Last Friday I was frantically running errands, and just as I got in my car to zoom off to the next stop on my list, I saw a homeless woman who had two dogs with her, a Rottweiler and a smaller dog whose breed I'm not sure of (looked like a long-haired Doxie). She had just stepped into a nearby restaurant and come out with a cup of water for them.
I stopped just long enough to admire the pups and give her some money (which she did NOT even ask for). As I was leaving she said, "Oh, wait. Could you do me a favor?" She rummaged around in her bag, found a piece of paper, and handed it to me. "Could you please pass this along to any dog lovers you know?"
I didn't even look at the paper until I got home. This is what it said:
Gabriel is my 9 year old Rottweiler
With gastrointestinal disease (so
far). His Pancreatic Enzyme
medication alone is $200.00!
The SPCA has been wonderful
about treating him, though, he
Does have a bill!
Any amount will help!
Thank you so much and have a
Happy Holiday Season!
SPCA-San Francisco
415.554.3030
2500 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Gabriel Hall--Rottweiler
How do you like that? At no point did she ask for anything for herself, even though she's sleeping on a dusty bedroll and rolling her belongings around in a cart. She just wants help giving back to the people who have been treating her dog!
I knew I'd be passing this along to all of you, so as a precaution, I called the San Francisco SPCA to verify that they were treating the dog. It was a bit difficult, because they take patient confidentiality very seriously, but over the course of several phone calls we worked it out. Gabriel the Rottweiler is indeed being treated as described. SFSPCA apparently makes special accommodations for homeless pets, and does not refuse them treatment. They were a little bit stunned when they heard about the note -- It's the first time one of their homeless clients has tried to recoup costs for them this way.
So far, treatment for Gabriel has amounted to $1,413. If you would like to help chip away at that balance, here's how you can do so:
Send a check to the SPCA, and mention in the memo section that the money is for Gabriel Hall, Rottweiler. The address is given in the note above.
Make your contribution by credit card by calling the number shown in the note. Make sure to say it's for Gabriel Hall the Rottweiler, who they have been treating for free.
Thank you for reading this. I know that times are really tough for a lot of us, and that
there are a hundred extremely worthy causes we would love to give to if only we could.
So -- NO PRESSURE. Just putting it out there in case somebody is in a position to help.
*********
UPDATE: Compare and contrast the SF-SPCA's policy to the Arizona Humane Society "Compassion Campus", which euthanized an animal because its owner could not pay for treatment. (See the news clip in Ed Tracey's comment in today's pootie diary.)