I immediately felt a deep sadness and impotence because I thought that emotionally and economically I could not help him. Some weeks before I had rescued another homeless dog—Javiera, who at that time was in a vet clinic recovering from uterine cancer.
I petted Santiago for a while, blessed him and then I left. I though I was the worst person in the world.
According to the Corporación Unión de Amigos de los Animales in Santiago, the capital of Chile, there are 220,000 dogs walking on the streets with no supervision. Of this total, 18% are homeless. As the few shelters there cannot afford to rescue all of these dogs I, like many others, used to rescue some pets from the streets myself.
Early the next morning, I found Santiago on the same corner. I felt he was still waiting for me. I went to my office, but I quickly escaped from there. I talked to Santiago and he started to walk beside me. We arrived at a vet clinic, but it was closed. Though I explained to the veterinarian the circumstances I was dealing with, she refused to treat him until the clinic opened.
I was asking myself what to do when a student appeared out of the blue. He offered to take care of Santiago while I went back to my office to call some friends. An hour later, we put Santiago in a co-worker’s car and drove to a friend’s vet clinic.
Santiago was one-year old. He had scabies, and severe malnutrition. In total, he spent almost 3 months at 2 vet clinics healing physically and emotionally. Although he would have been able to leave the clinic earlier, I did not have a place to offer him. I used to live in an apartment and share it with my two kitties—and others that I had rescued at that time.
My sister and I visited him at least 3 times a week to take him for walks. Santiago was very quiet, sweet and shy. He had an obsession about food, which he never had enough of. He only knows how hard it was to survive on the streets with no food, water and a roof over his head.
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| Santi and I. He was an adorable puppy! |
Santiago’s health improved quickly. He gained weight, the wounds healed, and he became an active and happy dog. At Pepita’s home, Santiago also found his lover, Rosita, a sweet, blond and slender dog that also fell in love with this handsome long tail.
When we visited Santiago and Rosita, he could not stop jumping and barking at us. While Rosita hid herself from us and everyone. Rosita had arrived Pepita’s home just some months before Santiago, and her behavior revealed that she had probably been abused as puppy.
One day it looked as if we had finally found a good home for Santiago. The family was from another town, so we drove for more than 2 hours to reach them. However, it was a hard day. After the parents had looked at Santiago, they declined to adopt him as they had expected a smaller dog.
My husband and I were very disappointed, unlike Santiago and Rosita. They were so happy to see each other once again, and be together forever. Without a doubt, Rosita was more confident beside Santiago, and enjoyed being petted and being taken for walks with us much more. Like a perfect couple, they were complementary.
Months passed, then Pepita unexpectedly told me she would adopt Santiago, and she would only let him go if we found a nice family with a big farm where he would be able to run long distances. She wanted the best for him.
I was so happy because Santiago finally had a permanent home, a mom who would take care of him, and a sweet and loyal partner. Rosita also had a partner who would take care of her and of Pepita, who lived alone. Most dogs in Chile are not allowed to come in to houses, so they live in the gardens. Although Santiago has a house to sleep in, he always has slept beside my mother-in-law’s front door.
From the day that Santiago arrived at Pepita’s home, life for everybody went on normally. Every day, Santiago and Rosita would play with Pepita and my nephew, Luciano, and when my husband and I were available, we visited them and went for a walk.
However, 2 months ago we got devastating news. My mother-in-law got liver cancer and liver failure, and she passed away on June 12.
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| We used to dress him to keep warm his bony body. |
Santiago and Rosita had lost their mom, and the home where they used to live. Soon after my mother-in-law died, the house had new owners who didn’t want to adopt the dogs. In consequence, Santiago and Rosita must leave soon. The home now is empty and they are living alone, getting some food and water once a day.
It is really hard to find an adoptive family in Santiago as there are so many other dogs needing a home, and it is yet harder to try to do it from here.
So Santiago and Rosita came to Vancouver looking for a chance here! Without doubt, they will be a blessing for adoptive families.
