Forgotten but not gone

I’m an animal lover. I always have been – and I always will be.
As such, I’m having a difficult time dealing with the sad situation of stray dogs in Suva.
I remember my first few days in Fiji, seeing dogs casually trotting down the sidewalk without a leash or even an owner in sight. I initially thought it was kind of funny to see these animals walking down the sidewalk as if they were human beings running errands. I noticed all the dogs seemed to have two things in common: they all appeared to going somewhere specific and looking for something along the way.
Now I know exactly what it is these homeless hounds are looking for – after all, I searched for the same things when I first landed in Fiji: food and shelter.
Everywhere I go I see stray dogs – big ones, small ones, old ones, young ones. Some are in pretty rough shape. Just the other day I saw a pack of dogs running down the street, and one of them was hopping on three legs because its front right leg was broken.
Other dogs are clearly starving to death, with rib cages and spines protruding from their emancipated bodies. Most have open sores and many others barely have fur.
Feeling completely powerless I decided to go buy some dog food from Suva’s one and only pet store. I figured I could carry the food around in my bag (which I take everywhere) and this way I would be able to give food to some of these dying dogs.
My roommate came home and saw the bag of food on the counter.
“Oh no, you better not have,” he says.
I should mention that I have previously talked about taking in a dog.
“Relax; I just bought the food to give to some strays,” I assure him.
“Do you think you’re going to solve Suva’s stray problem armed with your one bag of Kibble?” he says.
But for me it isn’t about solving the problem, although I would love to do that, too. I just can’t bear to see the shape some of these canines are in.
Soon after buying the food I encounter a new challenge: the dogs are terrified of everything. Whenever I throw the food towards the dogs they just take off running. After all, I’m sure these animals haven’t exactly been treated well in their lives. They have been conditioned to fear humans.
I start to feel even more powerless.
A famous quote from Ghandi comes to mind: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
But I can’t help but disagree with the Mahatma on this one, because the people in Fiji have been nothing short of amazing since I’ve been here. They are friendly, helpful and welcoming.
Nonetheless, the stray dog issue is a big problem in Fiji. Most Fijians cannot afford to get their pets spayed or neutered, and there seems to be an alarming lack of respect for animals.
Lately the newspapers are running columns, stories, and letters to the editor about the stray dog problem. This is a good sign because it’s bringing awareness to the situation, but the problem needs more than just attention – it needs action.
As a journalist I took action the way I know best: I wrote and article about a primary school that raised $1,200 for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Fiji’s only animal rights organization. The school's principal said he wanted to teach his students about the importance of treating animals with respect. Stories like this give me hope that things are moving in the right direction, but it’s hard to ignore the near-death dog looking at me with broken eyes as it hungrily hobbles past me on the sidewalk.