This is Abby Lynn Drake. A week ago she did not have a name or a loving owner. She belonged to a man that lived nearby, and she slept outside in the cold and rain. No shelter at all. Her previous owner had the intentions of taking her out into the middle of the woods and abandoning her because she would not hunt rabbits. If no one stepped up to take the dog off of his hands, who knows where she would be? I couldn't let that happen.
Believe it or not, the above image is the same dog. I convinced my family to take her in. It took three baths for me to wash away the dirt that made her fur a sickly yellow color. She smelled terrible from being outside for so long, and her neck was rubbed raw from being restrained and covered with flea bites.
In a weeks time, this dog has transformed into the most loving animal you could imagine. She crawls in your lap and cuddles with you. She even knows tricks and will play fetch. It's amazing how such a loving and well-trained animal ended up in the hands of the man who threatened to abandon her. If you know of an animal like Abby who may end up being abandoned, the following quote is for you:
"The anti-cruelty statute provides that if any person shall maliciously kill, or cause or procure to be killed, any animal by intentional deprivation of necessary sustenance, that person shall be guilty of a Class H felony. If any person shall maliciously torture, mutilate, maim, cruelly beat, disfigure, poison, or kill, or cause or procure to be tortured, mutilated, maimed, cruelly beaten, disfigured, poisoned, or killed, any animal , every such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class H felony. This section also makes promoting or conducting a cock fight a misdemeanor and promoting or conducting a dogfight a felony. Other prohibited acts include abandoning an animal, conveying any animal in a cruel manner, and restraining a dog in a cruel manner," states North Carolina law. If you reside in any other state, you probably have similar regulations but the exact law for each state can be found easily with a google search.
Animals are the greatest gift ever given to mankind for several reasons. They do not judge or discriminate. They provide companionship and support. They do not harm anyone unless they have been exposed to aggressive behavior or mistreated. All they ask in return is that you don't give up on them.
If you rescue an animal, know that certain vets and pet stores such as PetSmart offer discounts to rescuers. You can get items such as flea collars, beds, food, and medicine for a lower price.
If you don't want an animal, don't get one. If you have one and decide you don't want it anymore, take it to a no-kill animal shelter or find it a home via social media. Don't give it away to someone who may not have good intentions or abandon it in the woods in the middle of winter.
Lastly, anyone who believes it is acceptable to mistreat an animal by exposing it to conditions such as those stated above: there is a very special place in hell for you.
