Got kleenex?

Well, it has been a very long five days. My dog Ella that you see in the post below has been put to sleep. I am just so raw and upset about it right now. I brought her over here nearly eight years ago from the US. Little did I know that I would be staying here so long and that I would spend so much time trying to get her decent grooming and vet care. It never bothered me to travel an hour away for a decent kennel, groomer or vet. What Ella gave me in return was constant love and companionship for me, my family and my other older dog.

The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

-Gandhi

If you've never lived here with a pet consider yourself very lucky. The state of animal welfare here is disturbingly sad. Every August during vacation season many people just open the gates and let their pets fend for themselves while they go off on holiday. You see these pets of all sizes and ages digging through the trash piles on the streets (yes, we are still in a trash crisis here). Other times you just see them flattened on the road. Did I mention the surge in animal births that will come soon? Most people here don't believe in sterilizing their pets, "why interfere with their right to procreate?" When selecting a pet most Italians here prefer a male dog because "you don't need to sterilize them...it is the females that are the problem." The lack of respect and responsibility to these animals is in my opinion the height of ignorance and negligence.
Luckily, there are people and organizations that try to turn this tide. One of these organizations that does wonderful work in vet care, sterilization (of both male & female), education and more is Lega Pro Animale. I would like to thank their Dr. Dorathea Friz for helping me to end Ella's pain and suffering and for offering the service of cremation. While cremating Ella wasn't cheap it was worth it because I'd like to take her back to bury her in a happier place.