The people came in and looked at them both, evaluating each one of the family members carefully. The choice was easy to make, really. One, being old and grey haired and sick, and the other, younger, full of energy and blonde. Laughing and joking as they left, the older, grey haired one watched sadly as the ones she loved left her to die, and when the reality of the situation finally hit her, she began to cry, but to no avail. The ones who had raised her were gone. Forever. Now, if you thought this was a story of about how America treats its older people, which are basically shuttled off to be stuck in old folks ghettos, you would be wrong. That is a completely different story.
This story is about Cookie, an aging cocker spaniel, and the family that left her behind at the San Bernardino City Shelter like she was an old shoe. A local news station reported on the story and noted that — “They came to the shelter to retrieve Cookie and another dog after the two had been rounded up as strays. The family claimed the younger dog, a labrador retriever. Then they took off. And as Cookie watched them go, she whimpered. Shelter staff say they witnessed how Cookie was betrayed in the most stunning and hurtful manner. A member of the San Bernardino City Shelter said — “Cookie is crying for her family. She watched as the family drove away and left her to die.”
Now, the story doesn’t end on a sad note. Numerous media sources go on to note that — “Cookie’s story drew the attention of animal lovers, who rallied to the old dog. According to the website, 3milliondogs.com — “It wasn’t long before OC Small Paws So UT went to work to help save Cookie from the shelter and placed her with a “foster mother”. Given Cookie’s age – she is believed to be anywhere from 8 to 10 years old – she has medical conditions that will require the care and attention of a veterinarian, which the rescue group is taking care of. According to the rescue group’s Facebook page, Cookie has already had one surgery for cancer and is recovering well.”
In fact, the Miami Herald reported that —“On its Facebook page, OC Small Paws So UT says it has been overwhelmed by emails and phone calls about Cookie's story. The volunteer rescue group says it can no longer answer individual inquiries on Cookie because of time constraints, but will post updates on her progress to Facebook.”
So, there you have it. A feel-good story about an animal that is old and sick that has a happy ending. Reading through the comments section, it is easy to see the rage that is held down deep inside of people.“These people are sick,” said one. “Scum!” said another. In fact, one story, on one website had 103 comments all about how horrible the family was. Only a few people cared to consider what the family was going through and their situation. Although it is speculation, maybe it is possible that the family was facing hard times and had to choose between paying for cancer treatments for their older dog or putting food on the plates of their young children? At this point in time, we will never know. But what we do know is shocking, to say the least.
In a recent report, the United States Department of Agriculture noted that — “About 45.4 million Americans, or roughly one-seventh of the population, received nutrition aid last October, the most recent month of data.” That’s right. 1 out of every 7 people in America is on some form of government food assistance program. As Marketwatch recently noted — “With the majority of Americans having less than $500 savings in their bank accounts, most are just one paycheck away from being homeless” as well. So there you have it, the real situation. Things aren’t as rosy as they seem. Although official government stats portray a different picture, the reality is something quite different.
As people of means descend on San Francisco this week to attend the most watched American Football championship game in history (at a minimum of four thousand dollars per ticket according to Stubhub), most will see a sparkling city with clean streets and magic in the air. Gone are the street gangs, gone is the garbage, and most interestingly, gone are the thousands of homeless people. Yup, that’s right. In a bid to clean up the city, local authorities have been rounding up the homeless and? Well, that is the point. The less fortunate are gone, shipped off to somewhere else. Some say they have put into camps, others are not so sure. Out with the old and grey, in with the new and bright and shiny.
The New York Times wrote — “To tidy up for the tourists, the city’s large homeless population has been swept out of view, which some people here see as evidence that this city, long a seat of leftist activism, has sold itself to corporate interests.” One local activist said — “I don’t think the taxpayers should be used to subsidize a party for one of the wealthiest corporations in the world.” Another noted that — “You have a $5 million corporate giveaway to host this party, and that’s money that could have been used to house 500 homeless people for a year. It really puts a spotlight on the priorities of this city.”
So, what do you think, dear listeners — “Does it take a game to reveal the true nature of people?”
