A horrible case of human indifference took place a few years ago in Irkutsk. Residents of a wooden house received an apartment in a new house as part of the resettlement process.
The happy newcomers moved into a cozy and warm apartment and must have thought that nothing old had a place in their new home. Including their dog, who was already 14 years old.
The dog, called Bim, was simply left behind as useless trash. The doors of the old house were boarded up and the dog had to live outside in the cold. And winters in Irkutsk are very harsh. The dog sat in the doorway all day, clutching its trembling paws and staring sadly into the faces of passers-by.
Residents of neighboring houses, of course, fed the dog. The story made a big splash when a local television report was made about the dog. After the spot aired, employees of the Irkutsk « K9 » dog shelter went to the scene to save the dog from dying in the freezing cold.
Bim greeted the volunteers with a friendly wagging tail. He didn’t resist at all when they put him in the car. In the warm room, the dog warmed up and cheered up a bit. He turned out to be very kind and people-oriented. At the shelter, the dog is kept warm and well fed.
Despite his advanced age, he still has a chance to become a beloved family dog. Shelter staff said such stories are not uncommon in their city (or any other city). Many people don’t realize that having a pet is a big responsibility.
