THE STORY OF PAPER

The story of Paper is one of slight compromise, under a very different set of circumstances than I have been used to in the past. I've been animal rights activist coming up 10 years, never in this time have I ever made deals based on sharing of goods for the better treatment of animals, I believe this is a short goal and the change has to come from the heart of the individual.

Spending a lot of time in Mindelo on Sao Vicente I got to know the street kids very well, these are kids who have no homes, unsupported families and live their lives day to day, ''spitting'' for food as they call it. I like a lot of these kids, they are humble, and have made an effort to get to know many of them over the last year. Paper belonged to one of the kids, when I first met him I knew he was being cared for as best as they could. One day the kids took me to the abandoned building where they were all living and they had even made Paper a bed out of old bits of cardboard and rags, please believe me, no children or animals should be living under the conditions that I saw that day, not even close.

The reason I went that day was the kids came to the ship to find me, Paper had been in a fight with another street dog, he had come off in a pretty bad way. I told them I would pay for the treatment of Paper at the local vet, these children beg for bread all day, it wasn't in their means to pay for Papers treatment. After we got him stitched up, I told these kids that there is a solution to all these problems, and that is to put your dogs on a leash. Its a hard selling point as 90% of people with dogs on the Island still cannot find it in themselves to make this simple step forward for their companions. I agreed to buy Paper a leash, continue paying Paper's vet bills in the future if he needed them if they kept Paper on a leash, the kids agreed.

Over the following months I cant recall how many times I saw Paper without one, wondering around through traffic, through bicycles, past other territorial dogs, every time I told the kids the same, I will help you and Paper if you help him.

Sadly a few weeks ago Paper died, he got hit by a speeding taxi and died instantly, I could see the kids were upset, what I couldn't understand was their second dog Spaghetti, was still roaming around without the leash. I told them truthfully that Paper's death was on them, they need to accept responsibility for Paper dying, not the taxi as their anger was seemed to be pointing. I thought now they understand, Spaghetti will be on a leash at all times, sadly still I've seen him endless times without. I ask an open question, what will it take for people to make the circle complete for their companions, what does it take, I thought encouraging them with a safety net for their dogs could.

The frustration that comes daily from these nonsensical humans who cannot perform the most simple tasks of keeping dogs on leashes, this must highlight the energy wasted on telling people the importance of this, time and time again we are shown that even with first had experiences of the dangers of letting your companions roam free, its only a matter of time.

To the residents of Mindelo..... Use a leash, if not for us, for them.