One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
The pictures were clear and showed an unequivocal case of animal cruelty and neglect. The dog was living inside a mud and stone hut, never getting out, surrounded by filth, excrement and garbage. A concerned citizen took pictures and reported the case to the authorities. This being Spain, nothing happened. The dog, a female, belonged to a hunter, and that’s how hunters keep their dogs. It is accepted. It is legal. Rarely anyone bothers doing something about it, and only in the most extreme cases can one expect any conviction of at most a couple of hundred euros.
Hardly a deterrent to a hunter.
So there I was, looking at those pictures and imagining what this poor animal was enduring, day after day, night after night. I imagined the nights spent in solitude, howling desperately yearning for human connection. Nights filled with calls for assistance but noone came except for throwing some more garbage in.
We had to do something about it. But what?
Calling the authorities wouldn’t work and reasoning with the dog’s owner would be a total waste of time that would close any possibility to ever rescue the dog.
And then I remembered Martin Luther King‘s words, written at a time of struggle in the fight for civil rights and understood. Freeing this dog was going to be a test of commitment and resolve. It was also going to remind us why it is we do what we do.
The dog’s situation was critical, time was of the essence, with every passing day and week her condition worsened.
“Rescue without owner’s consent” to avoid irreparable damage and loss of life. An act comparable to breaking the window of a car parked under the scorching heat to save the life of a couple of kids being cooked alive inside it.
“Rescue without owner’s consent”. I liked those words.
We didn’t think about it for much longer. We drove to the location and did what had to be done, with adrenaline pounding through our veins, concerned but certain that we were doing the right thing.
Three short videos, unedited, raw, generic xanax orange full of emotion. The very essence of animal rescue.
At a time when most animal rescuers use social media as their primary rescue tool this was going different. Law was going to be broken in the name of justice.
I hope for nothing. I fear for nothing. I am free.
We have called her Freedom. We couldn’t find a better name.
As expected Freedom was totally neglected, undocumented, unvaccinated, she had no microchip, she had no legal owner. This was basically a case where she had been imprisoned and tortured in hell.
We took care of legalities, for the first time in her life Freedom had a legal owner. For the first time in her life, Freedom experienced the kind, soft touch of a human hand, a soothing voice telling her she would be ok. She was bathed, thousands of fleas and other parasites fell out of her. We did a battery of tests that made us realize her weakened condition and confirmed Erlichiosis and a incipient level of Leishmania for which she immediately began treatment. And then, for her own security, Freedom was whisked out of the city, to an entirely different region altogether where she will be cared and protected like the most precious of treasures, until the right family is found for her.
So, today we have a double request… we need your help with her ongoing medical treatment for both Erlichiosis and Leishmania. She can be cured, but it will take a while until she is totally recovered.
We also need help with the treatment of her behavioral issues, mainly separation anxiety. Imagine for a second having spent all your life locked in a hole and then being freed. I suppose Freedom can be a scary thing to one that never experienced it.
—
UPDATE DECEMBER 5
FREEDOM HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
The dog that lived prisoner in a dirty hut full of garbage and excrement now lives a happy live with a wonderful family and a dogie brother that will make sure nothing ever happens to her for as long as she lives.
This is her FULL STORY!!!
Freedom now finally gets to experience the meaning of her name.
Help Let’s Adopt! Global continue rescuing dogs and other animals in the same conditions as Freedom was found. There is LOTS of work to do.. let’s do it!!!
so kann man kein tier halten
Well done guys!!!!!!!
You guys are awesome, and yes had I been there with you I’d have been right beside you! Some humans just suck and I’d never visit that shit hole of a country!
You people are absolute ANGELS!! I’m so happy for Freedom and know that you will find her a good home. Dog bless you for what you have done. 🙂 XOXO
Nice one Viktor. Freedom, an excellent and totally appropriate name for her. Thank you for rescuing her x
Fuck ya!!! Awesome work and 100% support what you do. Thank you and you are right – fuck that asshole for doing this to a dog.
