Relevance: Why I started this program
From a young age I have always loved all animals both wild and domesticated. I have aspired to become a veterinarian since the age of 6. Despite my passion for animals, I did not comprehend the magnitude of animal cruelty that was happening right in front of me. In May 2008, I joined a group of 6 other people to complete a service project for an extremely impoverished woman living on the Native American Reservation in Monument Valley, Arizona. While on the reservation, I saw hundreds of dogs for whom there was no standard of care. This was the first time I saw basic animal needs being so cruelly ignored. There are always the sad television commercials with abused animals needing homes but seeing this situation first hand felt completely different. It made me wonder, why? Why was this situation not publicized? Why was no one saving these animals? I knew that the living conditions of these dogs was because the dogs did not belong to anyone. They had become their own wild pack, feral and completely unsocialized. But I was still angry. The day before we left, the daughter of the woman whom we were helping spent all of her money on dog food. Not on clothing, water, or food for herself, but food for these dogs. She fed them that same day and when they were finished, she picked up every last scrap so nothing was wasted. April inspired me that day because even though she had nothing, she gave what she could to the animals.
That same day, April and I found a puppy, no older than 8 weeks, unconscious and clearly very sick. April did not know what to do so I took the puppy back with me to where we were staying. April thanked me but I was confused because I had not done anything. It was then that I knew I needed to make a difference, even if it was just that one puppy. After a lot of talk to convince my mother, I was able to take the puppy home. Quite a few vet visits later and a lot of medicine, food, water, and love, that puppy recovered and today Oljeto still lives a happy and healthy life with my family.
The purpose of Tails for Change is not to ask you to adopt every stray you see but to react proactively to help them have another chance at life, a happy and healthy life.
That same day, April and I found a puppy, no older than 8 weeks, unconscious and clearly very sick. April did not know what to do so I took the puppy back with me to where we were staying. April thanked me but I was confused because I had not done anything. It was then that I knew I needed to make a difference, even if it was just that one puppy. After a lot of talk to convince my mother, I was able to take the puppy home. Quite a few vet visits later and a lot of medicine, food, water, and love, that puppy recovered and today Oljeto still lives a happy and healthy life with my family.
The purpose of Tails for Change is not to ask you to adopt every stray you see but to react proactively to help them have another chance at life, a happy and healthy life.