We’re asking all of our followers and anyone who cares about the cause of canine distemper to make a sign like this one, using a photo of the distemper dog you’ve had in your life and add words like “We loved (or love) our distemper dog.” Take a picture of yourself holding up the sign.
Add a hashtag on the photo #distemperdogs and post it to the Save Dogs From Distemper Facebook page or if you are on Twitter, tweet it to @distemperdogs with the hashtags #distemperdogs and #dogs. Or you can email it to me at ed.bond.new.york@gmail.com, and I can post them for you.
If your distemper dog is still alive, put him or her in the picture.
The point is we know there are hundreds, probably thousands of dogs dying of distemper all over the world. But the scientists, researchers and veterinarians are not aware of what a big problem it is.
No one tracks how many dogs die of distemper each year because it is not a reportable disease. This will be an undeniable way of showing how many people care about this disease.
Our goals:
- To end the systematic euthanasia of distemper dogs. This has shut down an interest in research into finding effective treatments.
- To promote research into effective treatments and methods of saving distemper dogs.
- To promote education among veterinarians to recognize distemper cases and to learn which treatments help.
We need to demonstrate this is a HUMAN issue as well as a dog problem. Not only are thousands of dogs dying of this disease, it is causing heartache and grief to the countless human companions to these animals.
One photo may not make a difference. But what about thousands?
— Ed Bond
March 7, 2016