Dear diary, my name is Manchas (Spot), I am a large dog, strong and very beautiful and my name is of course because of all the spots I have on my fur, dozens of spots that make me look like an authentic Dalmatian. I have been living at Scooby for about over a year now, my former owner left me on the streets, I wandered around aimlessly and somebody found me and brought me here. I have been sad for the first days and acted a little stubborn since I wanted to leave, I wanted to get back home, but when the time passed and I realized my boss did not come back to get me, I slowly realized I had become one more of the thousands of abandoned dogs. Slowly I have gotten used to living here and share my life with a lot of other dogs who went through the same, or had it even worse than me, all of us have a more or less sad story to tell, but every day we are thankful to have a roof over our head, that we are cared for and are being fed. Some of us are transients but others like me hope that some good person will notice us and take us to a better place. Untill that happens I have decided to tell you about my day to day life.
Day 1, May 1st 2012
I got up at sunrise, woken by the barks of the other dogs here, and I really did tell them that it is not necessary to get up so early, for we have plenty of time to do what we are doing here. I told them many times that they should go back to sleep, that they rest and let me sleep because I am the only one working here. You see, I am the guardian of the whole refuge here, looking after and protecting all these dogs here, even the ones that keep me awake by their barking all night, but this is how they thank me, they just keep on barking and keep me awake. Soon the person that takes care of us will come and will put me in a kennel while they clean the paddock and feed the others, and I wait patiently in the kennel to see if any of the volunteers will come to take me out for a walk. I like going out for walks and to breath some fresh air, but I cannot go out every day because there are many of us and they don’t always take the same ones out. When I come back from my walk my kennel is clean, I eat a little, drink a little and rest a while untill it’s time that they come to take me to the patio so I can do my important work.
Day 2: May 2nd 2012
Today I have gotten up at sunrise, the same as yesterday, the same barks that woke me up yesterday, woke me up today, they put me in the same kennel as yesterday and I have waited patiently for the same walk as yesterday, I ate, I drank and rested the same as yesterday and I did my job, same as yesterday.
Day 3, May 3rd 2012
Today... I have done exactly the same as yesterday
Day 4, May 4th 2012
Just another day, exactly the same as yesterday and the day before.
Day 5, May 5th 2012
Today I passed a day exactly like any other. The diary of an abandoned dog is very boring, as is his life. I am tired of always doing the same things, I need a change. I am tired, bored, I need fresh air, go for a walk.
I want to get out of here, find a home, a master who’s good to me, I really need it. I am a good dog, I just hope someone will notice me and take me home, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life stuck in a kennel, I don’t deserve it. Neither one of us deserves it, we really do have a lot to offer. Please let somebody adopt me and show you that my previous owner was mistaken. Please let me be an abandoned dog no more.. please, I would love to go for a walk, to get some fresh air..
Nieves Vázquez
Manchas came to Scooby just over a year ago. He’s a big dog, about 5-6 years old. He’s precious, as well as obedient and playful. He needs a home and a lot of love, the sooner the better.
