Hope

Happy Tuesday, y'all.  I know we usually keep it pretty light-hearted around these parts with posts about clothes, juice cleanses, and instagram photos of weekend adventures, but things are going to be a bit more serious today. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an animal lover.  Dogs, especially.  Remember when Rose hogs the float and the love her life drowns in the frigid Atlantic waters after the sinking of the Titanic?  Whatever.  My cold heart feels nothing. The end of Marley & Me? BIG FAT CROCODILE TEARS AND HEAVING SOBS.  I also cry during every episode of Pitbulls & Parolees.  I'm a sucker for the pups.  Plus, we all know how obsessed I am with my own sweet rescue, Georgia (she's the light of my life).



Sweet, sweet Georgia



Needless to say, when I see or hear about an animal being abused, starved, or neglected I get sick to my stomach.  And angry. And a million other emotions that I don't know how to process.  All I do know is that there are few things that I feel more passionately about than helping the helpless. 

About a year ago, a sweet little pup with huge bat ears showed up in my backyard.  After searching for Batman's (the name seemed appropriate) owners, we came to the conclusion that this guy had been on his own for a while.  Before my neighbor could call animal control, I scooped this guy up and decided that he was going to stay at our house until we could find him a home.  I called what feels like a thousand rescue organizations, and the only response I got was from Carmen from Carmen's Rescue.  I fostered Batman, but Carmen helped me with food, vet cost, the marketing to find him a new home.  Thankfully, Batman (now named Charlie!)  found a new home with my sweet friend Abby and her husband Chris in Charleston (he is very, very spoiled now).  Since then, I have kept in touch with Carmen via Facebook and have kept up with the dogs she works so hard to save.



Charlie (aka Batman).  Look at those ears!



A few weeks ago, Carmen posted about the most recent addition to her rescue -- a female appropriately named Hope.  She posted this video, and I could hardly believe my eyes.  It took about 5 seconds of watching before tears started rolling down my face.  No one knows how Hope got into her condition, but the even bigger mystery is how she was still alive.  She was starved, dehydrated, had open wounds with infections, and was heartworm-positive.  She had no fresh water and the chain around her neck with three times her body weight.  She couldn't even lift her head.  Carmen and her group immediately took Hope from that hell hole (without the consent of her "owner" -- go girl) and took her straight to the vet.  Fast forward to around a minute twenty in the video and watch as Hope falls into the arms of her rescuerer in gratitude.  She knows she's been saved.

Hope's abuser's court date is May 31st.  We need to sure that he receives the maximum penalty allowed for animal abuse.  Not just for Hope, but for the thousands of others who are lost, forgotten, and hurt.  Maybe, if we ensure that this criminal suffers the consequences of his actions, we can deter others from committing animal cruelty.  Just maybe.  Even if it stops one person, isn't that enough?  Below, I have included the link to the petition to present to the judge to request the maximum penalty.  We need 5,000 signatures and we are far, far from that.  Every last one helps.

Petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/liberty-justice-for-hope-and-for-all/

If you're interested in the work of Carmen's Rescue (or maybe even want to adopt one of her pups?!), you can learn more about them here. 

If you made it all the way through this post and signed the petition, thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  From the bottom of my heart.

Hug your babies extra tight tonight, y'all.