Reggie The Egyptian Rescue Dog: The Final Cut :Rescue Dog Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Chapter Four

So here I am in Canada with my foster parents Anthony and Susan. Gradually I am starting to feel good about myself. I am gaining confidence. I am saddled with countless bad dreams about my treatment on the streets of Cairo, master Anwar’s state abduction and execution for simply being critical of the Egyptian government. But I can not change what has already happened. If I keep thinking about these negative human interactions it will be akin to chasing my tail and running around in circles. Although I can accept what has happened to me incessant worrying and judging translates everything to unhappiness. Perhaps one day I can forgive those who forever altered my life and took away Anwar’s.

I have forgiven the Rottenwhiler who attacked and injured me in Cairo as after all I was the one attempting to steal food from his bowl. Extreme hunger breeds desperation. Strangely if that big dog had not bitten me I never would have ended up in the Cairo pet hospital making it possible to leave Egypt and come to Canada. Unfortunately my fear of large dogs causes me to growl and sometimes lunge at them but Anthony and Susan are not angered by my bad manners as they have familiarity with my history. I am not ill mannered just frightened by this experience. After watching a BBC documentary with Anwar on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder of British soldiers in Ireland I think I am suffering from PTSD. This is why humans must have compassion for many rescue dogs. Their loving canine soul has been damaged by unpleasant if not horrific experiences.

I am now starting to forgive many of the Egyptian people for how badly they treated me. They have little compassion for street dogs because they have no tradition of loving and caring for pets but do they have to poison and shoot street dogs? They are slaves to their feelings as for almost all they do not know the concept and joy of having a pet. I would hope that time and education will help them like dogs and treat them better. A thank you for those Egyptians in the pet hospital that saved my life.

My experiences in Canada show that Canadians love and care for their dogs but I am sure not all pets are loved and cared for here. I hear there are “puppy mills” where puppies are bred and kept in horrible conditions.  Roy, a neighborhood rescue dog, told me of the horrific conditions he was subjected to and how he survived his “imprisonment” in a Taiwanese puppy mill. How he survived is a miracle. There are 4 rescue dogs in our neighbourhood so I am not alone.

So here I am in Canada under the care and control of my foster parents and feel my luck is in an upward trajectory. I am in a strange country and a bit frightened as everything is so unfamiliar but I feel so much love and respect for me “just an” Egyptian street dog. I am tough and resilient and proud. I am going to show all these Canadians just how good Reggie the Egyptian street dog can be! I do this for myself, Anwar and all the street dogs in Egypt. Can my story be told one day?