OKOTOKS, Alta – A Foothills animal rescue is clinging to hope as a dog clings to life.
Rescued from the home of a critically ill owner, the dog was incredibly emaciated but Kim Hessel, founder of Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue, isn’t ready to give up.
“Prognosis is really guarded, there’s kidney issues and we have to give her medication,” Hessel said. “But you know, she's trying to eat, she’s trying to drink, she’s moving around. That’s pretty good for a dog in this kind of body condition.
“At this point, all we can really do is our best and hope she can pull through too.”
The owner of the dog, suffering from a form of brain cancer, no longer had awareness of their pet, Hessel said, leading it to become emaciated until a concerned neighbour called the rescue.
This, she emphasized, is not the fault of the owner, but a problem that can potentially be prevented by checking in on our neighbours.
The animal’s plight was first discussed in a social media post by the rescue on Jan. 22, to a public outpouring of support.
Hessel received a message on social media from someone working in an ICU thanking her for making the post.
“She said, ‘Thank you for posting this, because there’s a lot of people that are falling through the cracks,” Hessel said.
The issue, exacerbated by COVID-19, is people no longer checking in on neighbours.
“We’ve become more insulated and we’ve had to, to a certain extent, try to protect ourselves and our family, but in the meantime people like this poor woman who has a serious brain cancer, these are folks that if there’s no family, there’s no friends, they’re really trying to manage on their own,” Hessel said.
“That’s the really sad part, is if you don’t have a family member or a friend who's committed to checking on you, or there’s something that’s been set up with AHS, then what happens to these folks?”
The hurdle of ascertaining the wellness of a neighbour or those in their care is no small hurdle, Hessel admitted.
“For what it’s worth, the neighbours that called me felt horrible, and they admitted they haven’t seen her for a while, they hadn’t seen a dog for a while,” she said. “They just assumed somebody was checking in on her.
“To me it’s not being nosy, it’s caring about your fellow man. Like, when you don’t see a neighbour for a while, maybe ask yourself ‘I wonder if they’re OK.’
“The whole point is we need to care, because this dog is suffering, and obviously its owner is suffering too.”
Checking in on neighbours may not always be so straightforward, however, Hessel said, and everyone should always consider their own safety first.
“Every circumstance is going to be different. I think the kind way is if you know your neighbour, at least a little bit, and you’re concerned for them, knock on the door,” she said. “Maybe just chat with them and see where they’re at emotionally or physically or if there’s a pet that’s in distress."
She doesn’t encourage people take matters into their own hands, but rather evaluate the situation.
“It’s going in and observing and reaching out to some of the people and resources that can help,” Hessel said. “Whether it’s just a phone call to RCMP or CPS to do a welfare check that you’re legitimately concerned about a neighbour.”
Ultimately, Hessel urged compassion and empathy.
We've all been so focused on trying to stay well and stay safe,” she said. “Maybe now's the time to live this year from a place of compassion.”
