It was one of those days like there are in our country. In the morning it was November and at supper almost in May. So I left with our dog Jazz for another beautiful walk in the woods.
Behind our house, it’s a great opportunity, there is a wooded area which belongs to a religious community and which goes as far as Camp Olier, a camp for young people. The kids are there two, three months a year. The rest of the time it is people from the area who use the trails, often with their pets. Signs allow this which say: “Thank you to the owners”, “Be respectful of the premises” etc.
Jazz is a special dog. Too much everything. Too happy, too moved, too curious, too intelligent. The kind of dog who impatiently waits for us to finally understand that he is a person like any other. Not easy to raise! Impossible not to love. My partner Maude did wonders with him. And he’s only two and a half years old!
The walk is going well. He takes the wood but comes back to me quite quickly with each reminder. He is happy, I am happy and we are both very proud; we will get there. He’s going to be the best dog in the world.
We often go towards the mountains but there is no one at camp and the little lake has stopped, so we go and see the ducks, the geese, all that.
Jazz puts her paws in the water a bit, walks on the shore, I take a few photos in this beautiful late spring afternoon light.
The geese suddenly chatter.
A noise, a cry.
Atrocious.
I will not describe.
But I will live, from that moment on, among the worst moments of my existence. I don’t wish them on anyone. Person. Never.
Jazz has his head in a trap. Broken neck.
Nothing was indicated. Nothing. However, it is a legal obligation. And it’s not trapping season. And this practice is prohibited in the territory of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs! This place is frequented by walkers, their dogs, and sometimes children. The owners and all the locals know it. The trap was very close to a trail winding around the lake and not even 200 feet from the road. Our dog Jazz died with a broken throat. I will not describe further. But I have to write. I have to.
I want this irresponsible fool to be held accountable for his actions. If my very curious dog hadn’t died in this trap, I would probably be the one seriously crippled for the rest of my life, after moving a few meters to get better light for my photo…
I’ll never forget. I screamed for help. Have you ever screamed, “Help!!!” …?” Screamed for help for several minutes while pulling with all your might on a metal monstrosity designed by the demon himself? And without anyone coming? I ran to get some help. I am 65 years old, I no longer have the breath I used to have. But I ran and came back with two men; It took us at least 15 minutes — 15 minutes! — to manage to get the head of this beautiful, happy dog without the slightest malice from this loser’s trap. Jazz was dead. Obviously. Since a long time.
I’ll spare you the rest.
Maude, who has devoted herself completely to the education of our dog, came home that evening after a three-day absence at her father’s bedside… Very happy to see Jazz and me again. Rather, there were five of us in our house – the cavalry of the heart, our children, arrived at full speed – five crying with pain, sadness, rage and absurdity.
If you know people who use this type of equipment, please explain to them the basics of etiquette. And if you’re local, please don’t go to Camp Olier. There was a trap, there are surely others.
Is he a poacher? Was he hired to do this? I do not have the answer. But if you know who did this: say so. I know that those who work in difficult professions where violence, suffering and death are a daily occurrence, these people often develop great solidarity, understanding each other as no one else can understand them. . But in the same way that an honest police officer who has respect for his work should not cover up for a rotten colleague, trappers worthy of the name should not tolerate but on the contrary denounce those of their number who act in this way. These irresponsible people make you all look like emotionally disabled sadistic imbeciles. If you know who it is, please take action.
This has to stop. This must not happen again. This is such pathetic behavior. I fear for my neighbors, their children, their pets. And wild animals which are not targeted but which these murderous objects will break indifferently. When you are a being who claims to be human, you don’t behave that way. It is heinous in addition to being criminal.
I cannot end this message without saying the outpouring of love and understanding that poured down towards us after I recounted this horror on social media. We had the impression of lots of shoulders bending down to carry a little piece of our pain and our anger. After being confronted with violence and stupidity, we encountered a veritable galaxy of empathy, compassion, kindness, and righteous indignation. It still feels good. It makes him seem a little less dead, our Jazz whose name has vibrated like this in so many hearts… It is a mystery to me that the human species has so many brave people, a majority I believe, and that it can be also destructive, bad, inept. As if the good people, out of weakness, allowed themselves to be led by the worst among us… Yet we are the most numerous, right? Let’s believe in ourselves, let’s believe that goodness can win, let’s believe it enough to allow it to do so.
One day, moreover, when we have finally learned to say “we human beings”, it would be more than important that we learn to say “we living beings”, we miraculous carbon chains! Let us sometimes remember that the word soul comes from Latin anima…And let us always remember that without them, horses, cattle, camels, goats, dogs etc. we would not have succeeded. A little respect and recognition. It would do good.
You had the right to live, my darling, you had the right. And you knew so much how to do that! And without harming anyone. Beautiful big fool with all heart, great leaping joy… Thank you for saving my leg and my old age…
Help us find who did this. Above all, help us to ensure that this never happens again.
PS: I can now add that the Olier camp authorities are not responsible. They didn’t ask anyone to set this trap. The director seemed devastated. Moreover, the site is now closed and prohibited for walking until further notice.