Remembering Chucho
By Christy Wiseman
Chucho was a rescue dog who didn’t have much to recommend him. He was a little larger than an average sized dog, a little shaggy and to top it off he was both almost blind and deaf. When he looked into your eyes though, all that didn’t matter. He was one of those animals whose doggy soul spoke to you almost offering those qualities many dogs are known for; kindness, loyalty, unconditional love, if only you would take a chance and adopt him.
A wonderful couple did. They had no children, but close neighbors did and soon everyone benefitted by the sweet, new addition to the neighborhood. The couple had another rescue dog who was a mix of a Golden Lab and Pit Bull. There are a lot of Pit Bull mixes in the area and while they have a bad reputation, if their owners are kind, gentle people, they seem to reciprocate with sweet personalities.
With Pit Bulls, there are some inexplicable exceptions; dogs who have mean streaks and blood lust. As with humans, some dogs have been mistreated causing their personalities to be unpredictable. One such Pit Bull attacked Chucho the afternoon while the couple were out. The call came from a neighbor lady with who had two young children. In this seemingly safe area of town, the children and their mother watched in horror while a new Pit Bull in the neighborhood, without provocation, attacked sweet Chucho who because he was deaf was taken by surprise.
The intruder ripped into Chucho’s flesh breaking his leg and then went for his head, biting deep into his skull, laying open part of his brain, His buddy, Dulce, tried to save him, but without success. My friends who got the call, rushed home, but their bleeding, dying dog really had no hope.
When the owner of the Pit Bull, new to the neighborhood, came over, he shrugged his shoulders and looked nonchalant. He made a call and soon afterward the police report was ripped up. The police did everything according to protocol, but they were over-ruled. The vicious dog remains alive and free to roam.
Will it choose a helpless dog next time or one of the children or perhaps the kind couple who now are broken hearted and very afraid as are their close neighbors who have felt safe and secure — until now. If the next attack is on a person, perhaps a child, will the owner of the killer dog once again shrug his shoulders and make a call so that someone in charge will have to rip up the ensuing report?
When misfortune strikes, it often has far reaching effects. Dulce, Chucho’s buddy and the couple’s other dog, is looking so sad, obviously missing her partner. I will remember the sweet and gentle look in Chucho’s eyes, the look of love, gratitude and loyalty so often shown to his owners.
For more information about Lake Chapala visit: www.chapala.com
