Sophie's Choice...

I left my home at around eight o'clock tonight to go take a run around the savannah, not expecting the adventure that would quickly unfold once I got there. I parked my car on the stretch above Cipriani Boulevard across from the Anglican church behind the small nuts van that has taken to selling there now, got out, took a quick stretch and took off in the direction the traffic flows heading north. As I turned the bend at what used to be called Cosmos corner and began to run east in the direction of the Magnificent seven I saw up ahead across from the Woodford Street corner, something bobbing in the water in the drain at the side of the savannah. As I got closer I realized it was a dog, jet black, medium sized from what I could see, and across from her (I later found out it was a she) were about five people having a drink and a lime on the benches. I enquired as to what was the story with the dog and they told me that it had just gotten hit by a car and had come to rest there in the fast flowing river coming off of the savannah, and the bobbing motion I had seen was it/her struggling to keep her head above water.

Now, I am no animal rescue specialist despite finding myself in these situations all to regularly these days, and my first reaction was to try to find a way to prop her head so at least she wouldn't drown. That plan quickly failed and the liming crew were starting to get tired of the whole scene that I had more or less dragged them into. One of the guys said to me that he had phoned a friend who was coming to help while the other one dug around in his van to see what he could find to prop her head with and came back with a rope. We took the rope, worked it under her body cautiously hoping that we did not get bitten for our troubles and 'hoisted' her in one move out of the water and onto the savannah pavement. She was still in pain but at least she wouldn't drown. I asked my new unimpressed rescue team (who looked like they wanted to say 'Boss, we just here for a drink and a lime you know') to look after her while I ran back to get my car and more importantly my phone to call the two animal specialists I know, Roxanne George and Lisa D'Andrade Thomas. I got to my car and made the two calls for help and then drove back to the scene where the dog was now moaning and shivering. The friend that the guys called arrived and she turned out to be Shira Mohammed a long ago friend now apparently, among other things, a rescue member of the Animal Welfare Network. Lisa got Detta to call and give us some advice, Roxanne was trying to make her way through the traffic on the 'Avenue' to get to us, and Shira brought out a blanket, got the dog onto it, and together we put her in the tray of Shira's van. She asked me to drive and she stayed in the tray with the dog and we headed off in the direction of Dr. Pidduck's on Mucuprapo Road as she had also called the stand by vet who was already on her way. With a quick call to Roxanne as to the new plan, we were all on our way to the vet's. We arrived in no time and Roxanne arrived not long after that; in the ensuing introductions and exchanges of information the two of them had properly bonded with the dog who now had a name – Sophie.

Dr. Pyke arrived a little while after and on her instructions we took Sophie inside to begin the examination; within minutes we could tell things were not looking good. Dr. Pyke was not happy with her reflex response and decided to x-ray her where we found her back was indeed completely broken. She said that we needed to make a decision and we knew that meant putting her to sleep or...? According to the vet she will never walk again and housing the dog will not be easy. She said as much as it pained her, her professional opinion was that for the dog's sake it should be put to sleep. I could not believe that all of tonight's drama could end so depressingly and I asked the vet for some time to see if there was anyone interested in housing a special needs dog named Sophie, who for all the pain she must be enduring and the discomfort of a broken back showed so much spirit that it would be such a shame to cut that life short.

I am at a loss. I cannot keep her where I live as I would have at least tried. Sophie is a beautiful animal, and if anyone thinks that they might be able to help I would take responsibility for raising the funds to cover the medical costs of saving her. We are putting this out as a call for help, someone who has a heart big enough to help save Sophie. If you're out there, we have until ten in the morning.