"Have you come back to get me?"

Rescuing Trond



Going to the Large Animal Clinic @ Ullò is always eventful and more often than not, disheartening and sad. By the side of the road one can always see loose dogs in varying states of neglect and the decision to take them or not is always a difficult one to make with several aspects to take into consideration. However, upon seeing "Trond" today there was no doubt in our minds that this was his last shot at life.

Trond was straying at a busy road crossing with trailers and other cars going by at a fast pace. Whenever a car stopped to give way, Trond ran towards it, wagging his tail. One could speculate that he had been taken to this area by car, because his approach to each vehicle was with such excitement and anticipation, looking up at the drivers window as if to say:

"You forgot me didn`t you?..... Have you come back to get me?"

At the time of seeing him Caroline and I were in a minibus with a few of our class-mates on our way back from a farm visit with the obstetrics department and we could see that it was only a matter of very little time (a few hours) before this dog became a lifeless being at the roadside, something one so frequently sees along the busy roads here in Hungary.

We went back to collect Trond in Thea`s car and my heart was pounding all the way. I was seriously worried that we were already too late because this dog seemed to have no regard for the traffic in his frantic search for the car that he was obviously looking for. The one that was coming to take him back home. But as we approached, there he was standing at the side of the road. As our car came to a halt, his ears perked up, his tail started wagging and he immediately trotted up to meet us.

Was this the car that had forgotten him?

It wasn`t. But it was the car that had come to take him home all the same.

Trond`s terrible state became even more apparent as we saw him up close. His body covered in crusts and lesions, his bones visible; he was famished and thirsty and obviously in desperate need of medical treatment which is most likely the reason why he has been placed on the streets in the first place. Upon seeing a dog with this skin-condition it`s important to seek specialist care before anything else. It just so happened that we were driving directly back to campus to attend an elective in Dermatology so Trond received the medical check-up he needed from the dermatologist. Lucy, one of our previous foster-carers, kindly offered to help us by taking him in for a week. Proving yet again that we would be at a total loss without the kindness and help of everyone pulling together for these poor dogs who have done nothing more than be born into an existence and a world where nobody seems to care whether they live or die. The questions we so often are confronted with:

"what, realistically, is another dog? What good will it do when thousands are being abused and neglected as we speak? And why do you care?"

Well today, "another dog" is Trond. And the difference lies in what we can do for him and the heartbeat in his chest and the dignity in his being. And the reason why we care where others might not? Who knows. Maybe we are genetically wired to do so? Maybe we want life to be about something greater and more meaningful than just ourselves? Or maybe it is because we simply cannot find it in us to not care.

Wishing everyone all the best,

Anouska

NB! We are looking for a fosterhome for Trond and cannot take him to kennels due to his skin condition and the medical treatment he needs for two weeks in the form of baths every second day.
In spite of his physical state, Trond is an extremely sweet natured, loveable and adoring dog. We hope that we can get him better soon and give him the second chance he needs. Trond is a relatively young dog, between 1-3 years old, aprox 20 kg. and is calm indoors, and just a really sweet and friendly young boy. He seems well adjusted and extremely loving and will not be problematic in fostering at all.

Thank you Thea for letting us take him in your car from Ullò to the city and Thank you Lucy for selflessly offering to take him in on only an hours notice. We are very grateful!