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http://www.readlarrypowell.com/

April 24, 2006
Mercy...

There is always a chance that there will not be a happy ending.

And that has happened.

The first sentence from an overnight message tells it all: “With unbearable sadness, I regret to tell you that Mercy died Sunday night.”

The announcement came from Jonnie England of Operation Kindness, the no-kill shelter that was attempting to pull the 10-month-old pit bull mix through a man-made crisis. You probably know the story. On Good Friday, April 14, two guys, not knowing what else to do, brought the burned dog to the Operation Kindness shelter in Carrollton. They’d found her in a wooded area behind a North Dallas apartment complex.

People from all over the country rallied behind this dog with good thoughts, money, prayers, hopes and a collective decency she’d not previously been shown.

As you also probably know, the recovery from burns isn’t an easy thing. It takes a toll on the entire system.

Here’s the announcement from Operation Kindness: “Mercy died Sunday evening about 9:30 p.m. at the veterinary clinic [Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center] where she was being treated. Doctors said Mercy showed some improvement Saturday, but her condition started to deteriorate Sunday afternoon. She was given a plasma transfusion, but shortly afterward, her heart – weakened by burns over 60 percent of her body – stopped beating.”

What happens next in the story of Mercy?

Everyone who had an emotional investment in this dog will spend part of the day reeling in disbelief. There will be anger. There will be an outcry to make someone pay for the loss of a dog we never even met.

Then, as we think about things, we’ll come to adopt Mercy as yet another animal symbol of the sad side of mankind – the unbelievably heartless, ignorant and mean side of mankind. It is not enough, I guess, for people to be mean to each other, some of them have to be mean to the animals, too.

And, perhaps, as we weigh these things, we’ll identify something positive from this experience – we’ll remember that so many people rallied to help this dog. We’ll remember that while none of us had been there when the cruelty occurred, so many were there in the aftermath to offer whatever help they could give.

The dog has left a better legacy on the planet than her attacker will leave.

Jonnie wrote, “Mercy was a gentle, valiant and brave dog who suffered unimaginable pain and agony.”

Mercy’s ashes will be spread at the Operation Kindness Memorial Garden (www.operationkindness.org).

The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case reached the $10,000 mark over the weekend. Both the Dallas Animal Services Cruelty Division and Dallas Police Department are investigating the case. If you have information, call 311 or Dallas Animal Services at 214-671-0246.

Meanwhile, remember that humans still have opportunities to help many, many animals. And there remains, also, the responsibility of bringing the bad guys to justice whether they are abusing animals, other adults or children.

We humans are such a curious, frustrating bunch.

And, yet, our dogs and cats appear to rise above humanity and love us in spite of ourselves.