Give Them A Chance

One of the dogs brought to the Saskatoon SPCA following the death of their owner. Photograph by: Courtesy of Saskatoon SPCA, handout

When human beings are faced with the dread condition of starvation they have been known on some notable occasions to turn to cannibalism to survive. There is historical, ritualistic cannibalism practised by some isolated tribes in Africa, and there are modern incidents of recorded events where people having suffered catastrophic accidents which left them isolated and struggling to survive, succumbing to the horror-inducing need to consume the bodies of those among them who had perished.

Although such acts are horribly repugnant to us, we find it in ourselves to forgive them, as desperate acts of survival. We speak in hushed tones of such events and view them with disgust, but a part of us also acknowledges that if, by consuming a dead body, some can manage to survive, then the act speaks for itself as a life-saving retreat from visceral disgust. We bring compassion to the news of such occurrences, not condemnation.

In Saskatchewan seven dogs had been left to their own devices. Dogs that had been well looked after by their owners. Fed well, exercised, groomed, cared for. For some reason not yet divulged the elderly couple died suddenly and mysteriously. The RCMP have information, but have decided to maintain a silence, for the present time. The death of the couple left their five shelties and two mixed breeds without the most basic of care.

Dogs, after all, are highly domesticated animals, dependent on their humans to look after them, to see to their daily needs. And with the death of the two owners there was no one to be concerned about the dogs' well-being and nurturance. Eventually a neighbour decided to call on the couple and he discovered the situation. What he also discovered was that the dogs, having no other source of sustenance, had begun to consume the decomposing bodies of their former owners.

The dogs were found to be in fairly good condition, other than the state of their haircoats. They were turned over to the care of the Saskatoon Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The man (who also happens to be a breeder), who had discovered the dead bodies of his former neighbours and their dogs, feels little compassion for the plight the animals found themselves in and insists they should be put down.

The Saskatoon SPCA feels the dogs should be rehabilitated and eventually put up for adoption. Their feeling is that the dogs merely did what was natural to any animal species; they sought a means to prolong their lives since, after all, this is what nature has programmed us to do: survive. The staff looking after the seven dogs have not noted any manner or behaviour that would betray the onset of any kind of averse psychological condition.

When the dogs are placed for adoption, the authorities at the SPCA have every intention of disclosing to prospective adopters the situation that the dogs found themselves in and how they responded to that situation. They feel there is no reason whatever to destroy these animals. And it's difficult to understand why, given the circumstances, anyone would want to. Apart from our natural aversion to what occurred, they are due our care and concern.

SASKATOON SPCA

One of several photos released on July 12, 2011 by the Saskatoon SPCA of two sheltie blend type dogs that were brought in for cleaning by shelter staff