God Bless you, Viktor. Once again, you have rescued another beautiful, innocent animal who has been horribly neglected and abused. You are truly my hero. We are kindred spirits, as I, too, believe that ALL animals are precious and should be treated as the gifts that they are. You are such a blessing to all of these animals and I thank you so much for everything that you do.
I’m so happy and touched that you rescued Freedom!!! Viktor and his crew rock ~ you guys are simply the best !!!! Thank you so much for everything you do and we need a Viktor in every city of this world. I hope the scumbag that owned Freedom will not get a replacement dog … is there anyway to check in the near future?
Viktor….I read this story and watched the video’s and I am so happy and glad to know that you rescued Freedom from a life of hell….love the words about that hunter that you said…..YOU ROCK!!!!!!!….how anyone could let a dog or even a child live like that is disgusting and tragic.
I am so glad the she will now get the love and care that she needs…..I wish I could help out but money is very tight for me right now…..but I do share your video’s and stories a lot….if I’m not mistaken, I think I started sharing since Titus….and I am so glad that you are there to help them in any way that you can…..let’s just say, that if you were here in the US and you were a vet….I most certainly would be bringing my babies to you…..you have done so much good to all those sweet babies so far.
Thank you Viktor once again for everything you are doing.
Love and Prayers Always,
Thank you yet again for the amazing lengths you go to help these animals in such desperate need! The Lord bless & keep you all! I will keep sharing, educating, & sending in donations; any small part I can play to help!
May God bless you for your courage and caring. I did something similar a couple times. One of the dogs I rescued out of his situation, I gave to my mother who in turn spoiled him until he died 10 years later. Rest in peace Chispo. If you know something is very wrong and you do nothing, you contribute to the problem.
Well done LAGs !! I know that when it comes to breaking the law to make sure of the welfare of animals it must be done .
When my kids were small I had a small holding and I broke the law almost every day -avoiding ridiculous regulations and demands of the authorities in order to ensure that the animals who shared our lives had psychological and physical needs looked after, above all else freedom to come and go and to raise their young . 70acres with only one fence , on the boundary .
I am with you all the way .
I cannot donate again at this time as I did so recently and have little money
This is rescue! This is true rescue! Thank you….. Thank you so much. I love you guys!
Thank you for the work yall are doing in Spain!!! I hate F—— people that treat animals like this. I would love to make them live and be treated they way they treat there animals. I live in the USA and do have laws to help, but it still hard to get the law to do resuces. But not like Spain WOW.
Great job! Do what must be done to save every innocent life! God bless you and these animals! 🙂
Thank you again for rescuing FREEDOOM.. and all you do…. Donated what I could..
Dessie
You’re an awesome human being Viktor!!!!! <3
Great Rescue, wonderful for Freedom. I am worried for the next dog. When he finds her gone he will be furious and then go out most likely to find another poor innocent and lock that one up for when he wants to go hunting.
Great Job again Viktor. Actually I can’t donate, I donated so much the last months to several rescuers but again my heart says I have to help in the only way I can help from here, Belgium. So anyway a donation, will not buy the new shoes I love. Kisses.
Viktor i can not watch one of your videos with out crying you and Eldad are my heroes! thank you for the work you do may god bless and protect you.. as a dog lover my heart aches and breaks to see how humans can be so fucking cruel.. the ass hole that did this should be put in that same hell hole to see how long he can survive.. thank you again viktor we all love & respect you/…..
Many thanks Judy… Wait till you see new pics of freedom… she looks AMAZING!
Viktor i can not watch one of your videos with out crying you and Eldad are my heroes! thank you for the work you do may god bless and protect you.. as a dog lover my heart aches and breaks to see how humans can be so fucking cruel.. the ass hole that did this should be put in that same hell hole to see how long he can survive.. thank you again viktor we all love & respect you.
