I heard a faint barking sound coming from a nearby alley as I was heading down the street. I looked into the noise and found a dreadful situation. The stray dog was gaunt and skinny, struggling to get up. It had almost no remaining hair on its body and was covered in skin disease. As the creature cried and fought to move, my heart ached for it.
I walked cautiously up to the dog, not knowing what to expect. It was clear that the dog needed food, drink, and maybe medical attention. It was too weak to even take a sip of the water I tried to give it. The dog was severely underweight and had ribs visible, suggesting that it had gone without food for days, if not longer.
I was aware that I needed to act. I swiftly departed on a tricycle to deliver food and water to the dog. When I returned, Dayao—also an animal lover—found us working together to attempt to save the animals. We fed and comforted the dog together.
The tiny child ate the food we gave it so quickly because it was very hungry. It was obvious that it had spent a lot of time ambling around looking for food. After giving the dog a close inspection, we discovered that its movements were still clunky and weak.
The dog had a significant skin condition, and we could tell he had been in pain for long time. It wasn’t apparent if it had been abandoned or lost, but one thing was for certain: it was desperately in need of assistance.
We made the choice to take the puppy to a shelter so that it could get the attention and care that it need. We saw the dog stumble towards us, unable to even stand up straight. It was heartbreaking to witness. Before we arrived there, it appeared to have given up.
We thought the climb was rewarding even if it was a long and difficult one to the shelter. A second chance at life had been granted to the dog. It’s amazing how even a little kindness and compassion can make a big difference in a creature’s life.
My memory of this encounter with the stray dog is still vivid. That made it clearer to me how important it is to treat all living beings with love and respect, regardless of how they have behaved in the past or the present. No matter how insignificant our individual contributions may seem, we can all have an impact.
