What is it about Mabel that captivated you? Mabel's obvious will to live is w hat captivated me the most about her. You look at her first pictures and you see a dog struggling for survival, and only days later while still on the edge between life and death she is wagging her tail and happy. She was a dog that was so obviously mistreated, neglected, and starved for affection as well as food, but she still loves people and longs to be with them.

How has the story of Mabel's plight and recovery affected you? I have never been so caught up in a dog I have yet to meet and probably won't ever meet's life. Mabel's plight and recovery is so remarkable because she isn't the only one. She helped me wake up and see the abuse and neglect going on all around me. 

Has it changed anything you do in relation to animal advocacy, rescue, etc.? I have become much more vocal in response to animal cruelty and neglect. I have always volunteered for animal shelters, but now I am taking a more active rule to try and promote responsible dog ownership. I live in an area where it is ok to let your dog roam free, and many of these dogs are ran over or are killed by farmers because the dogs are attacking livestock. Instead of just waiting until they come to the shelter and patching them up and sending them to a new family, I have been trying to encourage people to be better owners with the dogs they currently have. Hopefully by telling Mabel's story some dogs will be spared from experiencing the type of abandonment, neglect, and starvation that Mabel endured.

What is it about Mabel that captivated you?
Seeing her first photo, and seeing how far she has come. She went from having nothing to having more love than anyone could imagine.

How has the story of Mabel's plight and recovery affected you?
This dog brought together so many people from all over, it's just amazing. I'm not even from the same country, and I've shed many tears over Mabel, though all were happy tears!

What is it about Mabel that captivated you?  

Gosh, How could anyone look at that first picture and not have feelings for her!  I cried just looking at her.  I cannot fathom the fact that anyone could be so cruel.  She looked so weak.  Who new that she had such a strong will and strength to live!

How has the story of Mabel's plight and recovery affected you?
This is a story that you never forget!  Mabel is just one example of what happens out there, in this sometimes cruel world!
It's absolutley amazing that this poor dog went through all of that neglect and became this beautiful, loving girl!  
It's unfortunate, that some dogs wouldn't have made it through this. I hope when people read this story, they will be touched by it, just as much as we all were!  Maybe, just maybe, people will help other animals that need our help!  

Has it changed anything you do in relation to animal advocacy, rescue, etc.?
Whever I see people looking at dogs in a pet shop, I talk to them about getting a dog from a breeder.  
I know that when I move to a place where I will have more room, I would like to foster animals!

I'm probably going to reply in more than one post as I have time to address each question.

What is it about Mabel that captivated you?

As with so many others, the first pictures we saw of Mabel were just beyond comprehension - disturbing.  I honestly couldn't understand why someone would do this to any living being.  And she was alive.  Not only was she alive, she wanted to continue to be alive.  She wasn't about to let Anna just walk on by her cage without paying attention to her.  How?  How in the world could this no-furred, bag of bones, mange ridden sick dog have the strength, and after what she'd endured, the will to jump up against the fence and make sure Anna knew she was there and wanting out.  She knew Anna was her saving grace, I'm convinced.

Holocaust.  That's all that kept running in my mind when I saw Mabel's first pictures.  She was a holocaust victim.  Look back at the devastating photos of the holocaust and you'll see the resemblance.  Just sickening, sad, maddening, and yet she had hope.  That hope she displayed - the will, strength and faith in Anna even after what she'd been through was, quite simply, amazing.  How could that not captivate you?

Following her recovery and keeping up with her progress became a part of my every day life.  There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't wonder how Mabel was doing.  Mabel's recovery is nothing short of a miracle.  The strength, will to survive and ability to remain such a sweet dog through it all is a lesson all humans should learn.  Her resilience certainly made me judge myself in the mirror a time or two.  I can say with certainty that I would not have gone through what she went through without having huge resentment towards humans.  Yet, she doesn't - how amazing is that?

The beginning of her rescue was captivating, awe inspiring and tear jerking - the rest of her journey is amazing and to have met her in person I can say, with conviction, there is something about Mabel. 

