WARNING : This post contain some sensitive pictures of an abused dog...
When we spotted Maggie for the first time it was in front of our restaurant on the middle of the road. We immediately notice that she was abused and very sick. She was extremely skinny, and had certainly the worse case of mange we ever saw on a dog. Her skin was basically nonexistent, and we could see some open wound and raw flesh all over her body. We almost suspected she had been burned with battery acid... Of course we couldn't approach her at all ! She wasn't trusty and extremely afraid of human. Nether less everybody passing near her were chasing her away because "yirke !... She is so ugly and disgusting !...." I could cry when I think about today. Of course it was a challenge but we were not going to give up ! 
Days after days, very slowly we tried to gain her trust and confidence. We tried to get closer to her. My partner William was the big winner at it. To the surprise of everyone, thanks for his patience and his love for the animals and hate for the injustice, he manage to bring her closer to the restaurant. First at the bottom of the steps where we put some food and water for her, then later on, maybe weeks after we started this challenge, he managed to make her climbing the steps of the restaurant and feed her on the deck. Some people may be think it is disgusting to bring this kind of animal into our restaurant, well I would say, this kind of people can stay away from our restaurant because THEY are disgusting !... Anyway, she never went close to the kitchen nor the dining room, and was staying by the garden next to the bar. Little by little he gained her trust. For any reason it was more difficult for me. Not that he could touch her or what ever but when he was calling her she was coming close to him, not to me. It didn't really matter in fact, the important was that she wasn't on the street anymore as she established residency at the restaurant. At night and during the day as well as during the service, she was sleeping and protecting herself from the elements by laying on a shelf below an outside cabinet next to the bar. It was her little "dog house". 
When we were finally sure she wasn't going to go away anymore, we started the treatment for the mange. Useless to say that in the meantime the disease had spread largely affecting 90% of her body. It took us about 8 month to fix her, giving her every single day some mange medicine in her food, while we still couldn't touch her, her skin being so sensitive. After few month William managed to touch the top of her forehead for the first time. She let him do so. It seemed she like 
it. It must had feel good for her. Little by little again, he manage to pet her almost all over her back. But she was still a bit skittish. We needed to get her use to it, as we already found her a home and made all the arrangement for her adoption. We couldn't take her home with us, as we already have a full house of family members and are not living in a farmhouse (space wise...) and it was no way that she was going to stay living at the restaurant and do not have a decent home. Her future adoptive British parents, Andy and Jane were visiting her almost everyday too, so she could start to know them and trust them too. They live only 500 feet away from the restaurant. 
Finally, when we were sure that she was not infested with mange anymore, about 10 month after seeing her for the first time, Maggie went home with her parents and with her new brother Digger ( a fat little Jack Russel). She became immediately a "princess in her castle" ! She has her own (single) bed (Digger has his...). When Mom and Pop eat stuffed chicken, she eats stuffed chicken... When Mom and Pop eat pork shop, she eats pork shops... what ever they cook for them, both Digger and Maggie eat 
the same. Mom and Pop travel separatly to do not leave the babies by themselves or being take care by strangers. She met her "cousins" Caramel, Picolla and Happy and she love to play on the beach with them and Digger (which is a bit grumpy...)Of course she still have some scare on her body that she will never loose and will alway remember us how she was before but could you ever imagine this is the same dog?...
Maggie is one of the success stories... we didn't gave up on her!...
6 comments:
Hi Philippe: What an amazing difference, I am so glad you were able to help her and found someone to take her in.
All the best, Jess
Again, Philippe I thank you for opening up my eyes to what a difference 2 people can make to those in desperate need. Both your perseverance in helping this poor soul to overcome this abuse is something that deserves commendation. And so I will send you both a big HUG from me to you guys!
Vicki (Sca2la)
Hello Philippe!
I am so glad you wrote about Maggie, She is just so beautiful, her eyes,tell all.
I have never seen such a bad case of mange. Richard and l absolutely applaud you and William for sticking to your guns about people who have such a disregard for animals.
To say an animal is disgusting because they are sick or "looks UGLY" makes the person saying it "Disgusting" and a disgrace to the human race.
Good for you to tell them to take a hike and go find somewhere else to eat!
Kindness and love for any kind of life is so obviously apparent from all of the issues that you have written about on your blog.
l cried when l saw maggies photos, they are disturbing...you both saved her life without any doubt. You made a difference in maggies life...she is alive. You also made a difference in Andy and Janes life. They have "Maggie"
I only wish that our earth had more William and Philippes in it.
You mentioned you wouldnt mind if we used some of your photos on our web site, this is a story that the public must be aware of. Stories like this save animals!
Huge Hugs to you both!!!
Laura and Richard
Congratulations.
You found one of Michael Vick's old dogs.
Lesson V.
The first time we saw Maggie, we fell in love with her, even though she had no fur, open wounds and was very “ugly”. Along with William, we were the only people that Maggie would let touch her. After we already lost a coconut retriever we rescued in Orient Bay “Barney” to tick fever, I vowed never to take on another island dog, but after all the hard work William and Philippe had put in with her, and how over all those long hard weeks, we had come to know her, when it came time for her to be re-homed, for us there was no other option, she was coming home with us! That was 18 months ago and what a different dog she is today. At first we couldn’t put a collar on her, now she comes running when she sees it in our hands as she knows it means “walkies”. For the first few months we never saw her tail wag, I don’t think she knew what it was for, now it gets you in the face, back of the knees, knocks glasses off tables, there’s no stopping it! She was still very wary about being touched (and still is with strangers) but now we can hug and kiss her, we only have to walk past her and she is on her back, feet in the air asking for a tummy tickle and she loves a good going over with the dog brush! She didn’t know how to play, now she beats us at tug-o-war and can catch her ball in mid jump, and if she does miss, will barge everybody and everything out of the way until it’s safely in her mouth! We still have a few obstacles, she’ll chew her own foot off rather than have a bath (but most dogs do I guess), she won’t walk on a lead or get in the car (before, both meant she was going to the vets so that’s probably not helped) but, like everything else, in time it will come. Digger is her best friend, we worried at first they wouldn’t get along but within the first few days he was smitten too. He plays endlessly with her, shares all his treats and toys with her, and at the first signs of trouble is in there teeth first to protect her. Anybody who is familiar with the temperament of a Jack Russell Terrier will know what I mean – it’s not pretty, but the other dog always backs off first!! She is always the first to the door to greet us, the first to alert us to strangers around our residence, and when I am alone with them on the beach, she’s the first to tell me to “wake up and look mom- we have company”. She is still going from strength to strength; she is a pleasure, a treasure, and always has been and always will be our beautiful little Princess.
Jane, Andy & Digger
Hi Philippe:
Discovered your blog (and Williams) not too long ago. Love the posts on both. Would love to meet up with you both the next time we are on the island and say hello. Appears to be much in common. The love of Saint Martin (looking forward to calling it home soon), long term committed couple, love of food (me=eating, George=cooking) and a love of rescue dogs (we just took in the third).
The "Maggie Story" came at the perfect time since I just received my first kiss from our latest rescue a few days ago, after 5 long months of waiting for him to trust me.
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