** UPDATE! **
April 2013
Beloved sweet little Sparkle was adopted by wonderful Gina and Eric right here in Illinois, and she journeyed to her forever home last week!
As stated at the conclusion of this post, Sparkle has come a long way from the first few photos you see here - and has now come even further.
A few weeks ago, we reached out to the wonderful angels who support ISDF and all of you miraculously reached back. You read her story, shared her appeal, and donated towards her veterinary costs and flight fund. You closed the circle for sweet Sparkle. You funded not only her medical care but the final leg of her arduous journey, the best and last part of it - her flight home.
You are all a part of uniting with her amazing forever family, and this lovely new start to life that she so deserves.
You are all a part of uniting with her amazing forever family, and this lovely new start to life that she so deserves.
Sparkle enjoyed the cuddles and affection she received from her foster mom, dear Soot. She ate well, put on much-needed weight, and recovered quickly from her bout with anemia. She thrived under Soot's love, care, and attention, in her first-ever home setting.
She proved herself to be the outstanding little girl we all knew and believed she was - affectionate, trusting, sweet, and a fighter who bounced back beautifully from all she endured.
Dawn, Chuck, Ayize and I eagerly received her here in the USA at Chicago O'Hare with open and loving arms.
Then we delivered her to her new mom and dad, where happy tears and tearful hugs were exchanged between all of us.
Such a day - and such an incredible end to an incredible journey!
Two weeks on, and she continues to thrive with her new parents. She has met her cousin, Piper, a dear little gal who has become a wonderful friend.
She has visited the vet and won over many fans there (human AND animal).
She has staked out a claim in the best and sunniest spots of the house.
And she continues to warm her mom and dad's hearts with her antics and cuddles.
Sparkle is still a bit shy with strangers but is learning to trust again. She is finally allowed and encouraged to be the sweet puppy that she never had a chance to be. And she is the apple of her parents' eye!
Welcome home, sweet Sparkle!
Our love carried you out of the grasp of hell and across an ocean and into our arms.
Now the love of your parents will carry you forward through a wonderful future that stretches out before you like a glittering - no, a sparkling - gem that stretches to the horizon and beyond.
The world is your oyster now, dear Sparkle. So go on and enjoy it.
We love you very much, and are thrilled about the wonderful life and amazing adventures that await you!
For the complete story of Sparkle's homecoming, please have a look at our album here on ISDF's Facebook page.
You may also enjoy a short YouTube video here, a small tribute I made to this very special little girl who inspired so many - and all because of one photo that an animal angel in Thailand took and shared with the world and with me, hoping to help this sweet little soul.
Thanks to all of you for helping us to write her happy ending! And a special thank you to the many generous and kind-hearted supporters who helped us get here. We are also in deep debt to the many angels who worked together to pull, transport, vet, and foster Sparkle along the way - most especially to dear Elfe and Soot. Lastly, we are thrilled that such perfect people stumbled upon Sparkle's story posted online by chance - and fell instantly in love with her from afar.
** MORE UPDATES! **
July 2013
Dawn, Chuck and I headed to Sparkle's home for a wonderful BBQ hosted by her awesome parents. A magical evening - truly a night to remember. Friends, delicious food, fun drinks, and Fidos underfoot everywhere. Seeing Sparkle in her element - the princess in her palace - brought happy tears to my eyes maybe a dozen times over the course of the night. So hard to think about what might have been for this dear little girl.
I was walking on cloud nine all night long…
October 2013
Sparkle and several other alumni gathered to donate items and man the sales tables at our First Annual ISDF Rummage Sale, held at the Mitchum's gorgeous house (Megan's new family). We all posed for this group pic, along with Mona's mom and dad - the sale was to raise funds for Mona's cancer treatment.
A wonderful reunion with many dear friends. And Sparkle was our Queen Bee, as she hobnobbed with shoppers and schmoozed with her mom, dad, and "aunties".
December 2013
Sparkle's first Christmas here in the USA with her adored mom and dad.
What do you think? Is she the princess of the manor, or what??
There could be no better home for her, nor no better happy ending.
Our hearts are full with love and gratitude for this little girl!
* * * * *
Her name is Sparkle.
She is a victim of the dog meat trade.
She was given the opportunity of a lifetime to come here to America to find a forever home, and generous sponsors came together and successfully raised the funds to fly her here in just a few days' time.
I am still reeling.
And my name is Izumi.
I am the author of this post, and I'm sitting here at my keyboard with a lump in my throat, unable to type properly or think of the right words to say, because this little girl has affected me so much for so very long.
