My GND dog: Tinkerbell

In the fall of 2008 I lived in SD6, the newly built dormitory on campus. I still remember how Tinky and I crossed path. One day I returned to the dorms for lunch. Afterwards as I was about to leave for class, a friendly black dog (Tinkerbell) greeted me wagging her tail near the staircase of the ground/first floor. To me, she looked skinny (though classmates think she is slightly overweight), ugly, dirty, and hungary. I invited her back to my room for some food. The thought of taking her in crossed my mind, but it was quickly erased. I asked her to leave and left her at the staircase.

Gradually for the next few days, I would prop my door open with a chair and put food in her bowl, I also made a "bed" for her to sleep in. I dared not keep her in the dorms.

There were times when we "clicked." I discovered that she usually comes to my place around 9:45 pm-ish. One day when she did not arrive on that time, I left my room to look for her. Just then, I heard her footsteps (she has long nails and they make a tapping sound when she walks on the tiled floor) and she appeared right around the corner. Her tail wagged and she smiled. I can recount on the many times we bounded and her special personalities.

I started to make inquires about this dog by asking random classmates around campus. There was something special about her. Gradually, I learned that she was heartworm positive and I decided to keep her. The next few paragraphs was the letter that I wrote to the school about letting her stay with us. I did not hear back from them for one month. During that month, I kept her with me in the dorms and we tried to maintain a low profile--going to the bathroom in the early morning and late evenings. Eventually the school told me to find her a foster home off campus. Somehow, I foresaw this and have found friendship in Christina who immediately came to pick up Tinky when the school gave us the ultimatum. To Christina, I am forever indebted. She took care of Tinky (drove Tinky to and from the vet clinic for her heartworm treatment, beach walks, socializing, etc.) for one month. During the beginning of finals week for medical students (final exams), Chrisitna was done with her school work and left the island for US. I would walk to Christina's home every day (morning and evening) to feed Tinky and walk her. I did so for one week until I was able to move into my current apartment whereby Tinky was allowed to stay. So, that's our Tinky story in a nutshell.

The letter to the School:
"There is something else that I need to ask you about....it is about having a dog in the dorms. I know it is illegal. However, my situation is different. There's a campus dog (old, black, female who is extremely friendly.....when random classmates found out that I have adopted her, they expressed relief and happiness.....that's how nice and popular she is). Some time last week, initially, I found her lingering in front of SD6 and invited her into my room for some food. Since then, she has been spending the nights (and eating dinner) at my place. I usually let her out in the morning and will prop the door open in the evening for her return. Last Friday night, I found her waiting for me at our staircase and since then, have decided to keep her.

I have been talking to different students on campus and found out that she was tested heartworm positive. I also washed her and found dead fleas on her as I combed her hair. She still has fleas and perhaps, even manges. She has missing patches of hair and given her age (10 years old plus), is just not in a good condition to be living outdoors. Her immune system is not as strong as it use to be and is more suspectible to external/internal parasites. The other campus dogs seem healthy with full hair and hardly any itches. But more importantly, my heart goes out to her for being such a friendly dog who is heartworm positive and yet no one is willing to treat her. I recently took her to the vet and found out that she is indeed heart worm positive. I have purchased the medication.

Since living in the dorms, she has not barked nor defecated/urinated in the room. When she needs to go to the restroom, she will go to the door.

If she was a healthy dog, I would not have kept her. If she was causing trouble (barking, urinating/defacating in the dorms) to the neighbors, I would not keep her either. I left my dog in the US because I know the importance of obeying campus rules. However, in this case, without proper treatment and care, she will face a slow death. We are health care providers and we have a moral and legal obligation to provide for the sick and ill. It is wrong to pass by a dog every day knowing full well that I could have saved her and that she can live the remaining years, however few it might be, in comfort and with the added security that she will have nutritious meals every day.

Given the circumstance, can I talk to someone (housing authority, judiciary committee, etc.) about letting her stay with us (she is, after all a campus dog who has been living here for some time already) during the course of her treatment? We (she and I) will move off campus next term."