Practically a day has passed, maybe two and now Baldo is finally home. We had told the story on November 29th because he had impressed us and we wanted to be able to write a happy ending for him. His life began in the mountains of Piacenza, within a herd that lived in semi-freedom. Then for a series of reasons, first of all an executive eviction, the zoophile guards of the Oipa of Piacenza found themselves having to look for a solution for these dogs, as part of the “Alternative to the kennel” project.
Since March zoophile guards, dog educators, volunteers have moved in unison to find a home for the nine dogs. Well, slowly the enclosure emptied and Baldo, a 25-kilo border collie, saw his companions leave towards a new life and he always remained there. But why? Maybe because of his shyness, that reluctance that didn’t let him get close when people came to meet him. Or maybe because he knew he had a home waiting for him and he just had to be patient.
“After the article in La Zampa – says Paola Monga, coordinator of the ecozoophile guards of the Oipa of Piacenza and its province – we received many phone calls, but we had to keep in mind the dog’s character and its skills”. Sure, nature, motivations, dislikes, like Baldo’s for cats. “One of the first phone calls came from a couple who live ten kilometers from the shelter. They rushed to see him because they were looking for a new dog, they didn’t have cats at home and they were struck by Baldo’s tender gaze,” says Paola.
“Arrived on site for the first meeting, we entered the enclosure and they sat next to him, who wagged their tails and licked their hands.” Needless to say, the spark struck immediately, they all went out for a walk and, since it was close, they went to see the house. “To access the house there is a long ladder, made of open rungs with a void underneath, well Baldo tackled it without problems, he entered and lay down on the floor”.
The couple already wanted to keep him with them but Paola preferred to take things calmly and therefore brought him back to the shelter. It was necessary to organize everything, even the medicines since Baldo suffers from a disease, diabetes insipidus, for which he takes three pills a day. But the couple didn’t get scared and wanted it at all costs. The next day Baldo returned to that house, which he already knew belonged to him. “He understood immediately, he came in and settled down”. An ideal solution is a small town, a house with a garden, long walks. “This morning I heard from them and they told me that he slept in the room with them, he didn’t dirty, it was perfect”.
The project team is over the moon: “It took more patience, the educators worked to give him skills, such as getting into the car, making different journeys. Many people were involved and everyone contributed in his own way. Also to level of responsibility. We are very happy, but a little pain remains”.
This pain is called Billy. He is the veteran of the group, with a strong and structured character, a self-respecting cattle dog. He is now very old, an estimated age of 14, although lively and vital. “Billy is very strong and structured, he acted as pack leader when they were in their condition of semi-freedom and managed the others, he fought against wolves. There are no dogs like this anymore. But his blindness put him in a difficult and isolated situation . He is sociable with people, goes on a leash, has no health problems, but cannot be with male dogs because he attacks them. He doesn’t need much, an outdoor enclosure with an insulated area because Billy would not like to stay at home, we tried but he feels suffocated”.
Once Baldo left, he was left even more alone, a piece of mountain history, mangy and blind, who deserves to spend the last period in a calm manner and to leave with dignity. Who knows if there aren’t many phone calls for him too. In reality, one would be enough, the right one.
