A tribute to Jonah the street dog.

Today’s post is especially dedicated to Jonah, the street dog who passed away recently. In fact, this very day.

Jonah

To summarize it all however, Jonah was a little dog that was hit by a car and left in the street in Van, Turkey. Locals fed and watered Jonah and called authorities for help. Help arrived 3 days later. A horror indeed as it came in the form of a trash compactor.

Jonah was about to be thrown into the garbage compactor

People manage to take some photos and videos of what was done (cruelly) to Jonah. Jonah was dragged mercilessly by a noose around its neck. What could Jonah do with two broken hind legs then? Jonah was thrown heartlessly into the trash compactor and being carted away.

Jonah was thrown into the garbage compactor

Jonah was saved and placed in the care of vets at the Van University Veterinary hospital with allegedly irreversible damage to the spinal cord injury at Thoracic1 and Lumbar 2 & 3, and a resultant paralysis.

Note: To know more about Jonah and what had had actually happen, please read ‘The story of a street dog named Jonah’.

As of now, I’ll detail out what had actually happen after that – a summary and a continuity of ‘The story of a Street Dog named Jonah’.

10th November 2008
Jonah was hit.

13th November 2008
The municipality finally decided to do something and send in a death squad on Jonah. They sent two garbage collectors and a garbage truck to pick Jonah up.

25th November 2008
Due to the ultra racist nationalistic attempts of the so called animal lover organizations, Van municipality decided not to give Jonah for adoption.

Jonah was NOT allowed to leave Turkey. Jonah was condemned to a life in a shelter for attracting too many attentions from the inside and abroad.

The letter which reverse all the hard work in getting Jonah out (click to enlarge)

28th November 2008
Jonah was known to be operated earlier this week. On that very morning, Jonah wasn’t doing so well but it is still alive.

Sadly in Turkey, most medical professionals and citizens believed that euthanasia was in the best interest of the animal.

The people who are working on Jonah’s case was trying to convince the local authorities to give Jonah the chance to at least experience once, human’s compassion and gentle love. They were hoping for some assistance of the international press and most especially the Turkish Press.

Sadly, a lot of Turks believed that an animal born on their soil should die on their soil, regardless of chances for a better life abroad. (*Speechless* Shallow minded... )

I was told by one of them (a contact there who gave us all this information, thanks a lot!) that chances of Jonah getting out are very slim.

Jonah and the veteriner

According to her, there was not a single person she can find to deal with in Van and she was so frustrated. A couple of days before, she spoke to them on the phone. They had requested assistance with procuring a wheelchair for Jonah. She called them and told them she found a donation.

They were so happy on the phone but later on, they simply vanished. The next morning, she called the vet in Van begging her to get back to her on the measurements for Jonah's wheelchair. She was told this - "Jonah has deteriorated, I can't speak to you right now" and hung up.

1st December 2008 (Today)
I was told by someone that Jonah was no longer alive. (Shock !!!). I visited the Facebook group - World Voice for Turkish Animals – WVTA and found a message which went like this:

It is with a very heavy heart that I have to inform you that Jonah is DEAD. RIP Jonah. I am sorry but we have no information as to why or how Jonah died.

Jonah has taught us all a lesson, dogs have a way to bring the world together in a moment of need, if you will check all the countries that have expressed love you will see we are nothing but a big melting pot of animal lovers that want to help, not pity Jonah.

All of our countries have problems, all of our countries have good and bad people and all of our countries have animal abuse.

[An abstract from "A TRIBUTE TO JONAH - OUR LOSS IS TURKEY'S GAIN - TAKE CARE OF OF THIS BOY!")

I truly agree with the statement above. Everyone is not made to be perfect.

Jonah’s dead body is at the pathology lab of the animal hospital in Van at the moment. They are trying to write a report on his cause of death. (I can imagine them trying to turn out a story to cover up everything. Hope not eh!)

Now, lets just say goodbye to Jonah, the street dog whom had gone through so much up and down in its life.

Jonah is certainly a special dog as it brought us all here together.

Please, no hateful comments as it will only make the situation worse. I am sure Jonah will rest in peace knowing that we think and care about it.

Jonah, may you Rest In Peace.

It may be the end of the road for you in this cold cruel world, but it is the beginning of a better life in another world. May all the love, care and affection fell upon you.

You might like these entries too:

• A True Story of A Street Dog Names Jonah (11)
  

If you like what you have read, subscribe to my blog through RSS.