Thank you Judy… an honor to be side by side Eldad on your list..
xxx
Viktor
I am blown away by what you did to free Freedom…..I would do the same act first then think of the consequences…..I was reduced to tears I have to say….Thank you for saving Freedom, which I am sure would have Only ended in her death……I am sorry to say this but I hope Freedoms owners rot in hell, although now Freedom is not there, then they will just get another dog who will live like Freedom, which is very sad, Will you be keeping an eye out for this happening, I do hope so, something has to be done by law to stop it……THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, should not be happening……:-((
Those videos brought me to tears! WHAT IS WRONG WITH SPAIN? I thought they were a CIVILIZED COUNTRY!
I agree with you, fuck that asshole! and any others who think that a note like that gives them these rights! imo he will roast in Hell when he dies.
She is beautiful and will be healed completely just like you do with the others you rescue! THANK YOU!
Thanks Viktor another job well done.You truly are a saint.I pray for you and Freedom.I hope you don’t suffer any from any BS fromthe so called owner of this beautiful dog.Bless you & your angels.
Thank you for saving this beautiful dog! 🙂
Great Job! She can now know what a real life is!!!Blessings!
You are my hero!!!
Words cannot describe what a wonderful thing you did for that dog!
It is unthinkable that a human being would treat any creature like that!
God Bless you!!!
How many other beautiful creatures are being held in such horrible conditions?
God bless you Viktor… Keep doing what you do. 🙂
I love you!!!! Yay, freedom for Freedom. She is now part of a massive loving family, those who have endured similar lives as she has but now live with PEACE. Thank you, thank you, thank you Viktor and everyone else who works beside you. Tinaxx
I’M ASHAMED TO SAY I’M PART SPANISH! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, FREEDOM DESERVES TO BE IN A GOOD HOME WITH PPL WHO REALLY LOVE HER! happy tears <3
Wonderful rescue! Please destroy the mud hut so the owner does not go get another dog to torture.
Ah! Yeeessss I am so happy she is free!!!!!! Mil gracias chicos 🙂
Well done Viktor <3 ! Thanks for rescuing Freedom… I donated a bit… Now cross fingers and pray that she'll find a marvellous family for her new life!
F??? Ya!! Awesome Work Viktor 🙂 THANK YOU!! You’s ROCK!! Great Video’s & plz keep us updated on FREEDOM!!! I love that name for her.. Canada also agree’s with you 100% in Support of what you’s do. Thank u & u r right on that LOSER!! – F??? that Asshole for doing this to a dog. Plus a message to all those F’N Hunter’s, your nothing but LOWLIFE SCUMBAG’S to do this to your own dog.. Just just lucky i’m not there F???ers!!!
This is just great. I rescue but it is cats. I have lately come to the place that I no longer have them.I became ill and could no longer care for my cats.However I adopted them out and they are doing so very well. I get pictures all the time.
I believe that you are great people. There are so many of you that really care. Thank you!
Viktor, I truly admire your determination to save animals at any cost and how much you, your fellow members and your medical staff go the extra mile for the love of animals.
You and your miracle workers have found and brought back to life so many desperate animals that were on the verge of being euthanized but you just couldn’t let this happen.
I am so very happy that you rescued Freedom and will find her a good loving family that will treat her with all the love and kindness that she so deserves.
Bravo Viktor. How I wish I could have been there to watch how you freed her so maybe one day I could do the same! This made my day! Donation is coming.
Amazing and very brave rescue, Viktor and team. I’m very hopeful that your legal position is as strong as your moral and spiritual position. Thank goodness Freedom is receiving loving kindness and the care she requires. I will contribute towards her medications, as I usually like to do. I’m always guessing my typical $30 dontation covers maybe one prescription, but I’m really only guessing. Maybe it only covers one day. Please help me understand what the true cost is to treat for these common parasitic infections. I want to understand the reality of what you have to spend. Thank you for everything, as always.
Viktor – what u and ur team have done is more than amazing. I cannot even begin to thabk uou for the courage to fight for this poor baby who has suffered unspeakable I humane acts. No one, man or animal deserves this kind of treatment. I will help out as much as I can and I pray to the universe that freedom will get the home and love she deserves. Please keep up the great work, please always have the courage to continue on and leave such a positive legacy.
there’s difference between theft and liberation. if any of us were in her place we would hope to God someone would do the same for us.
