Leonidas himself...

Dear Helena:

It didn't take much persuading to get Mike Stellas to accompany me to Industry to check the condition of the Husky you spotted from the road and deemed wouldn't survive the brutal freeze we are experiencing. I explained to him that neither SPCA nor the Sheriff's Dept. would go, and that the dog, being staked out to a dog house much too small for him might not survive. Despite the fact that Mike is up to his neck trying to save the life of a Retriever-Pitbull cross, Hercules, and a number of other challenges with his own Zoe's Animal Rescue in Oklahoma, Mike decided that the Husky warranted a look. He took half the day off from his job and at noon we set out to central Texas in his massive and dilapidated van, broken windshield and all -- a perfect camouflage for a trailer dog rescue in Industry, Texas.

Mike is a long time rescuer (since he was a little boy in Greece!), 6'4" and former rugby player, brought up in the mean streets of New York, having lived in Pakistan and other less-kinder-gentler-nations ... you couldn't get a more reassuring companion for a rescue if you had Leonidas himself by your side.

We got as far as Belleville without getting lost -- beautiful little town, by the way. And the land around it ... well, I now understand why you have bought property there. In fact, Mike has second thoughts about his recent land purchase NW of Houston. We both noticed with great satisfaction that most of the horses we saw were properly blanketed. The land is idyllic; a total surprise to me. After taking a couple of wrong turns we found Industry, and just as you said, we soon spotted the dog from the road.

The trailer, or rather the pile of crap, defies description. How do people choose, yes, choose to live like that? No wild animal's den is so messy and filthy as human so-called homes. Poverty is no excuse. Cars, televisions, cell phones, multiple refrigerators ... are all there along with the crap and filth. So we took a look at the dog and, Helena, that guy is at least 110 pounds heavy. He is a blob. He peacefully glanced at us without barking or getting up. As you said, the dog house was too small for him, but he had a bowl of liquid water nearby, although water everywhere was frozen; so someone was making sure he could drink. The chain was reasonably long and not likely to get tangled

We knocked at the door anyway. I noticed a cat carrier on the porch with a pink blanket in it and some dry cat food ... it indicated that someone cared enough to offer protection to some cat who, to be sure, should be indoors. But, as every animal rescuer knows, we have to make allowances to the fact that people who could take home decor and hygene tips from hyenas, are not likely to have better facilities for their pets.
The door was cracked open and the eye of a short young woman became visible. I told her that we had bought land nearby and driving by her home we couldn't help but notice that the dog was chained outside in this bitter cold. Without hesitation, or widening the crack beyhond which I could see that the indoor accumulation of crap far surpassed the outdoor equivalent, she promptly answered "Oh! but we brought him inside last night, and I'm getting ready to let him in soon." Something about the spontaneity of the answer and the tone of voice sounded sincere. My Catalan/Riojan mentality is not predisposed to trust, but I believed she did let the dog in and she would again. I thanked her for her time, we exchanged good byes, and she closed the gap to trailer chaos.

I looked at Mike inquisitively and he offered that in Barrow, Alaska, scrawnier Huskies endure entire winters outdoors at subzero temps. He also pointed at the salutary (for the dog) effect that people (new neighbors at that) enquiring about his welfare would have. Perhaps.

Sure, the dog is fat because of cheap food and lack of exercise. No dog, ever, should be chained, regardless of circumstances, except for a few minutes at most. His life has little enticement and he is probably without medical care, companionship, and shelter most of the time (worse even in summer, a Husky under the Texas sun), but he looked contented without sign of fear of aggression. Considering the beautiful view he enjoys, safe from the road, wildlife to entertain him, fresh air .... and that he doesn't lack food or water, he is better off that the vast majority of dogs in the world. There were no grounds for any action, and we were even prepared to pay money for him. Looking at him for the second time, however, he didn't have pleading look that animal attuned people like us recognize. The dog was at ease. And we left without any doubt that, as rural America-cum-trailer goes, our Husky was a lucky one.

Finally, it turns out that Mike, a geologist, worked in Nigeria some ten years ago. He also did rescue there and he used the services of a Dutch veterinarian woman. He almost brought back a dog he and the vet saved from a brutal, bone-breaking beating he had received, but he was adopted by an American expat family who loved him and would indeed get him out of Nigeria when they left. Mike wondered whether you knew of this Dutch vet in Lagos.

I hope you sleep better now, Helena. I know I did! Warm regards. -- Dolores