Just because they can’t talk doesn’t mean animals are stupid. They know when things are cool.
The horse belongs to a family around the corner. They tie her up in various places around the neighborhood so she can graze on the grass. In the past two years I’ve never seen her lying down anywhere. But she must have felt that it was safe to take a load off for a while in my yard.
The dog came limping into my yard about a year ago with a broken leg. Nobody in the neighborhood had ever seen her before. Naturally I took her to the vet to get her taken care of, and I bought a large bag of dog food at PriceSmart (Panama’s answer to Costco). Of course, once you feed them they’re yours. They don’t leave. But she’s cool. Laid back. Doesn’t bother anyone. She also loves the horse, and when the young man who takes care of her rides her around, the dog loves to lope along with them. I also took the dog to one of the spay/neuter clinics that are held around the area. Panama doesn’t need any more unwanted puppies.
One More Good Adventure 
You’re a good man to look after that sweet girl. And this is a lovely picture of both chicas. 🙂
Thank you, but it would be hard for me to believe that anyone would refuse to help an animal suffering from a broken leg. But I’m sure it happens. ALL of the dogs I’ve owned have been rescue dogs. I can say, for a fact, that while saving a dog or cat won’t change the world, it certainly changes THAT animal’s life forever.
Morning Richard:
Thank you in the name of Panama. I wish we had more people like you in this country. You made me feel good today.
Regards,
Omar.-
Thank you, Omar, but there are a LOT of people like me around here. While I generally avoid them, and often make fun of them, the expats who have invaded Boquete, and to a lesser extent Volcan and David, do a LOT of good for the animals here in Chiriqui. There is a group in Boquete called Amigos de Animales de Boquete that does wonderful work. They have raised the level of awareness about the benefits of spaying/neutering dogs and cats here. Every month in Boquete, Volcan and David there are low cost spay/neuter clinics held with literally HUNDREDS of animals treated. When I took the dog I care for to the clinic to have her spayed I was pleased to see that the majority of people bringing their pets for the service were Panamanians by a long shot over the expats who were there. I have to believe that a lot of that was the direct result of groups like Amigos de Animales.
I’m so happy to hear about the dog! Is that the same one that we saw when we came to look at your motorcycle? She has haunted me ever since, and I’m so glad you took care of her. You are a very kind man, and how good that you gave her a chance for a better life.
Yep. It’s the same dog. She’s really mellow and laid back. You know, of course, if you feed a Panamanian street dog twice it becomes yours. They aren’t going to leave. I like having a dog around. All of the dogs I had in the States were refugees from the puppy prison, so this one is similar without the middleman.
We haven’t had a motorcycle story in quite a while. I assume from Kris’s comment that you are considering hanging up your guns? Was glad to hear about your pooch and your kindness in fixing her up. They earn their keep by dealing with “barkable offences” to protect us and loving you back for the food and care. Got my first one when I was four, haven’t been without out one for 64 years.
re: motorcycle…There are a ton of reasons why there haven’t been more stories. Simply because I don’t ride it very much. Too often life gets in the way. Let me give you an example from last week.
Monday: Bright sunny morning. Good time to go for a ride. Noticed the oil was very low. Don’t know why. No evidence of a leak. So, I have to go into David to buy oil. Have to do my grocery shopping, anyway. Now, a trip into the city is a four-hour journey most of the time. Waiting for the bus to come, sometimes that’s as much as an hour and then it’s a 35 or 45 minute ride to the terminal (60 cents) depending on how many times the bus stops to take on or let off passengers. Hop on the Dolega bus that leaves every 10 minutes and about 15 minutes to get up to Plaza Terronal where the supermarket is located (35 cents). Do my shopping, buy the oil and return home. It’s now almost two in the afternoon. Dark, rainy clouds all over the sky since it’s the height of the rainy season and the wettest month of the year. No ride today.
Tuesday: Raining when I wake up in the morning. That’s unusual. Doesn’t happen very often even at the height of the rainy season. Stays dreary all day long. Rain off and on. No ride today.
Wednesday: Nice day. Good for a ride. Notice that front tire is flat…again. Ride into the terminal…again. Motorcycle dealer short walk from terminal. Buy inner tube ($7.40). Back home after three hours. Starting to rain and where I need to change tire is exposed to rain. Done for the day.
Thursday: Change tire. Foot pump is Chinese piece of crap like the inner tube. Can’t pump up tire. Don’t feel like going into David to buy another. Done for the day.
Friday: Need to stock up on groceries for the weekend. Go to different market than before. Nearly another four hours shot. Tire still flat. Done for the day.
Saturday: Gloomy. Rain threatening. Go back to Plaza Terronal to a hardware store called Novey and buy better foot pump. Get home nearly four hours later. Sun peaking through the clouds. Change inner tube. New pump works fine. Pump up to recommended pressure. Not going for a ride today. Everyone who works during the week is out driving their cars and they are notoriously bad at it so I’m not getting on the road with them. Twenty minutes after pumping up crappy Chinese inner tube I hear a “pop…hiss.” Inner tube popped. Done for the day
Sunday: Done for the day. Will have to take the crappy Chinese inner tube out of the tire and ride into David and complain to the parts department and see if I can get a free replacement tube on Monday. I doubt it, this being Panama where customer service is practically unknown and I’ll have to shell out another $7.40. That will be another three or four hours wasted. If I’m lucky I’ll get the tube changed. Then Tuesday will be a trip to the grocery again.
THAT’S why there haven’t been any motorcycle stories.
Ha Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Brilliant answer! Perhaps you shouldn’t have posted it because Kris and Joel were all lathered up to buy it and they too read your blog. Thanks Uncle Richard, I needed a good bedtime story and you delivered it in spades! Great post!