A Chihuahua Named Hope

This story made my heart very sad.

A woman was camping when she heard screaming and went to investigate. The screaming was coming from a little chihuahua that had been thrown into a fire pit. Her owners (or at least, the people who had brought her there) were standing there, watching her while she suffered. How anyone could actually watch this, let alone enjoy it, is beyond me.

The little chihuahua was rescued and brought to the vet, who treated her and referred her to a local animal rescue for ongoing care. They named her "Hope." They genuinely believed that she could recover, be adopted into a loving home, and live a rich life with a family that deserved her. For several weeks, Hope was medicated for pain and taken for daily visits to the veterinarian. Her bandages had to be changed frequently, and she had possibly lost her vision in one eye.

Unfortunately, on July 4th, Hope lost her battle. I suspect that the strain may have been too much for her little heart. She passed away and is no longer suffering. However, the story has resonated with me, creeping around in the corners of my mind. This story bothers me because Hope deserves justice. All life is precious, and anyone sick enough to do this to Hope may become a repeat offender.

Hope was a beautiful little chihuahua- black and tan, just as I'd like to own someday. She deserved to be loved, she deserved to be part of a family that would love her and protect her. Instead, she was the victim of cruelty and paid the ultimate price for some monster's sick form of entertainment. Even more unsettling, the people who committed this crime are still out there. True Hearts Rescue is currently offering a $1,000.00 reward for any information leading them to Hope's tormentors. If you're reading this and you happen to know something, please contact them. Hope deserves justice. She deserved so much more, but that was cruelly taken from her.

While these stories sadden me greatly, I know that I have to get used to seeing these cases. If I'm able to start a rescue center, I know that I'll see many victims of cruelty. There will probably be times when I have to take a moment and just cry. I look at our boys and I can't understand how anyone could hurt them. They love us unconditionally, and so many people just take advantage of that. If I can make a difference in the life of a victim, then that's worth having to see the darker side of humanity. Now, with the images of a bandaged, suffering Hope still fresh in my mind, I feel more determined than ever to do something for these victims.

I'm grateful that Hope was able to spend her last weeks with foster parents who truly cared for her. Hopefully she knew that she was loved. She deserved that, and so much more.

I'm sorry, Hope. Not all humans are like this. For you, and for all of the other victims, I will strive to create my own animal rescue center in the not-too-distant future.