Has accomplished more in five years than many people ever will. Photo courtesy Jennifer Kelley |
Five years ago today, the great mass of 189 canine crime victims (plus those in utero) were forcibly removed from Dog Hell as envisioned by Hieronymus Bosch.
Previous victims of the same offender had been "rescued" by those guys who fuck up your day when you see their guilt-dunning commercials.
If by "rescued" one means "confiscated and summarily killed."
An awful lot of people figured that should have happened to the ONB dogs, too. Said so. Sometimes in print.*
Nobody was saying that about my friend Mr. Barry White last week, as he held sofa-court at his owner's annual full-house-of-guests holiday party.
| (Sorry about the crummy phone-photo. His throne room was candle-lit.) |
Even the most jealous agility rival doesn't wish dead the adopted dogs who beat them at the trials.
Sky can grab some of her namesake. Photo courtesy of Rachel Roper |
| Blue. Not scared of you. Photo courtesy of Jody Richwagen |
Get my good side. Ha ha. They're all good sides. Photo Courtesy of Jane Connors |
| Skeeter put in an application for a farm or ranch position back in 2009. Photo courtesy of Liz Dickinson. |
| Libby, at lessons. Photo courtesy of Rob McMillin |
Contrary to popular perception, not all of them were English shepherds. No matter. We love them no less. Even when they eat rocks.
| Jet and his boy. Photo courtesy of Melinda King. |
Absolutely nobody at the search this spring where Cole made his first find -- located our missing man's mortal remains where previous searchers had failed to do so -- suggested that the cheerful little black dog ought to have died for the convenience of his "rescuers," or for his own good, or to save the taxpayers money. Not the police, not the bereaved family, not the firefighters or the media or the other search teams, and especially not his teammates.
| In the command post with his friends just before the very last task, tired after days of searching, but game to do his duty. Cole does not leave a man behind. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Kelley |
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* The op-ed to which I am replying in this letter-turned-op-ed does not show up when I search The Outpost's site. Not sure whether their archives don't go back that far or what. If anyone has a link to it, please send along.
