The Rescue at Dead Dog Beach (27 page)

At the end of that week, she said she'd let me know when her book was published. I received an e-mail from her in 2008 inviting me to a book signing at a Providence area bookstore over Thanksgiving weekend.

I wasn't sure what the book was about, or how I had been portrayed in it. All I knew was that I suddenly felt very vulnerable. I declined the invitation.

“Come run some errands with me,” Pam said to me the Saturday after Thanksgiving. “Keep me company.”

“Okay. No clothes shopping, though.”

“Quiet. Come on.”

I wanted to get out of the house anyway, to clear my head.

Twenty minutes later, Pam pulled into the parking lot of a bookstore near our house.

“What are we doing here?”

“Don't worry, it's all good.”

As we walked into the store, I saw Traer and Jesse sitting at a table near the entrance. Pam smiled and grabbed my hand.

Traer jumped up, ran over, and hugged me. “Steve! Everyone, this is Stephen McGarva,” she said, beaming. “He's the guy from Puerto Rico, the man with the dogs in my book!”

Everyone clapped and welcomed me, almost as if I'd coauthored her book,
Street Dogs
. Traer asked me to sit down and sign books with her, and I was honored to do so. By the end of the evening I had signed dozens of books. No one knew I had never looked inside.

We said our good-byes to Traer and Jesse, then got back in the car, a copy of
Street Dogs
on my lap. I cracked the cover and began turning pages. I immediately recognized my dogs, familiar faces I'd loved for years. Some of them had died defending my life only months after Traer and Jesse had left the island.

“Are you okay?” Pam asked on the ride home.

I didn't answer. I felt like a soldier, the faces of departed friends sitting there in my lap. I started to weep.

Traer had captured the essence of it all. She'd acknowledged me and what I'd done better than anyone else had.

I've been back several times to Dead Dog Beach. It's different now. The approach road has been widened, and the parking lot expanded. The abandoned shipping containers, hiding spots for so many dogs, have been cut up for scrap and carted away, and the area beneath them cleaned. I heard from my friends there that a demolition company had come in with huge machines to tear down the boathouse. The fishermen who plied their trade at the beach had seen it. According to them, when the workers unearthed the dog graveyard, exposing the bones of the hundreds of dogs I'd buried, a few them got seriously spooked. When I heard the story, I could imagine the backhoes and front-end loaders turning over the soil that held the remains of my lost friends like some apocalyptic vision of hell on earth.

Walking the beach for the last time, I saw only a few furtive dogs, none of which cared to know me. It didn't matter. I'm proud of what I did there in Puerto Rico during those two years.

But I couldn't do it again. I used to live fearlessly and selfishly doing my sports. I climbed at the top of the pack, flew my glider harder than anyone. I was doing things that only a handful of guys in the world were even attempting. I lived like there would be no tomorrow. I never worried about dying. I was fine with it, actually. It was going to happen anyway, so I might as well go out doing something I loved. Now I can take it or leave it. I owe it to Pam, to myself, and, now, to our two beautiful daughters, Freyja and Ella, to make the risks I take more calculated. It's difficult to say how I would have handled things with the dogs if I'd had my daughters at that time. I still take some chances doing rescue work in Mexico and Puerto Rico, but the girls have given me a bigger purpose in life. I know they need me to come home at the end of each day safely. I don't want them to be left without a dad the way I was.

I realize now that I'm no good to any cause if I'm dead.

One of my greatest friends during that two-year period in Puerto Rico was Leo, King of the Beach, who protected me, helped me run the beach, kept order, and lightened my spirit with his sweet, playful heart. I was so pleased when we were able to get him off the beach and into a loving home in upstate New York, in January of 2007. The family who took him owned a nice piece of farm property, allowing Leo to run, play, and explore at will, almost as he'd done on the beach but with the security of a forever family. Their other dog, a yellow Lab named Abby, fell for him right away; they became a loving pack of two.

I always wondered if my old Leo ever thought of me, and of the beach. I liked to think he did, and that he missed me and the camaraderie we shared. But if he didn't, if he'd put it all behind him, then I'd be happy too. I'd envy him his freedom, his clarity of mind, his victory.

While writing this book, I received word of Leo's passing, on June 27, 2011. Over four years of carefree life on a farm, surrounded by those who loved him. What more could one ask for?

N
o one expects you to move to a foreign country, buy a machete, and start defending strays on the beach. But you can get involved in pet rescue locally, nationally, or internationally by supporting legitimate rescue organizations with your money or time. You can find a local shelter and volunteer once or twice a month, help run fund-raising drives, organize events, or even write letters to your local, state, or federal legislators, particularly with regard to animal abuse legislation. Tell your federal representatives to apply some political pressure on places like Puerto Rico, Mexico, and China where dogs and cats are treated poorly.

Of course, one of the best ways to make a lasting impact is to adopt a homeless pet.

If my book has inspired you to try to help dogs in foreign countries, you can direct your charity toward internationally focused organizations, to help save lives and educate the local people to the plight of unwanted strays. I've listed a few below that I have been personally involved with.

If you decide to volunteer at a local shelter, be prepared to get dirty, and to fall in love with many adorable, needy pets. It is not easy work, but it is rewarding, especially when you play a direct role in saving a dog or cat's life and finding it a home. Nothing compares to the feeling you get when you see a dog or cat doomed to a certain death go home to a loving family.

