Living Road Kill

 

        You never know what you’re going to see going from state to state. But I think the most road kill I have seen is in Oklahoma. It seems that the economy is so low and the unemployment rate is so high that people are highly transient. One day a person could have a path set for them. They have a good job. They bought a new house and then poof they are out of a job. It is so hard to find follow-on work that they end up losing the house. Then they have to move into something else. They may give it a go or go out of state for work.
        With the above in mind dogs are dropped off on street corners. So one day you will see a pack of dogs roaming around and then they are gone one by one.
        Some road kill seems to lie there for weeks. Some never get picked up at all. I have never seen this much in all my wanderings. I do not think this is something to be proud of.
        Some of the people’s attitudes I have talked to as well are that they are disgusted with these dogs walking around getting into things and are a nuisance. So they are not wanted by their owners and not wanted by people around the streets. Occasionally one or two will get picked up by someone. But it seems the ones that have been on the streets the longest naturally stay away from people the most. The ones more recently dropped off would have a better chance of being picked up by some nice family that would notice that this dog had a good disposition.
        You will notice especially around winter that some of these dogs are getting thin, but still they do not come when they are called. You can virtually see the life going out of some of these animals.
        Some farmers or ranchers seem fit to shoot the stray dogs as they feel it is more humane. What a way to live. It seems so unwanted and useless. So betrayed by everyone.
        I recently saw on “It’s a Miracle,” the television program one clip where one of these stray dogs in Oklahoma actually saved a toddlers life by taking a rattlesnake bite for the child. The dog ran right between them and put his own life on the line. A dog warden had recently shot at this dog.
        I think this episode is a shot in the arm for those animals and shows me that there are others that care about them. It also outlined the plight for the nation.