I try to write these posts through the eyes of the dogs, as I feel it helps to tell their stories as they have lived them. But she and I - our stories are entangled. So I do not think little Sparkle will mind if I speak for her this time.
But let me begin at the beginning. And let me thank you for taking the time to re-live her journey with me, and for believing, as I do, that although she is one of hundreds of thousands, millions, how many millions, of victims of this barbaric "trade", she - and each and every one of her luckless peers - is important, is a life, is worth it.
In late January of this year, I learned that yet another dog smuggling operation had been successfully thwarted. I celebrated internally, as I always do, even while I mourned the bleak future of the "rescued" at the government livestock shelter to which they would be consigned, most of them with a life sentence.
The photos came up in my newsfeed from various rescue groups I support, and although I am quite hardened to these horrible images, I was deeply moved, and found myself in tears. Even by dog meat trade standards, the cramped and crowded confinements of this particular massive dog shipment was appalling. Legs and paws protruded at all angles. I cannot even post photos closer-up than this one, because the images are far too disturbing. You will just have to take my word for it.
Well, I will show this one close-up, actually (apologies, but it's tame compared to the others). I show it to you because the small and pale puppy face at left appears to belong to a little girl who I have never stopped carrying within my heart, from first glance. Actually, every face in all of these photos resides in a sad and quiet place within me - as do all of those in similar photos I see weekly, or even more frequently.
But although these pictures never fail to break my heart, they are also victorious in their very nature, because they showcase dogs who are moments away from freedom from these cramped hells on earth. Even the crowded quarters at Khemmarat, Nakhon Phanom, and Buriram livestock centers must seem like paradise to these dogs, after what they have endured.
I will never know for certain if that was little Sparkle, or - as she was known at that time - K-821. But I pored over photos taken from different angles of each of the cages, and I am almost certain it is her.
Young puppies are not often the focal target of these smugglers (although in recent times, perhaps more so) - which leads me to wonder how she ended up where did. Like so many others, was she simply a stray who was friendly enough to approach a stranger pretending to have food? Was she stolen off the street, someone's pet? She seems such a lovely and sociable girl in videos. Was her family so poor that they were forced to sell her, or trade her for a large, plastic tub (sadly, a common practice in the poorest parts of the country)? Did they cry when they hugged her goodbye, or did they simply hand her over emotionlessly, tethered at the end of piece of rope?
Only she knows the truth about her past, and it will remain her saddest secret for all time.
Young puppies are not often the focal target of these smugglers (although in recent times, perhaps more so) - which leads me to wonder how she ended up where did. Like so many others, was she simply a stray who was friendly enough to approach a stranger pretending to have food? Was she stolen off the street, someone's pet? She seems such a lovely and sociable girl in videos. Was her family so poor that they were forced to sell her, or trade her for a large, plastic tub (sadly, a common practice in the poorest parts of the country)? Did they cry when they hugged her goodbye, or did they simply hand her over emotionlessly, tethered at the end of piece of rope?
Only she knows the truth about her past, and it will remain her saddest secret for all time.
Not long after, Sparkle and another dog whom we call Astrid * were posted in an online album of survivors of that shipment. Both were doing very poorly at the government-run Khemmarat livestock shelter, as they were being severely persecuted by larger, aggressive dogs. Desperate pleas for help for the pair went out to the world at large.
* Astrid, who was then known as K-820, is the dog who I believe is just to the right of Sparkle in the picture above. Her photos and story will be posted separately at a later date. We are still working to confirm that she is alive, healthy, and able to be pulled out of the shelter.
Sparkle was only such a very little girl - both in age and in stature.
To avoid being constantly attacked, she had taken to hiding behind this large water tank. From there, she could attempt to defend herself left and right, and she did not have to worry about dogs coming behind her and taking her by surprise, or dogs coming straight at her, as the water tank afforded some forward-facing protection.
But she was exhausted from battling for her own safety, and was even dozing off here, as the photos were shot.
That is Astrid's red ear tip, at bottom right. She, too, had taken refuge, but she had done so inside the water tank, for as an adult, she was receiving no quarter from her persecuters. In another photo of her, you can see she is even sleeping inside the tank, standing up, as Sparkle attempted to sleep just behind her in this position. Two sad little girls.
Sparkle's half-asleep reflection in the photo below absolutely broke my heart, as did Astrid's image.
All hope seemed gone for this pair.