Thanks Viktor, you did it again. Actually I can’t donate, too many donations to different organisations but when I read this story again, my heart tells me to do something and the only thing I can do from here is making a donation. So much better not buying the shoes for which I fall in love. Donation done. Love from all of us here.
Many thanks Christine… love to you all, hope to see you soon. x
Yeah for Viktor. Great news. So happy you did what you did and this girl has been released from hell….keep going Viktor, we are all behind you.
Well done !!! LAG you have BALLS !!! Freedom is Free from the Mother F to have a good live !!!
I think what you have done is fantastic for Freedom and I hope she now has a wonderful life, but I worry that the arsehole whom imprisoned her will now replace her with another poor soul 🙁
wont that human being take another dog to close him in that hell????????????
We’ll be watching..
hunters in america treat their dogs like property too. and as soon as they are no longer good enough for the hunt, after only a couple years, many take them out to the woods and dump them. or dump them at shelters and buy more. and keep them in deplorable conditions. Freedom is indeed a very lucky girl. and you guys are truly angels!
You are angels! Thank you so much for helping this cuttie! Donated! ♥
This is so awesome! That poor girl 🙁 I am so happy she was saved. Now, hopefully she has a speedy recovery!
These stories are those of hope and freedom for those animals who are suffering….Bless you all and my heart is full of thankfulness for the amazing work you do 🙂
You have done another amazing job Victor. I live in France and the hunters here are the same. I found a hunt dog (Petit Gascon Saintongeois) about 8 years ago, she was very frightened a had obviously been beaten as whenever I moved my hand she flinched. I took her home and at first she would not come into the house but would only sit by the gate, within 2 days she was laying on the sofa. It took her a long time to trust people and even now if I move my hand too quickly she will flinch. As a long eared hound she had really bad ear infections and the fluid was running out her ears, we had them operated on and they opened the ears up so they were easier to keep clean, I have to still clean them every day, otherwise the infection returns. She has actually cost me a small fortune.
I do feel that some of your followers should not think all Spanish are like this and criticise the country as a whole , there are good and bad in all countries.
Donated
I admire your heroic rescue. I am not an animal rescuer, I did report a few cases to the local rescuer sometimes ago. Too bad the animal rescue in my city hasn’t get to your standard yet (I think) … reported few cases I can’t help and they told me to go do it myself. It is kind of disappointing but what can I say? More power to you Victor!
Good for you! But PLEASE keep an eye on the people who imprisoned her as they might get another dog and treat it the same way!
Well done Viktor!!!
Amazing rescue!
Viktor, like I have always said….
You guys are Freaking Rockstars!!
Who else is going to stand up for these animals if we don’t!!
Keep doing your great work!!
Donation to come!!
Pat
GOOD FOR YOU! Theses photos make me sick to my stomach! It’s the same here in Italy…I can’t stand seeing these dogs roaming the streets, locked up and only “used” for hunting. When are people going to realize that they need to be treated humanely????
your work never ceases to amaze me, yet another wonderful rescue <3
would have done the same thing……..you are all amazing xx
I have donated for Freedom. I want to thanks for this work and to also congratulate you Ivan on stepping up the communications about your work and the various lucky animals who have been helped by LAG.
When someone offers a forever home, do they pay for the transportation?
Thanks. Bless you xx
Hi Kim…
It’s very difficult to keep a constant communication flow but we try..
When someone offers a home he doesn’t pay for transportation. We have no adoption fee and no transport fee, expenses are paid by our fund.
HOWEVER, we have four basic adoption conditions..
1. MUST have another dog or cat
2. The animal will have a family life, living inside the home, no dogs for yards, security jobs, etc..
3. The animal will eat a natural raw diet (www.rawfed.com)
4. No smoking inside the home..
That’s it… meet those four, talk to me, we have the perfect dog for you 🙂
Viktor
Bravo, depuis la France! Wonderful rescue, amazing!
