Yes, things must have got a bit heated in Craig Lovett’s home yesterday. After all, dogs hidden away in a cattle trailer with their heads hanging out between the only gaps to air doesn’t quite fit in with the same picture perfect public image a county councillor aims to perfect in a ‘Van Goghish’ way. There is a smiley steely determination to seek out the best photo ops, to be that knowledgeable Dr Phil or that Sneeky Snake to pull a few strings for the locals who come seeking ‘a favour’.
It’s a popularity race and it’s an expense chase. Yes, some might call it karma: he was made sweat – well, just probably not enough if one was to look at the desparately sad videos on-line of dogs panting, sweating, yet wagging tails with gratefulness someone has arrived. Just ‘not their owner’.
And then his father comes out to the media (allegedly) claiming they were his dogs. Wink wink! Nod nod! Of course they are his but does that life buoy lie even get you off the hook? I mean don’t you know what Daddy Dearest gets up to?
Cavan County Council wouldn’t win any awards or get a pass when it comes to their past history of regulating puppy farms. In fact something really is off when it comes to why blind eyes are being turned to puppy farms in their county and how they are being run. Are they adhering to welfare regulations, and what about their numbers? Exceeding them or far exceeding them? And how can one or two people possibly take care of hundreds of dogs? I guess if you keep them in tombs with timed feeders and they lie in their own waste – well, yes, manageable comes to mind. Yes, ‘Made in Cavan’ puppies should come with the same ‘shock tactic’ images that we see on cigarette boxes. ‘Made by Lovett’ puppies should be tagged with images of their mommies in that shiny aluminium container with lots of other dogs with no food or water. That container was akin to an oven when it hit 25 degrees outside.
I once asked a teenage boy I was privileged to work with, what did he want to be when he leaves school? He wanted to be an embalmer! I asked him, was he not afraid of working with the dead? He replied, ‘are you not afraid of working with the living?’ That boy at seventeen saw so much ugly human behavior in the world that one would probably comprehend his career choice. You see what is really stomach churning about Craig Lovett’s behavior is like the wolf in sheep’s clothing. People probably turn to him for all sorts of help and he throws his support into all sorts of charities and causes. But this is a fact, anyone capable of doing this to animals: profit from their enslavement, deny them basic needs, have no regard for their welfare and in fact is apathetic to whether they could live or die in an oven-like container – well, there is little goodness or empathy in the mind and heart who can do it. Why is he a councillor and who is voting for him? Like-minded people? The recent prime time investigates threw a blaring spot-light on what some of our councillors get up to, to clock up those miles for monetary gain. Need I say, just in case you need to be reminded-these are the same people who do these big call outs for charities. And as I looked at one councillor on screen, I thought of how she kept her own pets, in a despicable way, and how on cold nights, she would tweet ‘bring them in!’ If it didn’t involve animals I would be laughing but how can you. The two faced ‘winning you over’ farcical public official. She no longer has those poor dogs. I’m sure they do not miss that run with no shelter as they tried to navigate their way around poo – lots of it!
During the heat wave, here at the sanctuary we did our best to keep the runs cool and the shelters that have galvanised sheeting, well, we insulated them from the heat. We worked from morning to night to ensure the rescues here did not suffer. It’s so ironic that animal lovers and rescuers are deemed trouble makers and ‘something wrong with them’ – if you were to go by certain wardens, Guards and DVOs. I would happily participate in a ‘who is the most human?’ challenge and go up against these people and the odd councillor as I know there is no competition. There is nothing wrong with us, we are the mirror that highlights your ugliness. Yes, ugly, really ugly is the person who hurts an animal, and there is really something wrong with a mind who can maintain a squeaky clean public persona whilst behaving in an unlawful and inhumane way.
Do you have a dog? Next time you vote ask yourself what kind of person puts dogs in an aluminium container? More importantly next time you decide to buy a puppy picture this setter. Picture and keep picturing.
I’m off out to make sure the rescues here have all they need to be happy and well, and then I’m off to work! x
(Excuse the lack of proofing – no time again!)
The Reluctant Rescuer 