From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2007:
Saving one small dog informs the world
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia-- Resembling a skull buried up to the hollow eye
sockets, the 70-year-old Italian fortification called Gido Washa stood for
death from the day it was built.
Long after the last Italian troops left Ethiopia, after the last wood and
metal parts of Gido Washa were blasted or burned, and only the concrete
shell remained, it became deadlier than ever.
"For the last 20 or so years local people threw unwanted dogs into the
pits, where they died of starvation," Ethiop-ian/American physician
Anteneh Roba e-mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE on June 25, 2007. As founder of
the Amsale Gessesse Memorial Foundation, begun to honor his deceased
mother, Roba was in Ethiopia to help the Homeless Animal Protection
Society to expand their street dog sterilization and vaccination project.
The Gido Washa situation came to light through an exposé published by the
Ethiopian magazine My Fashion. Roba offered to pay the costs if HAPS
could rescue and care for any dogs they might find alive there.
HAPS cofounder Efrem
Legese had heard of Gido Washa long ago while growing up in Addis
Ababa, but like many other Ethiopians he thought it surely had been
demolished or closed. Two similar fortifications linked to the skull-like
pillbox had been filled with debris and mud by years of dumping and
flooding, but the third remained open. Peering through dark openings meant
for machine-guns, Legese saw a jumble of bones. Overcome by the dank bad
air inside, Legese threw up.
Then he saw three dogs huddled beside the cement wall. "They just looked
at us because they were unable to do anything more," Legese said. "It
seemed they had completely lost hope and were waiting to die. A little
bit away from them, we saw another dog, keeping a strong watch. Even
though she was unable to walk, she was looking for someone to save her."
Residents of the Gido Washa area told Legese that no dog had ever been
rescued from Gido Washa. Hyenas had sometimes found their way in and
out, but not dogs or humans.
Lacking the equipment needed to climb into the fortification and bring the
dogs out, Legese threw food down to them and returned to Addis Ababa to
get ladders and rope."We were unable to sleep over-night," Legese said.
"My son Tommy asked how come this situation stayed like this with so many
people around, even embassies and diplomatic residences?"
Narrated Roba, "For a week HAPS fed the dogs until they had the needed
equipment and sedatives to get them out." Sedating and muzzling the dogs
was considered necessary because they would have to be carried a long
wayup.
"We bought a rope and borrowed two metal ladders and fixed them together
to fit the height of the hole," Legese said. Lowering the ladders into
the fortification, the rescue team tested the footing to make sure that
human weight wouldn't cause a cave-in, plunging them into the
subterranean passages rumored to be below the visible surface.
Two volunteers joined Legese in descending to harness and lift the dogs.
Heavy rain added more water to the stinking pool already filling much of
the pillbox. The operation took half the day--but Ethiopian National
Television arrived to document the dogs' rescue.
"The four dogs are now at the HAPS shelter. They are clean and healthy,"
Legese e-mailed after he and HAPS cofounder Hana Kifle washed and fed
them. "We have asked the government to help us stop people throwing dogs
into the cave, to make this cave no more a hell for the poor dogs."
"The government agreed to close the cave," picked up Roba. "We thought
that if we waited for the government to allocate funds to close
it, bureaucratic red tape would keep us waiting for a while, and the
potential for other dogs being thrown into the cave would be high.
"So, while discussing with the authorities, the Amsale Gessesse Memorial
Foundation and Homeless Animal Protection Society decided to have our
foundation pay for the physical closure of the cave. No more Gido hell!"
Concluded Roba, "As an isolated event, I know the significance of the
rescue is not huge, but the public relation value and the chance it gives
us and HAPS to educate people in Ethiopia about animal welfare is huge."
That proved to be an understatement. Among the friends and supporters Roba
told about the rescue was British songwriter and vocalist Maria Daines,
whose Maria Daines Band has won international distinction since 1996 in a
variety of music genres. Composing with guitarist Paul Killington, Daines
had already recorded an album called Music United For Animals, and a song
for a documentary about the Hurricane Katrina animal rescues. The Maria
Daines Band was booked to play with the U.S. singer Pink on behalf of the
Party for the Animals in August 2007 at the Cardiff International Arena.
Recipient of a humanitarian award from the Texas Humane Legislation
Network in 2006, Daines may have more endorsements of her favorite
pro-animal organizations at her personal web site than material about her
music.
Daines on July 11, 2007 pledged to write a song in honor of the Gido Washa
rescue. All proceeds from downloads of the song would benefit the
Homeless Animals Protection Society. Daines meanwhile posted Legese's
account of the rescue at her web site, asking her fans to support the
Amsale Gessesse Memorial Foundation and HAPS.
Daines released her song "One Small Dog" on July 17, 2007. Though four
dogs were rescued, Daines focused on the dog who never lost hope.
Recording success is ephemeral. More than 2.4 million songs may be
downloaded at <www.Soundclick.com>, the
leading web site offering independent label music. Very few songs ever
reach "Top 20" status, or stay there for long.
"One Small Dog" on July 29 reached #16 on the Sound click pop rock chart.
A day later it was #9. Reaching #3 on July 31, it remained at #10 on
August 7. Ascending from the depths of Gido Washa to rock stardom, one
small dog was educating the world.
Legese and Kifle founded HAPS in 2001, with ANIMAL PEOPLE publisher Kim
Bartlett as founding patron. ANIMAL PEOPLE funds their salaries.
--
Merritt Clifton
Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE
P.O. Box 960
Clinton, WA 98236
Telephone: 360-579-2505
Fax: 360-579-2575
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