Roy Exum
On a day reserved for miracles, I want you to get a mental picture of Santa Claus zooming across the sky, with Donner and Blitzen and the other reindeer kicking their hooves through the air with all their might. Rudolph’s nose, as you might guess, was on high beam, because last night Santa was not alone.
On the seat right beside him, a healthy German shepherd – one that was doomed to be euthanized last week – was now barking with great joy at Santa’s rich laughter as the sleigh sprinted to Kanab, Utah.
The destination is very real and it is where the dog Bela will now spent a full and rich life as an honored member of the Best Friends Animal Society. The group has a fabulous shelter there and a huge pile of “toys and treats and love” were awaiting the ill-fated dog from Indiana.
The dog’s plight caught our eye last week. Her owner had died and the lady’s Last Will and Testament decreed that if the Executor did not take possession of the dog, the animal should be euthanized and cremated so the remains could be buried with the owner. Dog lovers across the country were horrified and outraged that such an animal be put down, and a firestorm quickly ensued on national media outlets.
Since then, more of the story has been learned. The dog’s late owner was well-aware Bela has a history of “intermittent aggression” and that not just anyone should be entrusted with the dog. Heaven forbid a child be injured and the attorney was honor-bound to comply with his client’s wishes. But in the melee that quickly took place, those at Best Friends’ Sanctuary that now shelters almost 2,000 dogs heard about Bela through waves of requests through the social media.
Neither the attorney nor the executor knew about Best Friends’ incredible mission and was quickly alerted. The attorney explained in a release, “It was this lack of information and the unfounded social media backlash about (the deceased) Connie Ley, myself, and the provisions in her will about her pets, that caused the delay in resolving Bela’s future.”
A virtual army of human “elves” soon locked arms to get the dog a reprieve and a rescue team was dispatched from Utah to hurry towards Indiana and safely transport Bela to the sprawling Utah complex.
Barbara Williamson, a spokesperson for Best Friends, sent out a joyful email on Christmas Eve. “At Best Friends, we believe that the life of every animal has intrinsic value and we will always do our level best to help Save Them All, which is at the core of our mission. Our trainers and animal behavior specialists will work with Bela so that he will have every opportunity to enjoy a full and rich life.
“Of all those party to the unfolding events following Connie Ley’s passing, Bela has experienced the trauma of losing his life-long companion and his home,” Barbara’s email read. “Our first priority is to do everything we can to make Bela’s life whole once again in keeping with Connie Ley’s wishes for her beloved dog.”
Williamson said the crisis was “a poignant reminder that our animals are our family, and families need to plan for their pets who survive them.” At Best Friends, a staff that includes expert trainers and experts are expected to shower the dog “with a lot of love.”
It seems only Best Friends and a few other animal organizations offer a lifetime care program. Williamson wrote, “These programs typically guarantee a safe haven or loving home for a pet for life. However, it is something that should be planned for in advance, and organized between a dog’s owner and the organization. You should never assume any organization will have space to take your animal without making prior arrangements. Most operate at capacity to try to save as many animals as possible and we are happy Bela is joining our family.”
Best Friends is urging dog lovers to follow Bela’s journey on their Facebook page and those wishing to lend a positive message can do so via #Hashtag#BelaIsSafe. Williamson’s best line said it all: “With thanks to all concerned, another life has been saved.”
Name a better Christmas gift than that!
As Clement Moore famously wrote in his beloved poem, ‘Twas the night before Christmas’ in 1823,
“He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
royexum@aol.com