Shelter dogs are fighting a silent battle more people should know about. When they are turned over, they are forced to share space, food, and attention with other dogs. When they are not adopted within a specific time, or when they have conditions that make them unadoptable, they are placed on death row.
The stars of the show
Marli Scaramella wanted to raise awareness about the plight of the stray dogs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She groomed them to be ball-dogs at the Brazil Open. Four shelter dogs named Mel, Isabelle, Costela, and Frida were present. They helped out during the match between Gastao Elias of Portugal and Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain.
Andrea Beckert revealed that the dogs had to undergo months of training before the big day. Aside from specific commands, Beckert also trained the dogs to retrieve the balls. The dogs donned orange ribbons on the day of the match, and each spent half-an-hour to retrieve and return the balls to Beckert who was on the sidelines.
Permanent homes for shelter dogs
The intention behind the display of the four shelter dogs was to help the homeless animals of Brazil find their forever homes. Scaramella hopes that those who attended the match saw how well-treated and well-fed animals behave. It’s also her way of changing everyone’s perspective about shelter dogs.
Elias and Baena also had their own roles to play during the match. Aside from competing against each other, they also made sure that the spotlight was on the shelter dogs. They missed the balls on purpose so the dogs can retrieve them. The dogs patiently waited for the balls to bounce off the court – they took this as their cue to show the world what they can do. Watch the story here:
Credits to Gunner4ever
