Lucky, the two miracle dog
Lucky as she was found by her guardian Angel Mrs Wu, dying on the street in Taiwan
Lucky, aka Lakshme, is a special old doggie from Taiwan. She was found by her rescuer, Mrs Wu, a pile of hairless akin and bones, dying of starvation on a Taiwan street.
Taiwan is a terrible place to be a dog. In 1994, after a thorough investigation, The World Society for the Protection of Animals said Taiwan was the worst place in the world to be a dog. At that time they found and documented evidence of euthanasia in ‘shelters’ by: electrocution, gassing, drowning, boiling alive, poisoning, clubbing, burying alive and starvation. Through awareness and active campaigns by people such as Mrs Wu, who never ceases to actively work for change, things may have improved. But still, to be a stray dog in Taiwan is to live a life of suffering.
Mrs Wu nurtured Lucky back to life. That was her first miracle. Mrs Wu was a schoolteacher at a high school, and she rescued dogs from the streets and kept them in the “Dog Garden Rescue” at the school. Some of the students helped with their care. Mrs Wu took them to adoption days and worked hard to place her dogs in excellent homes. If she found out that they were not being cared for, she took them back. In one case of a dog who later came to us, she involved the police as she was certain he was being neglected.
When Mrs Wu was retiring, the School Principal said he would euthanize any dogs left in the Dog Garden Rescue after she left. Mrs Wu was heartbroken. Every one of her dogs was like her child, she had done whatever she needed to get them from the streets and then care for them with tenderness until they were healthy and ready for a home. She contacted people in CA with whom she had been placing dogs in the USA and begged for help. One of those wonderful rescuers was Melanie Freeberg, who knew of Tara’s Babies through Katrina. She contacted us with the story. We told Mrs Wu we would take 10 of her hardest to place dogs. Mainly these were black dogs and fearful dogs. And Lucky, for whom Mrs Wu had thought there would be no hope – and she was praying for a second miracle. In the end we took a total of 15 of Mrs Wu’s special dogs.
Lucky was very reclusive when she arrived, held back from people and just wanted to be alone. She did not interact much with other dogs either. She was a funny old creature who touched everyone’s heart, with her hairless body being very pig-like in appearance, and her two great big ears. A few years ago I decided to try her with my pack, and brought her to my home. I am so glad I did. Lucky has completely transformed into a mostly relaxed dog who comes over for love and LOVES to be with her pack, and sometimes even engages in full-on play.
She has grown a lot of hair, all white. When I told Mrs Wu this, she was so overjoyed, though could hardly believe it. PLAYING! There are tragic stories of dogs and cats all over the world. And people working locally and internationally to save them and change the way animals are treated.
For me, compassion has no boundaries, and if there is a way to help and I am capable of doing so, I will. I am very grateful to have Lucky in my life. She is a very special doggie whom I deeply love. She also reminds me what we are capable of doing when we work together with open hearts. From the streets of Taiwan, to the wilderness of AZ (Arizona), she is a living example that the miracle of kindness is possible.
By: Ani Kunzang Drolma of Tara’s Babies (Animal Shelter in Arizona)
Lucky today, fat and happy, lying on an outside bed. A lot of hair has grown back, all coming in white.
Thank you Rinpoche. Lucky’s story is very special. I will send this link to Mrs Wu. She is a well-known animal activist in Taiwan, I found out from someone who is Taiwanese. Her life is dedicated to bringing justice for the animals so abused and neglected there. Her heart is filled with compassion. She is Catholic, and it is wonderful to be reminded that the essence of our faiths is the same – trying to live lives of kindness. In our world we make too much of apparent differences between people, and hence become blind to the sameness we truly are. That is why having pure Teachers in the world is our greatest blessing, for you can show us the Truth. Thank You.
I have noticed something in common with Tsem Rinpoche and Ani Kunzang in regard to animals, not only for their obvious love and care for animals, but the fact that they would pick or choose the animals that many would have given hope or considered a closed case.
Ani Kuzang asked Mrs Wu from Taiwan that she would take 10 of her hardest to place dogs…dogs that no body would want…..this shows me what true compassion really is.
This links my memory to another posts about “Aki” the old African Grey adopted by Rinpoche from a pet shop a few months ago. Rinpoche noticed this african grey was very shy and always being let alone at the corner, he just eat and then stay alone looking sad, and sometimes even being bullied by other younger greys in the cage. Rinpoche wanted to adopt “Aki” back to his Ladrang as Aki is old and probably would not be taken care of well and receive much love for his remaining years to live.
For normal folks like us, when we go to a pet shop to purchase any pet, we would choose the best looking, healthiest and most adorable one, with nice colors and shows the most interaction with us (the potential owner). But Rinpoche would choose the old, sick, not good looking, or have very little chances of being picked up by others and would be left in a small cage or even put to sleep later by petshop owners if no one buys them.
Rinpoche and Anu Kunzang choose these animals not for their entertainment as a pet, but to give them love and care which otherwise they will never get, and a sincere wish of reducing their sufferings. Very different from our version of compassion….
Next time around, when you want to get a pet in a pet shop….. which one would you choose?
Mrs. Wu is said to be a living example in proving that miracles of kindness is possible from the the streets of Taiwan to the wildness of AZ(Arizona) if one is compassionate!! In line with such awareness, Mrs. Wu a well-known animal lover in Taiwan, dedicated her life to become an animal activist to bring injustices to related authorities and to stop abuses to neglected animals in Taiwan. Lucky, a special old doggie from Taiwan true to her name, was found by Mrs. Wu in a “pile” of hairless skin and bones, dying of starvation in the street. Taiwan is said to be the worst place in the world to be born a dog. Mrs. Wu miraculously managed to nurse her back to her health and life, as Mrs. Wu regarded everyone of her dogs to be like her child. She will do everything possible to get them off the streets and then care for them with tenderness until they were healthy and ready for new homes. For Mrs. Wu, Compassion has no bounds and due to this belief, lucky has completely transformed into a most relaxed healthy dog in her new home with her packs of other dogs.
Loves this post. It brightens up the day, knowing someone out there is performing a miracle… to alleviate sufferings and making it possible for living beings to live.
Rinpoche, Mrs Wu, Ani Kunzang Drolma and many more just like them are my heroes,..they are heroes to many who are not able to thank them.
Beautiful story albeit so sad for the dogs nobody can save – this one certainly is lucky!