I pause here to say - yes, I do realize there are many dogs in need all over the world, and this is sadly and starkly the case at all of Thailand's livestock facilities. I would love to win the lottery and be able to help them all, but the sad truth is, I can do so little for these thousands of dogs that are the inevitable by-product of the ending of this terrible trade.
Still - rather than foreswear off helping any, if I cannot help them all - I try to do my part here and there where it is most needed.
And something about both of these tender souls spoke to my heart. I could not turn away.
But I knew I could not do it alone.
So - thanks to the generous help of my beloved mom and a pair of amazing Facebook friends who are animal heroes (Debbie Hope and Marie Halfnights) - both girls were able to be fully sponsored for the cost of their transport to Bangkok, their veterinary care and quarantine there, and their eventual flight to Koh Samui, to Elfe's island sanctuary. There, they could live out the rest of their days in her jungle paradise.
I was thrilled, relieved, and eager to watch their journey unfold.
Little did I know that the road was to be a rough one.
And something about both of these tender souls spoke to my heart. I could not turn away.
But I knew I could not do it alone.
So - thanks to the generous help of my beloved mom and a pair of amazing Facebook friends who are animal heroes (Debbie Hope and Marie Halfnights) - both girls were able to be fully sponsored for the cost of their transport to Bangkok, their veterinary care and quarantine there, and their eventual flight to Koh Samui, to Elfe's island sanctuary. There, they could live out the rest of their days in her jungle paradise.
I was thrilled, relieved, and eager to watch their journey unfold.
Little did I know that the road was to be a rough one.
A transport truck was scheduled for the following weekend, and Sparkle and Astrid were going to be part of a large load of dogs heading to Bangkok. However, fate intervened and some critical dogs from Nakhon Phanom took their places in the truck, as they had newly arrived from a smuggling raid and were desperately, and deathly ill.
I was happy for the needy dogs, but disappointed to hear the news for Sparkle and Astrid's sake - however, another truck was supposed to come a few days later to remove them along with others, so I settled back for what I thought would be a small delay.
Unfortunately, in those few days' time, there were some procedural changes at the Khemmarat shelter. Rules changed, and changed again. Quarantine periods were instated, and post-vaccination requirements put into place. Confusion reigned, and my concerns for both grew with each passing day.
Long story short, Sparkle and Astrid were not going anywhere in a hurry anymore.
The bad news is that, somewhere in the shuffle, the powers that be seem to have lost track of Astrid. Is she still alive? Has she been moved to another facility, or was she adopted by a local resident? Did she escape? Did she - I pray not every day - succumb to distemper or a tick-borne illness?
We continue to await definitive word, and Dawn and I pray for her, and speak of her often. She is so very dear in our hearts and we will move mountains to help her, if we are given that chance. We pray that we will be, and soon.
The good news is that Sparkle, at least, was able to be accounted for. She had been moved into a separate enclosure of the facility, along with other dogs considered too vulnerable to be in the general population. There were still many dogs with her, and as you will soon see, she was not entirely safe from harm there. But she was far safer than she had been, and in fact, may be alive today as a result of that action, because more than six long weeks would pass before she was finally transported to Bangkok.
Her separation allowed her a much higher degree of safety - but her sweet, submissive nature was still easily preyed upon by others. She was denied access to food by the others, and did not know enough, or was not motivated enough (having been so severely frightened off earlier in her stay there) to preserve her own life by fighting for her portion of the distributed food.
Instead, she chose the path of least resistance - she stopped trying to get it altogether. While this may have saved her from battles and bite wounds, it also almost took her life.
Five weeks into her stay, concerned shelter staff at Khemmarat saw how weak, pale, and ill she was - and how starved she had become.
The photo at the top of this blog was taken the day she arrived, or within a day after her arrival. She was long, lean, and certainly not overweight, but she had ample meat and muscle, and was in good form.
Five weeks later, and she had starved down to the shell you see here.
She was thin as a rail, her face pinched and sunken, and she was suffering from muscle wasting, dehydration, and exhaustion.
Shelter staff placed her under medical supervision. She received fluids to help correct her dehydration, anemia, and electrolyte imbalances. And in the safety of her own cage and space, with no other dogs to compete with, you can see she made short work of a large bowl of food.
Coincidentally, the transport truck she was scheduled to be on was just a week away. She had been saved in the nick of time.
Sparkle was just a hop, a skip, and a jump away from freedom.
She remained under medical supervision until the day the truck arrived to carry her far, far away from Khemmarat. In that time, as she slowly healed and even put on a little weight, kind and caring volunteers showered her with love and affection.
