Last Sunday was a big day – I went to Elbasan with one of my sitemates to do some shopping and to use the internet. When we left the internet café, I spotted a small animal across the street, with a few people near it that were paying it some attention. At first I wasn’t sure what it was, was it a huge guinea pig? A baby bear? Or maybe it was a misplaced raccoon. I crossed the street and finally realized that it was a puppy – AND that it was all alone – none of the people that were around it were claiming it to be theirs. I couldn’t believe my eyes – this puppy was so adorable, and so small…and it was all alone walking on the streets, surely to meet its demise sooner than later.
Without hesitation I picked him up and decided to take him home – some would think twice about this, but given the fact that I have been wanting a dog here in Albania since I got here – and I especially wanted a puppy – I felt there was no way this was a coincidence. Here he was.
Taking him home would not be an easy feat. Since most dogs in Albania are not pets, there are different views here. Dogs are often abused and neglected - and they are certainly not trained. Given the fact that this puppy is so young – I would guess he’s probably no more than 4-5 weeks old – I thought this would be a great opportunity to show people here how dogs can be great pets. I also thought it would provide a chance to share a facet of American culture – owning a dog as a pet and taking care of it.
Unfortunately, my host family did not like the fact that the puppy was crying outside all night (they absolutely would not let him in the house) and today I found out that they did not want him at all – inside or outside. I was crushed – but at the same time I can understand that dogs are not for everyone and I need to respect my family’s wishes. There was a big dilemma though – how could I still keep the puppy? (oh – I named him Albi, short for Albania…would love some feedback on the name. I’m also not sure what kind of dog he is??) There was no way I was just going to let him go back out into the streets. I even went to the vet here in town and arranged for him to get his vaccinations. My sitemates joined in my frustration, and rallied together to find a safe place at one of the other houses where Albi can sleep. He will still be outside, but we created a kennel for him with boxes, and he has some blankets to keep him warm. He had a bath and some fresh milk on Monday, and on Friday I was able to get a collar and some food for him.
Every morning I will go get Albi, feed him breakfast, and have him accompany me during the day whenever possible. When I move to Elbasan in 5 weeks he will be able to come with me, and have a warm home. It will be well worth the wait when you think about what could have been the alternative.
Without hesitation I picked him up and decided to take him home – some would think twice about this, but given the fact that I have been wanting a dog here in Albania since I got here – and I especially wanted a puppy – I felt there was no way this was a coincidence. Here he was.
Taking him home would not be an easy feat. Since most dogs in Albania are not pets, there are different views here. Dogs are often abused and neglected - and they are certainly not trained. Given the fact that this puppy is so young – I would guess he’s probably no more than 4-5 weeks old – I thought this would be a great opportunity to show people here how dogs can be great pets. I also thought it would provide a chance to share a facet of American culture – owning a dog as a pet and taking care of it.
Unfortunately, my host family did not like the fact that the puppy was crying outside all night (they absolutely would not let him in the house) and today I found out that they did not want him at all – inside or outside. I was crushed – but at the same time I can understand that dogs are not for everyone and I need to respect my family’s wishes. There was a big dilemma though – how could I still keep the puppy? (oh – I named him Albi, short for Albania…would love some feedback on the name. I’m also not sure what kind of dog he is??) There was no way I was just going to let him go back out into the streets. I even went to the vet here in town and arranged for him to get his vaccinations. My sitemates joined in my frustration, and rallied together to find a safe place at one of the other houses where Albi can sleep. He will still be outside, but we created a kennel for him with boxes, and he has some blankets to keep him warm. He had a bath and some fresh milk on Monday, and on Friday I was able to get a collar and some food for him.
Every morning I will go get Albi, feed him breakfast, and have him accompany me during the day whenever possible. When I move to Elbasan in 5 weeks he will be able to come with me, and have a warm home. It will be well worth the wait when you think about what could have been the alternative.
DEWD-
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT! SOOOOO CUTE! We all get what we need to survive in life and you needed a dog. Just don't make this one fat OK?
A