Lost a friend today. He told me about his family neglecting their dog - I told him that this was not okay. He gave me the 'it's just a dog' attitude - I reported him to the SPCA. I hope they find that the dog is well cared for and that nothing's wrong - but I can't hear about a dog being locked in a dark garage 24/7, his house full of animal feces/urine and remember the cat that they let die without getting treatment (after hearing about it festering for -months-) and not at least err on the side of caution. No dog is 'just a dog' to me.
I told him - I didn't throw it in his face, I let him know gently that I had called and again that I hoped that they'd find nothing to be concerned about. He would have known anyway. It felt like the right thing to do to just own it to begin with.
Was called a bad friend, was told that he doubted I'd call them because I'm not 'that good a person'. Was called all manner of names. Was told that his family life is unstable (mother threatening to go back to the Ukraine if anything happens to the dog while the father is insisting that they don't want/can't keep the dog) and that if this breaks their family apart it's on me.
Was called a horrible person for being more concerned about the welfare of a dog than the marriage of his parents.
He's right. I am more concerned about the 'it's just a dog' who can't speak for himself, who can't fight for his rights and who is regarded as 'just a dog' than his parents' apparently already ridiculously fragile marriage. And sure...if his mother does move back to the Ukraine because of this, I might feel a little bad. But if the SPCA goes out there, finds something seriously wrong and finds this dog a better home that actually loves it - I'll know that I did the right thing.
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