They were thrilled to know she was one of the lucky few who would see the other side of that fence.
She seemed to enjoy being carried about like a baby and cuddled. Videos of her show that she is an affectionate and happy girl, despite everything she has endured - quite heartbreaking to contemplate, as she has every right to behave in the exact opposite manner, at this point.
Sparkle's luckiest day - March 10, 2013.
She was loaded into the transport truck with thirteen other lucky doggies.
There she is, at the back of the cab, at right. It was the middle of the night, and her "freedom ride" was just about to leave port. A half-day's truck journey was in store for these bewildered, but excited dogs.
She was loaded into the transport truck with thirteen other lucky doggies.
There she is, at the back of the cab, at right. It was the middle of the night, and her "freedom ride" was just about to leave port. A half-day's truck journey was in store for these bewildered, but excited dogs.
Halfway there. Everyone was sleeping, Sparkle included (at far left).
Almost to Bangkok. Not long now.
Sparkle was still snoozing at far left. The other young dog, with the white diamond marking on his forehead, was now using her as a pillow. Their touching heads are a tender sight to see.
Amazing to me, how accepting these batches of dogs are, as they rumble off towards the next leg of their life's journey. They should be paralyzed with fear, given all of their past experiences - and yet so many of them are willing to cling to a shred of hope that has them believing that maybe this time, just this once, things will be different. Maybe their luck will have changed. Maybe there really is such a thing as a bright future.
I think it is this endless optimism that makes a dog meat trade victim all that much more endearing. They are inspirational in their ability to retain faith in us humans, who have betrayed their every loyalty thus far in their lives.
Sparkle's journey continued.
She was brought to Bangkok, to Elfe's vet clinic, where she has remained ever since. Originally, she was just there for a week-long quarantine period and some veterinary care to help her gain weight and regain better health. But in that time frame, Dawn and I began to talk.
Elfes World is an absolute paradise for pooches. There are palm trees, paths to wander, many friends to play with, and shady sala respites from the blazing sun. Yet Sparkle has proven to be so submissive and meek that she cannot be trusted to fend for herself properly. She would always require extra help, and Elfe has so many dogs under her care that this could prove challenging.
Additionally, we have seen videos of Sparkle at Khemmarat. Despite all she has suffered at the hands of man, she wants nothing more than human affection and endless pats and cuddles. There is a memorable moment etched into my brain where a stranger approaches the fence confining her and her fellow dogs. Though some bark sharply, and some cower in terror, there is one small, pale face that stands out from the crowd. She runs furiously to the fence and does everything but compress herself into a ball small enough to squeeze through the chain links. She is pressed so tightly against it that her fur takes on its pattern, as she strains towards the stranger, bottom wiggling in a frenzy of wags, nose pressing eagerly through the small spaces in the fence, tongue trying to lick, ears forward.
Although any dog would be eager to enjoy the comforts of life with Elfe, Sparkle strikes one as a dog uniquely in search of a single forever person, or a family, to call her very own.
She has come so far - from what was probably a difficult life to begin with, even as a newborn; to being so tightly compressed into a cage like a slab of living meat that she could not move an inch in any direction (and what they do to these poor dogs for days before they even stuff them in cages is unspeakable, as well); to her hardships at Khemmarat; to her journey to Bangkok - and is so very close to a happy ending of her own.
So we reached out to the wonderful people out there who support ISDF, and all of you, miraculously, reached back. You read her story, shared her story, and donated towards her flight fund. You closed the circle for sweet Sparkle. You funded the final leg of her arduous journey, the best and last part of it, soon to come - a journey which has thus far been so filled with suffering.
You are all a part of uniting her with a home, a family, a life to call her very own in the immediate future.
Soon she will know contentment beyond her wildest dreams.
So now you know her. Her name is Sparkle.
She is in foster care with our dear Soot Liang Woo, receiving continued treatment for starvation, severe malnutrition, and anemia. She is improving daily, and thriving with love and care and attention, now that she is in a home setting. She has proven herself to be an outstanding little girl - affectionate, trusting, sweet, and a fighter who is bouncing back from all she has endured.
Soon, she will have her bloodwork rechecked to confirm resolution of the anemia - she will have her spay surgery - and she will get final veterinary approval to fly here.
Sparkle is so very, very close...thanks to all of you.
Thank you for helping us write her happy ending!
Frequent updates on Sparkle's progress along this last leg of her long journey will be posted on our ISDF Facebook page, so please stay tuned.
Hang in there - you are almost home.
