Friday, October 23, 2020

Simba's Journey From Caribbean Street Dog to Liverpool Rock Star by Foley Monster

 


People love to vacation at places with white sandy beaches, blue oceans, and dozens of activities to pleasantly pass the time. It is a relaxing and memorable time as long as you stay on the main roads. If you stray, you might find all the poverty swept to the side by the local governments.
 
One of those things that get hidden on the side streets is stray dogs. In some countries, the roads get clogged up with abandoned and never loved dogs like America is with homeless people.
Georgia Harding and Sam Blackburn are a couple from Liverpool, England who went to Barbados for a quiet vacation, never thinking their lives would change forever.
 
They were driving to the beach when Sam showed off that famous British sense of direction by getting lost. As they were traveling down a street, Georgia saw something slowly moving in the tall grass. She told Sam to stop, and she got out of the car. She saw, hiding in the grass, an emaciated young dog, trembling, despite the high heat and humidity.
 
While some people would have ignored the dog, and others try to give it a meal and get it to the proper authorities Georgia and Sam are dog lovers and immediately decided to take the most costly and challenging choice ahead of him. They picked up the dog, brought him to their car, and tried to find a way to get him back to Liverpool.
 
The dog, who would be named Simba, lived in poverty with his family when the expense of a pet became too costly for them. They drove across the island, led Simba out of the car, and left him. Every night after, as he went without food, grew skinnier and sicker, he prayed to us to let someone find him. We feared if we found an islander with the high cost of living and low salaries they are currently subjugated to, Simba is abandoned again. We had to find a vacationer, and with Georgia and Sam, we thought we had located them.
 
We were lucky to have found them, and that Sam was easily confused by directions, which made it easier for us to steer him to Simba. The lost dog was nervous that he would behave incorrectly, but he was naturally pathetic. We told him just to act the way he feels, and that was the difference.
 
The authorities tried to squelch Sam and Georgia’s plan at every turn. Some governments hate to release an asset, even if it is a sick dog. They added countless fees to their application process, but Sam and Georgia persisted. When asked, they pushed more money to the center of the table until it was enough for the powers that be to relinquish Simba, with a little help from determined angel dogs guilting their parents in Barbados’ government, and let him find happiness and love in Liverpool.
 
When Sam and Georgia brought Simba to the vet, they learned he would need surgery. They had left most of their money on the island, but they had generous friends, and, after posting Simba’s story on a fundraising page which drew hundreds of responses, they had more than enough money to pay for all Simba’s needs.
 
Simba is now happy, healthy, and well-fed, with a loving family. Sometimes when you go on vacation, you get much more than you anticipated.

5 comments:

  1. We'll never understand why governments hold onto pets so determinedly, when someone wants to take them to another country. We've heard this story time and again! I understand that the country getting the animal could have some quarantine issues...sure! But the one who obviously doesn't want the critter; just let 'em go!

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  2. What a heartwarming story!!! It was a tough road for Simba, but in the end he was one very lucky and very loved pup. Many thanks to Sam and Georgia for their persistence and kindness.

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  3. My heart is singing for Simba
    Hugs Cecilia

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  4. That is a wonderful story and we are so happy for Simba!

    Rosie

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