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| Oreo The Dog Nobody Ever Even Met ??/??/?? - 11/13/09 |
So, tomorrow (11/13/11) marks the 2 year death of a dog named Oreo. She was killed for no reason by the ASPCA 11/13/09. And so of course, with all the news which had surrounded her from being thrown off a 6 story building to the ASPCA killing her despite a well-qualified shelter begging to take her in, it seems Oreo's become a Martyr for "No-Kill".
Around this time of the year, animal groups REALLY push her story to help spread the word about their cause. Oreo is used all over as an example of why we need No-Kill and shelter reform. Hell, I'm guilty of it.
One thing that bothers me about this though is, Oreo was just another dog. She had a life. She was incredibly abused in ways you would not believe. And soon after she was "rescued" the ASPCA decided to kill her themselves. Oreo didn't ASK to be a Martyr. Oreo wasn't out there on the front lines fighting for freedoms or anything. Oreo wasn't on a mission. (Of course, this is all just practical speculation. Maybe she was. I'm not a dog, and I never personally spoke with her about these matters.)
Point is, I feel like Oreo keeps getting FURTHER abused and exploited. It feels like animal groups and shelters and rescues and whatever...use her life and name to push their agenda (even if it may be for a good cause). We keep on using her year after year, not allowing this poor soul to rest. We keep resurrecting her time and time again, disturbing her death all in the name of a cause she likely never even knew existed.
What the ASPCA did was wrong and it should haunt the organization. This type of thing that happened to Oreo is more common than most would ever like to imagine. THOUSANDS of dogs each day share in Oreo's story. They come from severe abuse, are "rescued" and shortly after they just killed for no valid reason. But we keep on feeding off Oreo's death like some starving fat guy at a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet.
I understand the need to put a face on the abused. I understand we can't just ignore what happened and let organizations like the ASPCA constantly get away with murder. But, is it ok to continue to exploit Oreo year after year in the name of No-Kill and shelter reform? Is it ok to continually use this dog, whom just about nobody ever even met, for our own agenda and cause? Is this the Martyr we keep shouting out, even when so many others die each day without a voice to their name? Or is it disrespectful of the dead?
