Hungry together.
The hearts of genuine dog lovers will break -- and bleed -- in Ukraine.
The former Soviet republic is home to thousands of stray dogs which feed on spoiled food craps in public trash bins. These skinny, smelly mongrels are a common sight in the country where a number of their human counterparts (i.e. the homeless beggars) are just as hungry.
However, it is not uncommon to see struggling pensioners (getting as little as USD60.00 a month or even less) plying their small trade on busy sidewalks with their new-found canine companions.
The irony is, a number of kind-hearted babushkas (grannies), who need personal care themselves, have their own dog-related advocacy: they do their best to feed the poor creatures with the meager 'earnings' they get from selling a few vegetables, flowers or sunflower seeds.
And almost always, it's tough to share one's blessings when business is not good. Food for both master and adopted dogs can be really scarce.
One thing that might comfort animal lovers is the fact that Ukrainians, in general, don't feast on askals (street dogs) the way some barbaric Filipinos do.
'Dog orphanage' in Kyiv. (Photos by Sarita Ladios)
3 comments:
oh, this is heartbreaking really...but at the same time, I am thankful that these dogs have someone like her who has compassion and love for animals.
nice post Jayred :-)
THESS: Yeah, it's really heart-breaking. Actually the dogs in the pics (found in Kyiv, the capital city) are far better off than the dogs I've seen in the countryside (too bad I didn't take pics there). Maybe because the granny took care of them. Thanks for the compliment, Thess. At last, I was able to contribute something here. I plan to post some more later (God willing) once I have the luxury of time. God bless!
JUSTICE: Hi! A dog farm? That's a fantastic idea. Hope you'll tell us more about it. God bless.
Got this comment from a certain blogger named IvanM:
"One thing that might comfort animal lovers is the fact that Ukrainians, in general, don't feast on askals (street dogs) the way some barbaric Filipinos do"
How is it that eating dogs can be deemed by 'barbaric'? Well maybe for a highly-westernised, urban-dwelling Pinoy but not for cultural folks who live outside Metro Manila.
I dont have anything against eating dogs ( and honnestly would prefer karabao meat instead) but I dont feel comfortable in simply dismissing other 'kababayans' for their 'strange' eating habits and calling them barbaric.
Dogs are a delicacy in the Philippines as are civet cats in China and octopus in Italy.
Different strokes for different folks.
19 Sept./1:19 PM
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