Yesterday was the 2 year anniversary of Belafonte’s death. I started this blog mostly so I can heal. Oddly each time I stopped to write this story, I just couldn’t get through it. I would end up avoiding it so much I would not even write about his babies or any story for that matter. So tonight I’m writing this. I have to I have to get it out. I’m moving on but not forgetting. I’m crying but healing. Here it goes.
We moved to our current home in January. There is a gate separating the sidewalk and street from a long hallway about 60 yards that leads to our front door. Right next to this gate is a butcher shop. The owner would allow his dog, a Chow, to roam the streets all day long as he worked. Of course this dog came to believe the whole block in which he roamed and hung out all day, would be his domain. As Belafonte and Zena would go out with us regularly this would become a problem. The Chow would follow us as we would leave our home. He would growl and make very aggressive postures towards Belo. Belo deal with the Chow by walking backwards watching the Chow or just ignoring him. On occasion a growl would come out of Belo as to say enough already but Belo would always keep walking.
For months, we had painters at our house working every night after work as to not disturb me during work. Our puppies grew up with painters. We actually gave one puppy to the owner of the company. Oddly as I write this, they are back fixing a few things. I told Rodrigo that under no terms will the dogs leave my sight while they are here.
Anyway, I was working late trying to finish up a few more things for work. It was around 8 pm. Rodrigo had Belo outside while I had Zena, Elsa, Flora and Marvin in my office. One of the guys left the gate open by the street so Rodrigo walked down to lock it, Belo followed. Belo was always happy. He loved to skip around and prance. I imagine that is what he did when he followed Rodrigo to the gate. I like to imagine that he was prancing and skipping on the sidewalk just before.
Rodrigo said the Chow suddenly leaped at Belo and a fight started. Rodrigo pulled Belo away and had him like a bounce would have someone they are trying to control. Belo was on his hind feet back to Rodrigo’s stomach, with Rodrigo’s arms around Belo’s chest. The Chow still trying to get at Belo. As Rodrigo walked away from the situation with Belo still on his hind legs and chest exposed, the butcher came running out of his shop with a knife. The butcher lunged at Belo and stabbed him 2 times. One hit under his arm/leg and the other to his lung. If Belo moved, Rodrigo would have been stabbed in the chest.
The stab under the arm hit an artery, I guess because the blood was everywhere. It covered the sidewalk. There were pools of his blood everywhere. I woman who worked at a convenience store two doors down ran into my yard screaming. I ran down to the street to see blood everywhere and my husband yelling call the vet. Our vet is a half a block down the street, he showed up to the scene just as I saw my baby lying there in a pool of blood. I ran to him as Rodrigo picked Belo up to run to the vet’s office. I grabbed my neighbor to watch our puppies while I ran to the vet. The trail blood to the vet’s office was like a scene from a horror movie.
There Belo was on the table, dead. His amazing big tongue that was always hanging out when he played, laughed and just being was purple and lifeless. He was still warm when I grabbed his already stiffening body toward me to hold him one more time as I wailed in pain.
As I walked home, covered in Belafonte’s blood walking by his blood on the streets, it was like I wasn’t there. I wasn’t anywhere.
For months I would be washing dishes, cooking doing just regular stuff thinking and feeling and I swear seeing Belo right next to me. I would just fall to the floor and cry. Poor Marvin got the worst of it because he looks just like Belo. I couldn’t look at Marvin without crying. To this day if Marvin looks at me just right, I’ll break down.
The murder of our Belafonte, impressed many in our city. There was a demonstration for the Justice of Belafonte just days after.
Today we are still awaiting trial. Rodrigo pushed to have the butcher tried as a murder of a non-human under our Sarmiento Law. They were going to prosecute the butcher for just destruction of property. I hope this case will help others who have lost their dogs due to some evil F*cker.
I will always keep Belo in my heart. When I’m in Buenos Aires I can’t stop but think of all the wonderful times we had. He was by my side everyday. We were a team. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have adjusted to this new life in Argentina. He made me a better person. I love you Belo.
running with dogs 