So you all know about Shoonik, the dog I have come to love here in Alapars. She follows me around everywhere I go, nipping at my feet and jumping up my cloths leaving her paw prints behind. She is filthy and stupid and oh so loveable. I adore Shoonik! Well one day last week Shoonik stopped following me. I walked by her house and she was nowhere to be found. I came out from class and she was no longer sitting on the porch steps waiting for me. A few days past, and she hadn’t even come to visit me at my house. I thought it strange, and wondered what had happened to her. I had made a plan to go and ask the family what had happened to her.
One day as I was walking home Shooniks owners, not her family because only I am her family, but the people who own her came up to me, well the kids did. Shooik, Shoonik is a bad dog they told me. No I responded she is a good dog, I love her. The little girl looks up at me, well shoonik is chained up she tells me. What do you mean I ask, not really understanding. She starts talking so fast that I do not understand. I tell her I am confused and she starts speaking quickly again. Knowing that I still do not understand she takes her finger and swipes it across her throat. The motion for dead. I freeze what do You mean I ask. She does it again. I flip out and tell her no, and she shakes her head yes. I walk away and tell her I can’t talk I am very sad.
By the next day I have devised a plan to free shoonik. I decide I am going to go to the ATM and get some of my American money out and offer it to these people for shooniks life. Unfortunatly for me it doesn’t work. I walk home feeling defeated and helpless. As I walk by the house I try not to look at the kids, I don’t want to talk to them, they are going to kill my dog. They grab me anyways and take me into their yard. They show me what seems to be a chicken coop and out walks shoonik chained on a 5foot chain. She looked so sad but at least she was still alive. I tell the kids its mean to chain her up and I don’t like it. They try again to tell me what happened. The little boy runs away and comes back with a baby chick. Juicy ate one of these he says. Ooooh. So you are not killing shoonik? No. Oooooooh. So Shoonik just ate a baby chicken so this is her punishment. Yes. Ooooooooooh. So when will you let Shoonik go free again? We won’t, she will live like this now. Nooo, wait, you mean she is always going to be on this tiny chain stuck here? Yes. ALWAYS? Yes. My heart starts to beat fast, I pick the dog up and hug her and walk away crying. My poor happy puppy being punished for something I know was not her fault. The kids taunt her and sick the baby chicks in her face. I know she didn’t do it on purpose.
But you have to understand one thing. This chick was the family’s livelihood. She would have laid eggs that they could have ate for years to come. She would have had more hens who they could sell for the much needed money. This chick was not a pet to them, she was their survival. Now they only have two chicks left. Shoonik has to be controlled they say. I still feel horrible. I want to free her, but she’d prolly become a street dog, or even worse, would come back to the house anyways and punished even worse for running away.
I have decided the only thing I can try to do is to educate them. I went over yesterday and showed the kids that her leash was twisted up and choking the dogs. I showed them that she needs water that is nearby. Then I asked if I could take her with me for a walk, I was granted permission so I took her collar off and let her run around. She followed me wherever I went. Even if she took off to chase a bird she came back promptly. She was so happy running and frolicking. Could you imagine being kept in a box for a week not able to run and stretch your legs out.? So sad. Today I will do it again, maybe this time the family will go with me. Maybe I can teach them to give her a free hour every day where she can be lose and run around. I just hope that when I leave it doesn’t get worse for the poor little thing. I am going to miss her so much! Who knows maybe in 4 months from now I will move to a dog friendly place and I can come back and get her.
All I know is Shoonik should be free! FREE SHOONIK! =)
One day as I was walking home Shooniks owners, not her family because only I am her family, but the people who own her came up to me, well the kids did. Shooik, Shoonik is a bad dog they told me. No I responded she is a good dog, I love her. The little girl looks up at me, well shoonik is chained up she tells me. What do you mean I ask, not really understanding. She starts talking so fast that I do not understand. I tell her I am confused and she starts speaking quickly again. Knowing that I still do not understand she takes her finger and swipes it across her throat. The motion for dead. I freeze what do You mean I ask. She does it again. I flip out and tell her no, and she shakes her head yes. I walk away and tell her I can’t talk I am very sad.
By the next day I have devised a plan to free shoonik. I decide I am going to go to the ATM and get some of my American money out and offer it to these people for shooniks life. Unfortunatly for me it doesn’t work. I walk home feeling defeated and helpless. As I walk by the house I try not to look at the kids, I don’t want to talk to them, they are going to kill my dog. They grab me anyways and take me into their yard. They show me what seems to be a chicken coop and out walks shoonik chained on a 5foot chain. She looked so sad but at least she was still alive. I tell the kids its mean to chain her up and I don’t like it. They try again to tell me what happened. The little boy runs away and comes back with a baby chick. Juicy ate one of these he says. Ooooh. So you are not killing shoonik? No. Oooooooh. So Shoonik just ate a baby chicken so this is her punishment. Yes. Ooooooooooh. So when will you let Shoonik go free again? We won’t, she will live like this now. Nooo, wait, you mean she is always going to be on this tiny chain stuck here? Yes. ALWAYS? Yes. My heart starts to beat fast, I pick the dog up and hug her and walk away crying. My poor happy puppy being punished for something I know was not her fault. The kids taunt her and sick the baby chicks in her face. I know she didn’t do it on purpose.
But you have to understand one thing. This chick was the family’s livelihood. She would have laid eggs that they could have ate for years to come. She would have had more hens who they could sell for the much needed money. This chick was not a pet to them, she was their survival. Now they only have two chicks left. Shoonik has to be controlled they say. I still feel horrible. I want to free her, but she’d prolly become a street dog, or even worse, would come back to the house anyways and punished even worse for running away.
I have decided the only thing I can try to do is to educate them. I went over yesterday and showed the kids that her leash was twisted up and choking the dogs. I showed them that she needs water that is nearby. Then I asked if I could take her with me for a walk, I was granted permission so I took her collar off and let her run around. She followed me wherever I went. Even if she took off to chase a bird she came back promptly. She was so happy running and frolicking. Could you imagine being kept in a box for a week not able to run and stretch your legs out.? So sad. Today I will do it again, maybe this time the family will go with me. Maybe I can teach them to give her a free hour every day where she can be lose and run around. I just hope that when I leave it doesn’t get worse for the poor little thing. I am going to miss her so much! Who knows maybe in 4 months from now I will move to a dog friendly place and I can come back and get her.
All I know is Shoonik should be free! FREE SHOONIK! =)
I can just hear you, saying FREE SHOONIK! Power to the people Alyssa!!! HAHHAHAHHAHHA!
ReplyDeletePoor Little Shoonik. She reminds me so much of gimpy that it makes me sad when I see her. I hope the kids have learned some things from you and will treat her better after your gone :(
ReplyDeleteoh that last comment was from me, your mom lol. I forgot to sign it
ReplyDelete