If Dogs Could Talk
HAVANA TIMES – The life of a stray dog is never easy, and that of an albino Pekingese is no exception. Whether as a status symbol or a fetish for the exotic, albino animals are highly coveted by humans.
More than living beings, they come to be seen and treated as objects of desire: merchandise that moves, eats, sheds hair and feces… but with which one can profit.
Of course, their fates are not always unfortunate. Take Winter, the little dog in the photo, for example.
He was lucky enough to join a family where he received food and affection day after day, and where his genetic defects were carefully attended to.
As an albino Pekingese, he often suffered from skin problems, and his weak eyesight gradually turned into blindness. And although he was spirited, his genetic frailty left him exhausted after just a few minutes of play or exposure to the blazing sun.
Even so, though he had been purchased as a purebred specimen, he was supposed to have a cozy home to call his own until the end of his days… or so it seemed.
Unfortunately, human selfishness is not limited to turning the most vulnerable creatures into commodities, it also fuels a common lack of loyalty. Upon reaching adulthood, Winter suffered the misfortune of being abandoned.
Yet luck smiled on him once again. Acquaintances of his first family took him in when they saw him wandering the streets. An albino Pekingese with pale eyes, free! Something to show off!
Ah… poor creature, who could not even nurture illusions for long. Soon his new owners noticed: his hair was always falling out, his eyes were always runny, after a bath he looked radiant, but three days later, he looked like a dirty mop again. And their excitement turned into weariness.
Within weeks, the object of display was back on the streets, now with eyes clouded by cataracts and covered in sticky discharge, his coat coarse and full of wounds from scratching himself… his nails long, his legs crooked, losing his way along grass or asphalt paths, among so many indifferent humans.
One day, someone approached and gave him a little food. Then a leash was slipped around his neck and he was taken to an unknown place. But he no longer played, wagged his tail, or even knew how to behave, because there were other dogs—and cats. Accustomed to chasing the latter, he often got scolded and felt deeply confused.
He had secure meals, and they treated his eyes and his many self-inflicted wounds from gnawing at his itchy skin. Meanwhile, though he didn’t know it, the people who had taken him in tried to spread his photo on social media.
As an albino Pekingese… an adopter might still appear.
And once more, when they realized how expensive his care was, his hellish life would continue to spin in that vicious, heartless circle…
Fortunately, not all humans are so selfish. Some value loyalty more than self-interest. His temporary guardians, upon realizing the seriousness of his genetic problems—and knowing that he might be adopted only for exploitation, since he was still fertile and quite lusty—decided to stop promoting him.
Thus, among cats and dogs, Winter became part of a family where not only he but all his companions were souls rescued from the terror of the streets.
Of course, going from being the center of attention in a wealthy household to just another in a shelter is complicated. One must learn the rules of coexistence and accept not getting as much pampering as one would like. He was also neutered, so his excess energy calmed down.
He probably misses eating pure protein, and devouring as many sweets as he expects, because yes…
This white fluff, whenever he sees something in someone’s hand that smells of cake, bonbons, or candy, comes close and stares so hard it seems like his eyes might pop out! As a reward for his insistent gaze, his new owners give him just a little—since cooked sugar should not be part of his diet.
And so, on a casual day, during a walk with his new canine siblings, Winter heard a voice he recognized immediately and his whole body froze.
The unmistakable tone of his first owner. A young man who smiled at him and said “¡Macho!” in that special tone that carried him back to his first memories…
He jumped with joy, pulled so hard on the leash that it slipped from his owner’s hand, and ran toward that familiar voice and presence.
Oh, those caresses, those tender words with which his life had begun! His eyes sparkled, his body trembled, his soul felt it belonged to this blurred figure.
But just a few minutes later, the young man turned his back, said something to his new owner—relieved to know the dog was no longer on the street—and walked away.
And though Winter turned his head, insisting on following that diminishing figure, he was scooped up and stroked by new hands while his heart seemed about to break.
How could anyone explain to that innocent little head, how to explain?
The young man who once loved him so much now saw in his genetic defects only a burden to his personal interests.
Luckily, new impressions replace old ones. Even if he is not the center of a household, Winter is happy. He barks on the rare occasions when visitors arrive, gets scolded now and then for chasing a cat, eats every day, and from time to time gets a treat. And despite his diseased skin, he receives affection.
His new owners sometimes get irritated at all the problems his care entails. But never—NEVER—would they abandon him. They don’t have great means, but like him, they are among those rare creatures blessed with the gift of loyalty.
Winter, adopted forever by a family of protectors…