I've been following the debate in council regarding the sale of live animals in pet stores, particularly Pet Habitat. I have also been following the comments and information provided by Paws for Hope that has been blatantly ignored by most of the council members. But I'm not writing to you today to further the argument. Rather, I would like to tell you a story, a very sad story but thankfully with a very happy ending.
Earlier this year I saw a Bernese Mountain dog that was up for adoption. I read her story and immediately connected with this girl. Over a period of several months I was finally able to bring her home and end her nightmare. Her name is Heidi. Heidi was born in a puppy mill in the U.S.A. and then sold to a puppy mill in Edmonton. She is five-and-a-half years old and has had five litters of puppies, the first litter before she was a year old herself. Her puppies were then ripped away from her before they were ready and sold to unsuspecting consumers and pet stores. Heidi's home consisted of a very small pen outside.
She had no human contact and had never experienced the warmth of a cozy bed or felt even the tiniest bit of love. She was nothing more than a puppy machine. When she was worn out and couldn't produce more puppies, she was sold to the highest bidder.
The family that bought her did not know what happened. They brought her home but she was so fearful of people and had so many anxiety issues that the family felt they could not cope or help her, so they surrendered her to the Edmonton SPCA. Thank God the Edmonton SPCA had the intelligence to contact the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada and get Heidi into their rescue program. Heidi would not have survived in a shelter environment.
The club got Heidi into a foster home where she spent three months before going to another family in Winnipeg. That family had a male Bernese, and the hope was that Heidi would bond with him and eventually feel safe. But sadly that family didn't last five days. They couldn't deal with Heidi's issues either. So again, Heidi went into foster care.
During this time I had hoped to be the adopting parent for Heidi, and when the other family was chosen (the reason was the male Bernese the other family had. I have a female, and the foster parent in Edmonton felt that Heidi would do better with a male), I was heartbroken. But five days later I got the call asking if I could still take Heidi. Before the words were fully spoken I was already shouting into the phone, "Yes yes yes!" Two months later after an exhausting trip, Heidi finally came home.
She's been with me since July 25. She is fearful and has many issues, too many to list. But with a lot of love, patience, affection and understanding she is making progress. She no longer has a look of fear in her eyes, her tail is no longer tucked up to her belly, and she now snuggles with me on a regular basis. In fact, she sleeps with me. And when I have to go out, she looks for me. When I come home, she barks and now wags her tail. She still has a very long road ahead of her but, in time, she will know what her life should have been like. And I will never give up on her.
I'm telling you Heidi's story because I think you need to hear the issues from the perspective of a puppy mill dog. I personally do not shop in any store that sells live animals and will encourage others to boycott them as well. Am I disappointed with Burnaby council's decision to allow Pet Habitat and other pet stores to continue selling animals?
No, I'm not. I'm horrified. How many Heidis have to suffer before these people get the message that animals are not commodities? They are living, breathing, feeling beings with hearts and souls just as we are. But then again, what does council care? They have a warm bed to sleep in at night.
I have a photo of Heidi taken within the first few days of coming home. You can see the fear and sadness in her eyes. If not for anything else, this picture shows Heidi as a poster child for what happens to a puppy mill dog.
Sonja Richards is a local dog owner.
