My Dog Hailey

In America we have the saying “dog is mans best friend”.  That saying is unknown here in Morocco.  We love our dogs in America and especially in Minnesota.  My friend who worked at an animal shelter told me that we tend to adopt so many dogs that other states send their animals to us to be adopted.  Coming from this dog loving country and raised to be kind to animals made this particular experience in Morocco very hard to swallow.

One day at work there was a dog tied up to the fence inside the complex area.  Where I work has a walled off area that houses four buildings with outside space in between each.  As with most dogs I have seen here, this one showed signs of being beaten with her head hanging low and tail in between her legs.  When I asked who the dog belong to I got several different answers.  Through the different bits of information I came to understand that the previous caretaker of the complex abandoned the dog.

Naturally, I tried to give the dog food and water as no one was taking care of her.  My coworkers were confused as to why I was bothering.  To them, the dog was dirty, not a purebred, and not owned by anyone so therefore useless.  This was the beginning of a long conversation with my fellow coworkers about dog education and appreciation.

"Is that chicken you have there?"

The next week I was glad to see that someone released the dog from her tie and she was able to roam around the complex area.  Out of the four buildings in the complex one is only half constructed with no clear future as to when it would be finished.  This made me feel better as the dog would have someplace to sleep at night if it rained and I could leave her food there where she wouldn’t be disturbed. 

I again inquired as to if anyone was going to take her home or care for her here.  My coworkers just looked confused by the question.  I decided that if she was going to stay here and I was the only one to care for her she needed a name.  I named her Hailey.

"My name is Hailey and I love you!"

Layla is our wonderful cleaning lady and cook here at work and luckily for me she actually liked dogs and wanted to help.  Between the two of us we trained Hailey how to come, sit, run, play, and go to her bowl where we left her food.  For several days everything looked like it would be fine for Hailey. 

Then she had puppies.

I didn’t even know she was pregnant, as she didn’t look big enough to be caring a litter.  She had two puppies, one black and white and the other black with a little brown.  With Hailey staying in the half constructed building I thought she and the puppies would be protected from the elements.  Just to be sure though I went to the market got a towel, some cardboard, and more food for them.  The crazy looks I got from my coworkers when I spent actual money on a dog was priceless.

Sadly, the next day I found that one of the puppies had died.  It had rained the night before and the building had a crack in the roof causing the scrap of rug, cardboard, and towel they were on to be soaked through.  Hailey is missing teeth (probably from being beaten from her previous “owner”) so it was very difficult for her to move the puppies anywhere.  I didn’t want to traumatize Hailey by moving the puppy yet so I gave them time and check on them throughout the day while I tried to figure out what to do. 

I spent half the day read up on how to care for a mother dog and puppies online while also researching animal shelters in Morocco.  Sadly, most shelters are kill shelters and the closest safe place (I believed) for them was over an hour away by car.  When I told my coworkers that Hailey could not move her puppies by herself and consequently stuck at work that it was our responsibility to take care of them.  My coworkers did not agree.  Instead I spent the other half of my day trying to dispel a bunch of misconceptions about dogs to my coworkers.  However terrible and wrong these misconceptions are about dogs in Morocco, it is a cultural bias that is not easily overturned in an afternoon. 

I was at my ropes end by the end of the day Friday and I still hadn’t found a solution for how to care for Hailey and her last living puppy.  Trying to hide in the back of the abandoned building I cried.  I felt that if I left them as they were now the puppy would surely die.  Layla found me and went to tell everyone to listen to me and help the dogs out. 

With a few more, somewhat willing, hands on board we managed to remove the diseased puppy from the other, find a big box to make a new bed for them, dry off the wet towels, and find a few more pieces of cloth to line the box with.  It was heart breaking because Hailey knew what I was doing when I removed her one puppy and she just cried.  Then I had to move the other one into the new box because she couldn't do it herself.  Once they were settled with a dry clean place and a bit more food I was starting to feel hopeful.

My last hurtle for the day was talking to the new caretaker of the complex.  I had the difficult job of explaining that the dogs should not be harmed and if he could feed them any food he had left over I would be very grateful.  I’m not sure if there was translation issues or if this man was just being a jackass, but he offered to poison the dogs for me.  Ten minutes of gritted teeth later we were on the same page.  I left that Friday feeling exhausted and praying my dogs would survive the weekend.

