ONE DOG'S CHALLENGE IN 2024 REMINDS US OF ANOTHER'S IN 2006

EDITION OF AUG. 14-15, 2024 [PETPOWELLPRESS] Our opening item is going to be disturbing, but, it’s also going to remind a lot of people of one very special dog from many years ago — middle of April 2006..
That is the face of the rescued dog Mercy. It sticks with me to this day. I'm sure I'm not alone in that reaction.
As horrid as her story was, she was inspirational...
First, a current story of a dog who needs help.
A PUPPY IN PAIN, MISERY
GETS HELP, NEEDS MORE
We got the tip on this story from our pal Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com, the non-profit helper of animals and the people who love them. That’s
our connection between this dog named Phoenix and her caregivers, Trinity GAP Rescue in Euless.
 a long-time supporter of the rescue organization, explained, “GAP was contacted by the Euless Animal Shelter for medical help for this baby they’ve named Phoenix. I’ve labeled the attached pix 'GRAPHIC' as they show the horrific burns on her back.  Just a warning if you don’t want to see them.” [LARRY ASIDE: We’re posting the sweet face of Phoenix and small versions of the burns photos— you’ll have to click on the photo  to see the details. So far, no info on whether the burn injuries were accentual or intentional .]
Karen included the note distributed by Steffenie Vela of Trinity GAP Rescue, the youth-and-heart-powered animal rescue that evolved from the Euless Trinity High School Girls Awareness Program.
Steffenie explained that “Trinity GAP got a call from our partner, The Euless Animal Shelter, about a six-month-old puppy with horrendous burns from her neck and down her back.
"We immediately stepped up to get the medical  help needed.   We are not sure what caused these horrific burns, but this puppy is not only a complete sweetheart, but also has a tremendous spirit  to survive!   The bandages to protect her burns needs to be changed daily which means she has to have daily anesthesia.
“The process is so  painful and tedious for her.  We are grateful for the care she is getting.  She is currently staying at Tara Animal Clinic  until she can leave with a medical foster.   We are in urgent need of help with vet bills.  
“Phoenix care,  along with the 17 hoarding dogs and puppies we helped take from the shelter, has cost thousands of dollars this past month.  Any donation, no matter how small, adds up.”
To donate to GAP’s efforts to help Phoenix or to see how to adopt the dog or any of GAP’s cherished animals, click on https://trinitygaprescue.org/.
Steffenie’s note asks for a special bit of help, too: “If you can foster her, please email [email protected].”
CONTEMPLATIONS
IT WAS MID-APRIL 2006 ... MERCY!
Yes, the appeal for help for Phoenix immediately took me back to that spring’s awful animal abuse story. This dog is Mercy. When she wouldn’t mate, the guy who “owned” her, beat her, stabbed her and set her on fire.
You may recall that Operation Kindness, the Carrollton shelter led magnificently for years by Jonnie England, stepped to take Mercy in hopes of getting her through this awful episode.
Ten days later, Mercy died. Her story outraged the area. And, the guy who did was arrested, charged, found guilty and sent prison. 
There was a Mercy Service that filled the plaza in front of Dallas City Hall with all sorts of animal people supporting kindness to animals and urging that people who mistreat animals face legal charges and hard time.
There also was a memorial service on the grounds of Operation Kindness that drew a full crowd of animal supporters including Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins who, after the Mercy incident, put a new tougher focus on prosecuting animal abuse crimes in Dallas County. [LARRY ASIDE: I like to think that these efforts to prosecute the villains have continued in Dallas and the general area.]
Mercy’s remains were buried in a special site at Operation Kindness.
This event also drew a crowd, too. One of individuals, an unidentified acquaintance of D Magazine Editor Tim Rogers, wrote a report so moving that it was included in the magazine’s onlne report. All these years later you can read it on the D Magazine Frontburner site HERE.
My animaladoringspouse Martha and I were at the memorial. And Martha is mentioned in the report on the D site. She was one of the speakers.
Among the things she said, this quote:
“The cruel murder of this beautiful soul reminds us that there is evil in this world.
“That she was rescued by good Samaritans and brought to this place, where kind arms were waiting to show her love and willing to save her life, makes us know that there is goodness in this world.
“Good and evil — which is stronger? In this case, when good people looked into the eye of a broken, tortured animal, they named her Mercy, after what was in their hearts.”
With the memory of Mercy, comes, also, a memory of the young man accused and convicted of felony animal abuse.
There is an online site that has the appeal he made to get out of his sentence (4 years in prison, $5,000 fine). The appeals court sided with the jury -- no dice on getting out. You can read details of the case and the court. Click here for the Justin Law site.
Ultimately, we think there’s a simple phrase that, if followed, will make all the difference in the world to animals in the presence and to humans in the hereafter: Be kind to animals.
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