “People afraid of pitt bulls because they say they mean, but they not. I like them.”
The woman stooped down and Pandora gave her a couple of “Howdy!” licks on the face. She decided right there to help the boy keep his dog if circumstances allowed.
They did. The complainant did not press charges. DHEC said Pandora could be quarantined at the home for ten days. All that was needed was a no-slip collar and a tie-out. When the woman brought a box of training treats to go with the confinement provisions the young man’s face lit up. “That’s what I wanted!” he said with notable enthusiasm. Why? He wants to learn how to train his new friend. Pandora may just have a chance at a bright future and she may help take her young master with her.
Pandora and the Hitchcock Woods kitten got lucky. But Pandora being a bull terrier, and the kitten being a kitten, had they been impounded would have stood almost zero chance of surviving, 98% for stray cats and not much better for pit bulls. The problem of unwanted and poorly managed animals is enormous. But we are a growing community dedicated to tackling it. It is like they say; the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!
A retired organizational problem-solver and radical educator, Joya Jiménez DiStefano is an artist, Servant Leader, co-founder of FOTAS, and founder of PAWS, Inc.
info@paws4nokill.org
Two days later, travelling the same path behind her dogs, the cry came again, closer this time. The dogs found him first, backed up against a small tree maybe twenty feet off the trail and hundreds of yards from any houses. The black and white kitten was electrified with terror at the dogs’ curiosity; every hair was erect. Little white paws flared with claws extended, the feeble hiss was as ferocious as the tiny creature could make it. The woman scooped the flailing kitten up. Half way to her chest he gave up the fight and curled his emaciated body into her protective arms. Days later he had a new home.
Same week, in another part of town, a lovely young bull terrier mix named Pandora had become such a nuisance to her owners that when a teenage youth went to return her to the yard where she easily and often cleared the fence, the owners said he could have her; they didn’t want her anymore. The boy was delighted and took her back down the street to the modest rental where he lived. His mom and big sister were terrified of the dog, but said that he could keep her. He set Pandora up with a bed in the shed behind the house. Their fence was no better at confining Pandora than where she’d come from. The very next day she cleared it and got into a fracas with a dog being leash-walked past the house. The owner walking her dog got nicked attempting to break up the fight and called Public Safety.
Pandora arrived at the Aiken County Shelter in the trunk, the boy’s mother being too afraid to have the dog inside the car while she drove. The youth carried the dog to the office wrapping his arms around her chest; her long body suspended nearly the length of his own.
It was Saturday. Two inmates and two employees were handling the calls, the public, and the volunteers. A family with two young boys was delivering the mountain of dog food, blankets and toys, the older son had received from well-wishers for his seventh birthday. They were accompanied by their neighbor who noticed that the delight of the two children, on their proud adventure, stood in sharp contrast to the youth, his worried mom, and little sister, waiting for the Animal Control Officer to arrive from the scene of the dogfight in their neighborhood. The birthday boy’s neighbor asked the youth about the dog, now on a leash, which stood quietly beside him with intelligent interest cocking her head side to side.
He explained how he had come by the dog the day before and added shyly, “People afraid of pitt bulls because they say they mean, but they not. I like them.”
The woman stooped down and Pandora gave her a couple of “Howdy!” licks on the face. She decided right there to help the boy keep his dog if circumstances allowed.
They did. The complainant did not press charges. DHEC said Pandora could be quarantined at the home for ten days. All that was needed was a no-slip collar and a tie-out. When the woman brought a box of training treats to go with the confinement provisions the young man’s face lit up. “That’s what I wanted!” he said with notable enthusiasm. Why? He wants to learn how to train his new friend. Pandora may just have a chance at a bright future and she may help take her young master with her.
Pandora and the Hitchcock Woods kitten got lucky. But Pandora being a bull terrier, and the kitten being a kitten, had they been impounded would have stood almost zero chance of surviving, 98% for stray cats and not much better for pit bulls. The problem of unwanted and poorly managed animals is enormous. But we are a growing community dedicated to tackling it. It is like they say; the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!
