Spanish Street Dogs; the other Waifs and Strays.

Sadly on the 28th December one of the refugee puppies died.

The lighter coloured of the two that looked most like Mum died sometime during the night of the 27 / 28th December.

of the four pups he was probably my favourite; an independent little boy who was picked up by someone from outside the village and was later returned to his Mum and his brother and sisters. He was the one who always led out the pack at feeding time and the only one who would tolerate a tummy rub.

On Tuesday morning I was going down the track to feed them when I was stopped by one of the villagers who told me "Un cachorro esta muerto...." He showed me the lifeless body, laid out in the long grass not far from the cave where thedogs live. I dont know what he died from; there was no sign of external injury, no signs of vomit or other bodily secretions, I guess it was just the result of a cold night. He looked as if he had just fallen asleep in the grass...

There is a load of broken rocks nearby so I buried him and made a little cairn of rocks to cover the grave.

So Sad...

Mum and the others obviously miss him; at feeding time its Mum who now leads the pack out to greet me and whilst the others are tucking in she is clearly calling out for him...

Emotionally I am involved with the little pack but a couple of things really concern me; they are in need of vaccinations and worming  treatment; there is also the point that before very long Mum will be coming into season again and the two female pups will be approaching their first season before long...its a recipe for disaster. I canot afford the vets bills involved in castrating the male pup and the spaying of the three females.

In addition to this one of the two pups we did adopt needs an op to correct some birth defects and both are due their third vaccinations and m/chipping next month.

Ok so Ive made a rod for my own back; I'll be the first to admit it, but I cannot sit idly by and watch the waifs and strays that frequent our village doing the dog thing...this is not a rich village...most of the occupants are widows or widowers, in retirement. The doggy problem is one they dont seem to have a problem with...if a dog dies...what the hell...its just a dog...