Chia,
second of the Freedom Prints
Every
year between Memorial Day and the 4th of July, my mind
and the minds of the nation ponder the meaning of FREEDOM. What does
it stand for? Have I, you, our nation lost most of our
freedoms as so many believe today?
This year it is especially
thought-provoking for me, since helping Doogie to the freedom and care he deserved instead brought me a loss of freedom;
my ex has tried and continues to attempt to take basic
parental and familial freedoms away from me and my children;
and DDB is going global with our Unchain
Our World campaign
for this year's Chain Off.
In
America, one never knows the importance of freedom until
it is taken away. How many
chained dogs in America lived inside the home until they
'got too big', or 'chewed
something up' and then got thrown
outside? How did they feel having
freedom one day and losing it to a chain the next? Chained
dogs deserve to be free and part of the family just as
we do; yet some of them will never again know it despite
our best efforts.
This
poignant piece features Chia, with her before and after
shots, an Akita who deserved and finally
got better before it was too late. She spent most of her life penned and
then chained in Indiana, was rescued by DDB reps, and finally
ended up in Pennsylvania.
Everyone
who knows me know that Akitas are the dogs I most cherish. I know, as a foster
parent to many breeds, I shouldn't be playing favorites,
but I just can't seem to help myself! When I don't have
an Akita in my home, I am sad and pining for the big lugs.
My
dog Rosita Chiquita Onita Akita ruined me for all other
breeds! She was a long-haired Akita, and once I realized
that the traits I thought were 'only Rosie' were instead
indicative of her breed, I was forever after hooked on
the Akitas. To me, they are more like cats than dogs; not
needy, very independent (and shall we say stubborn), but
very faithful and loyal once you gain their trust and love.
Chia was my foster, but
proved to be unreliable with cats. She now lives with Lexi
and Chris, who agreed to foster her for me, and promptly
feel in love with the old girl. With
all the love, attention, and good food her health improved
so dramatically that you'd never in a million years know
it was the same dog as her before pics! She looks 5 years
younger!
Here's to your Freedom,
Chia!
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