Below is a list of national and international associations, Web sites, and organizations dedicated to helping rescue and care for pets, both domestic and international. I have also included a short reading list.

Dedicated to improving the health and reducing the numbers of abandoned dogs in Puerto Rico, ASR rescues, rehabilitates, and finds new homes for “
satos
.” Additionally, it strives to address the root causes of overpopulation, abuse, and neglect through initiatives aimed at raising public awareness, facilitating low-cost spay and neuter, and expanding the involvement of government in implementing humane solutions. http://allsatorescue.org

The first of all established humane animal organizations, the well-funded ASPCA provides help and support over a broad spectrum of topics, including rescue, adoption, training, health, and pet counseling. http://www.aspca.org

An organization that saves the lives of stray cats and dogs in the Caribbean and Mexico through spay, neuter, adoption, and educational programs, CANDI brings tourism businesses together with local animal welfare groups to implement programs that humanely address the issue of cat and dog overpopulation in destination communities. http://www.candiinternational.org

An offshoot of the Humane Society of the United States, HSI focuses its efforts on the suffering of animals in foreign countries. It works with local animal organizations all over the world to provide hands-on care to animals in need and to foster a culture of compassion. http://www.hsi.org

The largest domestic animal protection organization, HSUS takes an active role in lobbying for animal rights legislation. It participates in national and worldwide rescue efforts, provides sanctuary for needy pets, assists in rehabilitation programs, sets up and runs mobile veterinary clinics, and provides educational programs for animal lovers everywhere. http://www.humanesociety.org

Isla Animals is dedicated to decreasing the unwanted pet population on Isla Mujeres, Mexico, through ongoing spay/neuter programs, education, vaccinations, and adoption. It offers animal foster care and promotes adoptions in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Additionally, it educates pet owners about humane animal treatment, care, and responsibility. http://islaanmals.org

Run by actor, author, and animal expert Chris DeRose, LCA has been fighting animal abuse since 1984. It is committed to disseminating truthful information about animal abuse in order to improve the manner in which animals are treated in society. http://www.lcanimal.org/

A San Juan, Puerto Rico–based group, Save a Gato gives homeless cats on the streets of Old San Juan a chance at a better life. The organization runs a trap-and-neuter program designed to save lives and lower birthrates. It also facilitates adoptions of cats, both in Puerto Rico and to the mainland. http://saveagato.org

A Puerto Rico–based volunteer organization dedicated to easing the suffering of Puerto Rico's homeless and abused animals, Save a Sato rescues
satos
from streets and beaches and provides them with medical care, food, shelter, and lots of love. Once rehabilitated, the
satos
are sent to a participating shelter partner for adoption. http://www.saveasato.org

With its focus on international animal welfare issues, the SPCA provides valuable shelter grants, medical assistance, and education and also sponsors targeted rescue efforts worldwide. http://www.spcai.org

A refuge for CancÚn's forgotten and abandoned street dogs, or “perros callejeros.” http://www.tierradeanimales.org/

A decades-old organization dedicated to ending animal cruelty worldwide, the WSPA works directly with suffering animals and with local organizations dedicated to helping end animal suffering. Its goal is to get all nations to commit to more animal-friendly practices. http://www.wspa-international.org

There are, of course, too many good books to list, but here are just a few that I've found helpful or moving, both in the field of animal rescue and in the basic training of dogs.

Street Dogs
by Traer Scott (Merrell Publishers, 2007). A lovely collection of ninety black-and-white photographs taken by Traer in 2006 in Puerto Rico, showing
satos
on the streets and beaches. Looking through the book never fails to bring back bittersweet memories for me.

Rescue Matters: How to Find, Foster and Re-home Companion Animals: A Guide for Volunteers and Organizations
by Sheila Webster Boneham (Alpine Publishing, 2009). The definitive guide to animal rescue, this book covers all aspects, including starting a rescue group, basic rescue techniques, pet evaluations, and much more. If you want to start your own group or join an established one, read this book.

Rescued: Saving Animals from Disaster
by Allen and Linda Anderson (New World Library, 2006). Filled with moving stories of pet rescues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, this book also provides guidance on proper pet rescue techniques used during times of crisis.

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption
by Jim Gorant (Gotham Publishing, 2010). A gripping story of Michael Vick's dogfighting operation, and the ensuing efforts to save, rehabilitate, and find homes for the pit bulls he'd doomed to a life of violence and death.

How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend
by the Monks of New Skete (Little, Brown, 2002). This revised version of a classic is both a practical guide to dog training and a philosophical discussion of dog ownership. I like the monks' attitude toward balancing discipline with praise, and their idea that training helps instill a desire to please and perform.

How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
by Cesar Millan and Melissa Jo Peltier (Three Rivers Press, 2010). Aimed at the needs of puppies and young dogs,
How to Raise the Perfect Dog
answers all the most common questions and guides you toward a rewarding rapport with your best canine pal.

The Dog's Mind: Understanding Your Dog's Behavior
by Bruce Vogle (Howell Book House, 1992). This is an excellent primer on how dogs perceive the world. Read it if you want to explore how the canine mind works.