What is it about Mabel?  When I first met Mabel in person, it was there - that magnetic thing that goes on when you're drawn to something or someone and you can't explain it.  She was immediately a comfortable presence, to myself, my husband and daughter.  And she was immediately comfortable herself.  Honestly, I initially thought it was my levels of compassion for all she'd been through, her remarkable recovery and the turn her route home made.  But, when you're in the presence of this girl, you can't help but love her.  Not just like her, love her and fuss over her like crazy. 

Again, I thought it was because I knew what she'd been through, where she'd been and where she was.  But, I was wrong.  Knowing all that went on certainly played a big part in how quickly I became terribly attached, but that wasn't it.  People that weren't at all dog people, not in the least, were taken with Mabel, without knowing her story.  She drew a crowd - a shut down the registers nobody's buying anything right now crowd - at the pet supply store before anyone knew her story.  After being with us for under a week, we didn't want to let her go, neighbors cried and begged for us to keep her, I even had a neighbor insits on coming along for the ride on the first leg of her journey back home at 4:00 in the morning.

Just knowing what this dog went through, seeing those first pictures and knowing how far she's come is captivating.  But, it goes beyond that.  Unexplainably beyond that.

When I first started reading about Mabel and saw the first picture, I couldn't believe I was looking at a dog or any animal for that matter. She looked so pitiful and foreign. I thought in spite of our best hopes and wishes she would not make it. As time went by my captivation turned from her initial plight and station in life to her amazing resiliency. No matter what happened, she seemed to make her way through it an did it was grace, and strength, and her own funny personality. Looking back over the months what has captivated me most is Mabel's ability to live in the moment and to forgive. She never lost her trust of humans or other animals. Her ability to bond with others, accept them, trust them, and just enjoy the day with everything she had regardless of what was happening is an example each of us could learn from. I wonder how many people would would be happy if we chose to be like Mabel?

Mabel's will to live.  Humans have communication, modern medicine, therapy groups, support groups to nurture their will to live.  Here is a girl that was tied, alone, starved and every bone in her body sticking out, but she wanted to live.  Everyone that was involved in her rescue, rehabilitation and care wouldnt of succeed without Mabel.  Mabel story crosses all species and humans (dog lover or not) at every age in any stage of life/health can read her story, relate and appreciate the hardship she endured and most importantly her success.  Some supposedly higher intelligent humans that wouldnt.... couldnt of endured what she had.


the first time i saw her picture, I thought OMG what kind of people will do this and how horrible, selfish and cruel humans can be.  Then Anna entered this story and basically rewrote the ending.  The time, care and love Anna (as well as others involved) has poured to Mabel is amazing and it shows that there are still great people out there.  I often ask myself "would I'll be able to do what Anna has and continues to do?" I'm a self professed animal lover and I still cant firmly answer that question.  But I know if the time ever comes, I will always have Anna and Mabel, in my head & heart to guide me.  Her story has made me more compassionate.


Besides a few rescues, donations here and there, i havent been active in these activities.  But it will make me see things in a new light and when the time is right, I'm ever more interested in getting involved. 

I've started to post my thoughts in this thread 25 times...it seems I can never get my words out.  Here goes #26...

For the very first time I saw Mabel's picture, I knew she was special.  I felt it.  And I knew I had to do something.

As the story unfolded, it made me feel like I needed to take action.  So we did what we could.

As the story continued to unfold, I had to stop looking at the pictures.  I just could not stand it.  I focused on arraging the donation drive, and her dogaddicts page...I had to focus on something technical because her plight was really out of my hands...but I kept her in my heart.   Everytime I was moving around pictures...it just shook me to the core.

Throughout all of the drama, I loved reading about Mabel...how she touched everyone she met.  How many people here would love to have her.  How many people cared.

And that is how I remember this whole "Mabel Project"...that so many people cared.  Prayed.  Sent good wishes.  The power of 100 people wishing you well does something.  We all did something positive.  It's overwhelming (and very humbling) to know how much we moved as a community.  I am so proud of everyone in this community.

As a result of Mabel, and especially Anna, I think we would all love to be more involved, and I believe as a group, Dogaddicts will do all that we can to support the efforts of people like Anna, and other rescue and foster organizations.

Dave

I can not explain how mabel touched my heart from the minute I seen her in person to the day that she looks like she is supposed to.  Thank you so much Anna for making a difference in her life as I am sure she has made a difference in yours. 

CG