4 Kilometres of Kindness

Abandoned, drowned or left to starve. Too often, this is the fate of old dogs who are no longer wanted.

The man who brought these two elderly girls to us believed he was doing the right thing by trekking four kilometres with them to our shelter.

They are now in our care. Vaccinated first and soon to be sterilised, their tired little bodies tell us much of their troubled history. Years spent at the end of a chain have left their marks: a badly torn ear, an eye clouded blind. Both are at least 8–9 years old.

But even after everything, their eyes still search gently for kindness. There is a softness in them that suffering could not take away.

When our first social media post about them went online, it sparked anger. Many people reacted. Many cursed the man who surrendered them. But just two people donated.

The reality is this: he did not abandon them in the woods. He did not drown them. He walked over four kilometres, believing he was giving them a safer future. It doesn’t erase the years they lost. It doesn’t undo the neglect. But it gave them a chance.

Now they have a roof. Food and water every day. A clean kennel. A kind voice. They are not active or demanding. They sit quietly, side by side, waiting for a caress. After years on chains, they walk beautifully on a leash. They are gentle. Calm. Grateful for the smallest kindness.

Old dogs are often overlooked. People rush past them in favour of puppies. Applications rarely come. For these girls, the chances of adoption are slim.
But old dogs are not “too late.”

They deserve peace. They deserve dignity. They deserve a soft ending after a hard life. They may not have many years ahead of them, but the years they have left should be warm, safe, and filled with care. That is the future we want for them.

If you’re a ROLDA supporter, this is what you are giving them: food in their bowls, medical care when they need it, warm bedding in winter, and the quiet reassurance that they will never be chained again.

For these sweet girls, love may not come in the form of adoption. But it can still come, and I can see now in their eyes that they feel it. Thank you for making this happen.