Sunshine’s Tale – A Golden Retriever in Chiang Mai, Thailand
No day is ordinary when you work with animals. Routines contort around emergencies and the whims of nature decide schedules. The story is no different at Care for Dogs in Chiangmai, Thailand. Even the most casual project can change lives. Even so, when Karin Hawelka, a staff member, sat down to read her email one morning, she had no idea what she would find in her inbox.
Amidst the usual business letters, reports, and million-dollar stock tips, cleverly disguised as spam, lurked a ray of sunshine. Karin received an email from a man who said that she had seen an underweight Golden Retriever on Doi Suthep. Martin, the alert animal lover who reported the dog, also noted that the retriever appeared to have a leg injury. The computer could wait. Karin and Ally Taylor, a member of the Care for Dog team, left immediately.
At the top of the Doi Suthep mountain is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The temple is a major pilgrimage destination for the Buddhist festivals of Makha Buja and Visak. Perched high above the bustling city of Chiang Mai, this 600-year-old shrine can be seen sparkling in the sun throughout the region. The stunning views from the path up the mountain would have been reason enough to escape the city. Still, Karin and Ally had a mission.
Among the glittering gilded Buddhas, sidewalk shops, and camera-laden tourists, saffron-robed monks strolled the temple grounds. Zigzagging among the monks was the Care for Dogs team. It didn’t take long for the girls to find the hidden treasure in the temple.
As reported, a beautiful Golden Retriever was on the grounds. Unfortunately, the rest of the report was also true. The once-magnificent animal was infested with fleas, very underweight, and limped down the catwalk. At rest, his left rear leg swung loose as if it were shorter than the rest.
As the duo asked questions about the friendly canine, their story began to unfold. The retriever’s irresponsible owner had just dumped him at the temple several weeks earlier, leaving the injured animal to fend for itself. The story was apparently more tragic in that no one cared if the team took the dog. Even a monk, often the last hope for abandoned temple dogs, seemed surprised to notice the injured animal. In the end, this was the best thing that could have happened.
While Ally was taking her Golden Fleece find, Karin seized the cable car from the temple. This spared the new charge of hers the 309 steps of the staircase that is the temples most notorious claim to fame. Within minutes, the trio was off to the vets. Instantly, the canine found her new name: sun.
X-rays revealed that Sunshine’s left leg was shorter than her other legs and contained a medal from a previous surgery. The pin had somehow migrated, causing a sore spot to bulge past her bone. It had been that way for some time when calcium now enrobed steel. All the vets could do was cut off the extended end of her. Still, what a miracle this was for Sunshine after what must have been many months of suffering.
When the Care for Dogs team transferred Sunshine from the veterinary hospital to her sanctuary, her true personality began to shine through. There is nothing like the confident dominance projected by a mentally well balanced golden retriever. Despite her long and harsh spell, Sunshine proved herself worthy of his race.
Dominant, though not overly aggressive, he quickly established himself as a leader in his area of the facility. Even against the resident Rottweiler Noy mix, Sunshine drew a firm line. In no time he stole the hearts of the Care for Dogs team. Not surprisingly, within days new volunteers Teresa and Nok informed Karin of her decision to give Sunshine a forever home.
Karin smiled as she went to check her email once again.