Hailey and puppy survived the weekend and were happy to see me on Monday.  I continued to look for homes for the dogs online and feed Hailey with whatever food I could manage to get.  A week passed and I was happy to see the puppy growing and moving on his own. 

Things were looking even better when I got an offer for a home for the puppy once he was big enough to be separated from mom.  The man was an employee from another town who was looking for a dog for his farm.  I grilled him on his intention for the dog and questions about caring for them.  Once I was satisfied I agreed to send him photos of how the puppy was growing and inform him when he could come back for him. 

He is winking at you

With the puppy anticipating a new home I thought it about time he got a name.  The day I decided to give him one was also the same day Hailey and the puppy were kicked out of their shelter.  I came to work to a bunch of commotion with a group of men standing around looking nervous, Hailey barking her head off at them, and Layla in between the two yelling at both.  When I got there I was immediately ushered to quiet the dog and remove her from the area.

Zeus is one of the big wigs at work and has never been a fan of Hailey and her puppy.  He was the one who told me that funding had popped up to finish the building (they are turning it into a spa) and that the dogs needed to vacate the area.  I was not happy.  The only place for them was in the corner of the complex against a wall totally exposed to the elements. The cardboard box would be useless as soon as it rained and we’d be back to square one. 

It was then I decided that the puppy’s name would be Hades as Zeus told me he was banished.  Plus he’s the underdog of this story.

(for all those who know Greek mythology better then I do - shut up. It’s close enough)

With the help of Layla we found scraps of construction materials and outfitted the cardboard box to be a bit more waterproof.

Including my broken umbrella

I wish I could say the trouble for Hailey and Hades was done there.  With the dogs now out in the open Hailey was much more protective and barked at anyone new in the area.  She would also see staff going to and from the kitchen and would beg for food.  Because of her size her presents caused people to be scared of her.  People started avoiding that corner of the complex or would call me over anytime they wanted to head to the kitchen.  I continued to work on my Dog School 101: For People, but some people were harder to convince that a wagging tail was a good sign and not a threat to eat you. 

This is as close as my boss would get to Hailey or me when holding Hades

I also had the issues with other stray dogs in the area finding their way into the complex.  Never had to break up a dogfight before.  Hailey is a good dog though and was only protecting her baby.  I’m also lucky that she listens to me and I was able to get her to back down and let the other dog free.  The worst is when a bunch of little shits decided to lock another stray dog inside the complex in hopes of watching a dogfight.  When I got there before anything could happen, they were mad so they started to through things at Hailey.  I guess I have a bit of mother dog in me too because when I saw that, I went after the kids teeth bared.  They ran like hell.  I got the gate open and the other dog away without further incident but I was pissed off the rest of the day.

Obviously things were not easy for Hailey and Hades here.  They were being harassed, left out in the cold, eating leftovers and the only dog food I could find at a store, and people were often scared of her. I would spend time with her and Hades as often as I could.  Play with Hailey at lunch to use up some of her energy, show people that they could approach her, and cuddle the puppy to give him some extra warmth when it rained.  Everyone called them my dogs and they really were.

I had to go out of town on a visa run for a few days.  While I was away, coworkers said that Hailey would sit by the door and stare at my desk waiting for me to come.  I was very happy to see them when I returned and found Hades growing nicely.  He even started playing a little bit and I began to wean him from his mom.

Then I got sick.  My host parents both had the flu and even though I’m carful and got my flu shot, there was no avoiding it in our small house.  I had to be home from work for two days to recover.  When I came back Hailey and Hades were gone.  They told me that an organization that collects stray dogs came and took them both.  I started asking a hundred questions on who called them, what organization it was, if they were going to keep them, sell them, or kill them.  I got different answers from everyone. 

I don’t know why it came to a shock to people that I would be upset.  I didn’t get to say good-bye.  I didn’t get to help Hailey and Hades get wherever it was they were going.  I cringe thinking of how scared she would get when a strange man was around and what it must have been like for her to be taken by one.  To see someone besides for me holding her puppy (I was the only one she allowed to move him) must have caused her such anxiety.  I hate that.  I hate not knowing for sure if they are alive.  I can only hope now that they are taken care of and well.    

They say that dog is mans best friend.  I lost mine today.