What you did was absolutely right. Thank you for taking the risk!
Right on Viktor! with every “fuck you asshole” I laughed and clapped my hands!!!! I donate every month & checked the use where needed box, should I change it to the simba fund? Would that be better for you?
Hi Phyllis…
Many thanks for your note.. no.. no need to change anything… Simba Fund is just a way to call it, doesn’t have a separate location or entity..
Love
BRAVO, Viktor and Team!!! As far as I am concerned, this should be done more often! There is NO EXCUSE for any animal to suffer at anyones hands! Just a thought, this cretin may get another animal to replace Freedom. Is there anyway to watch for this possibility? Please keep up the wonderful work you are doing! God Bless you ALL!!
Outstanding! I would have broke the lock too! Thank you for saving Freedom, and for all that you do!!!
I’m very happy for the person that fought for the dog . IT WILL TAKE AND PATIENTS TO HELP HER OUT. THEN BUT THE GUY IN THE SAME BOX AND LET HIM LIVE A LIVE LIKE THE DOG DID DDDDAAAYYY AAANNDDDD NNNNNNIIIIIIGGGGHHHHHHTTT. ROSE ALDRICH
I am so proud of you!! our angel Kid has died because of ehrlichiosis!!! long time members will remember him!!! Freedom SHOULD live after life has been treating her soooo cruel all this time!!
Well done and thank you for saving Freedom and getting her the help and love that she needs. Don’t worry about the farmer, karma will catch up with him and others aware of what was happening and did nothing. God bless you xx <3
How are you going to keep that man from doing the same thing to another dog?
You took one dog from him.. but he could easily replace the dog.
I’m afraid there is nothing we can do about that.. Well keep an eye on him
GOD BLESS YOU ALL !!!
Early morning, Pennsylvania, USA. I just watched this and my heart melted for you Viktor. You are an angel for the animals you save. What a tragic life, and what a wonderful ending to a sad story.
This happens all over the world, one cannot single out Spain, there are beautiful people there who love their dogs.
I do my work here in America. One dog at a time, it is all we can do. But Never Ever Stop.
Sending love across the ocean.
Thank you Patricia… one dog at a time…
Love
Viktor
Freedom!!!! It sounds like happiness to my ears sounds! Thousand thank you for this moment of joy
Laws are meant to be broken to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
I have 2 rescue dogs both from very sad pasts:
Rico is a tiny pomeranian from a puppy mill. He’d pee every time we’d try to pick him up for the first year or 2. Was especially afraid of men. Now he’s King of the Castle around here and a wonderful calm leader for all the foster dogs we’ve taken in.
Money is a tiny long haired chihuahua found in the streets of Taiwan and flown to Vancouver, Canada, by a rescue group. He has some mental disability as not very smart at all. But he’s the sweetest, most gentle little boy.
Rescues are simply the best pets. They’re so appreciative and it just feels good to save a little victim.
Thank you for all you do for these helpless animals. They need more people like you on their side!!!
Lisa Bunnage.
Hi where was Freedom homed? I am so very happy about this xx
Hi Kim .. She stayed in Spain, ill publish new pics in her home soon.. Viktor
heroic 🙂 you are one special man and your organisation is magnificent
This is a fantastic rescue…I could see myself doing the exactly same thing for a an animal…the saddest thought is that this bastard will get another dog and shove her in this filthy hole too ,,,it would be a good think if you could stay in contact with some of your friends in this area that would continue to rescue these beautiful animals.
I just donated a little for Angel. Not much, but I am sure every bit helps.
I want also to thank you! I have been following your incredible work for almost one year now and it’s fantastic and so needed.
Many thanks Chloe. I´m sure Angel is going to surprise us all…. thank you for being there.
Hi Viktor Will you be posting some picks of Freedom in her new home? Would love to see how she’s doing. Thanks so much for all you and LAG do. God Bless you all. 🙂
Hi Ronda.. please watch the video, there is video of her in her new home there.