“It’s been exactly two years since I adopted Dubay, a greyhound who was about three years old. I decided to adopt a greyhound a few months after buying my apartment (where I currently live with my daughter), because, like many people, I think greyhounds have a special sensitivity and are very good with children. To this day, I still think it was the best decision I could have made; he’s one of the family.”
Seeing how well Dubay had fit into our lives, a couple of months ago, a good friend who also has a greyhound sent me a picture of Roma and asked, "Should we adopt her?" It was love at first sight, so I seriously considered the idea, and why not? My job gives me flexible hours, and I was sure Dubay would love having a canine companion to cuddle with at home. I decided to contact SOS Galgos, a Spanish association that rescues, rehabilitates, and promotes the adoption of the thousands of greyhounds abandoned in Spain every year as hunting waste, and ask about her. The association asked me why I wanted to adopt Roma because in the photos I saw, besides being skin and bones and having several scars, it was clear she was missing one of her front legs.
I told them I thought she was a very special little dog and that she wouldn't want for anything with us. After several conversations, getting to know me a little better, they concluded that, given her health condition, our environment was perfect for her. Out of curiosity, I asked them about Roma's story, what had happened to her, and how she had come to be rescued by the association. They told me she had been abandoned in the mountains (we imagined by hunters) and had probably been wandering lost for over a month. A couple of people from a nearby village found her and alerted the shelter because they noticed she was missing a leg and bleeding. She had most likely been caught in a trap (which, by the way, is illegal) and lost her leg after many attempts to escape.
The shelter volunteers managed to rescue her after many attempts, as the poor thing was terrified and badly injured. Once they caught her, they discovered that in addition to the wound on her paw, she had a large cut on her neck, inflicted with a knife or similar object by the person (or people) who abandoned her to remove her microchip and prevent the owner from being identified if someone found her. A few days before the adoption was finalized, they had to rush her to a veterinary hospital in Madrid for emergency surgery because she had necrotic tissue in part of her paw and in the muscle, so the entire leg had to be amputated before it spread and caused further damage. I didn't care at all; I just wanted Roma to be home with us as soon as possible so she could start enjoying the life she so deserved. They showed me pictures of her, and all I saw was a defenseless dog with an incredibly terrified expression. I thought it was going to have a huge negative psychological burden that would be difficult for me to manage, but I must admit that I was wrong, and nothing could be further from the truth.
From the moment she set foot in my house, her face lit up and she started wagging her tail. My daughter is absolutely delighted with her and spends all day petting and cuddling her. This has made Roma improve by leaps and bounds, and in the two months she's been home, there's already a huge difference compared to when she arrived. You can hardly see her ribs or spine anymore, and she's at the ideal weight for her age. The scabs on her coat have disappeared, and now it's shiny and soft. But above all, she's a happy dog, and you can see it in her expression. She's always grateful, and we're so happy to see her like this. She and Dubay have become inseparable, spending all day together and seeking each other out for cuddles. On the street, she's a super sociable dog who loves walks and interacting with other dogs and people. The greatest lesson Roma has taught us since she came home is that with lots of love and affection, anything is possible, and that even the deepest wounds (and not just physical ones) can heal.
At this time of year, when the trend of giving pets as gifts persists, we want to emphasize more than ever the responsibility that comes with bringing an animal into the family. When an animal comes home, you make a lifelong commitment to it. Therefore, it's a decision that should always be carefully considered. You need to assess whether your lifestyle (and that of your family) is compatible with the type of animal you're considering, whether you'll be able to dedicate the necessary time to its care for a balanced life in terms of walks, playtime, and hygiene, and the financial burden of its food and veterinary care.
And if, after careful consideration, you decide to add a new member to your family, please consider adoption as your first option. There are thousands of animals of all kinds and conditions in shelters waiting for their second chance and ready to give you all the love they haven't been able to show you.