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The organization Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana) issued an urgent national call this Saturday to demand proof of life for the dog abandoned during the evacuations in Granma, a story that has sparked a wave of outrage across the country.
"This is not just another post. It's the cry of a little dog left alone, gazing at the sky where his friend has gone."
BAC, in coordination with volunteers in the province, called for public support to locate the animal, offering to cover all costs associated with its rescue, veterinary care, and transportation.
On their social media, they emphatically denounced the official media coverage:
"Why do the official media write a poetic piece romanticizing animal abandonment in Bayamo?"
And they went further: they launched a campaign to fill social media with the image of the howling dog, now a symbol of betrayed loyalty and silenced pain.
They asked Cubans to update their profile pictures with their faces
"May Facebook, Instagram, and all social media be filled with his face and his plea. May every notification, every comment, and every story carry the same message: We demand proof of life from the dog of Bayamo!"
The call from BAC not only seeks to save an animal but also to denounce an institutional attitude that, in the midst of a catastrophe, presented as poetry what for thousands is a crime: the abandonment of a living being during an emergency.
The beginning of the story
It all started with a series of images published by CMKX Radio Bayamo, the official media outlet of Granma.
Under the title “The Pain of Departure,” they depicted a lonely dog in the mud, gazing intently at the military helicopter flying away with its owner.
The scene occurred during the evacuations caused by the overflow of the Cauto River, which devastated communities in the region and left thousands of people homeless.
In the midst of the chaos, an Army helicopter was rescuing a family, leaving behind—without explanation—their dog.
“Nobody —of those who were there— knew his name, but it didn't matter.
We saw him raise his snout and howl... howl with a mixture of pain and resignation…”
This excerpt from the text published by the broadcaster, written in a lyrical tone, was what sparked outrage on social media. Instead of inspiring tenderness, it provoked a massive backlash.
Viral reaction to the images
The comments quickly went viral. Thousands of Cubans expressed their pain, anger, and confusion over the decision to abandon the animal, and even more so, over the attempt to justify it with poetic metaphors. Here are some of the most shared responses:
"Do you think this is positive? Words fail me."
"A report on animal abuse. With included photos."
"They left the poor animal in a flood zone. And they expect applause?"
"I would rather drown than leave one of my pets behind."
"That dog is coming with me wherever I go. I'm sure he wouldn't have left his owner alone."
"It's a cruel act. There's no poetry that justifies abandonment."
"And what about the puppy? We want to know if they rescued him! What they did is unforgivable!"
Social media, typically fragmented by censorship and fear, united this time in a single cry.
Even outside of Cuba, many Cubans shared messages such as:
"If there’s one thing I love about the country I live in, it's that they would never leave a dog behind during an evacuation."
"If you abandon the dog… you will have nightmares about events that will occur later."
The shock was such that it reached the Cuban poet Alexis Díaz-Pimienta, who recalled one of his verses to denounce what had happened. From his social media, he quoted a fragment of his poem "I Could Have Been Jacques Daguerre Too":
“Si abandonas al perro
se irá con él la memoria secreta de la casa...
dormirá tu pasado a la intemperie
y tendrás pesadillas con sucesos que ocurrirán más tarde.”
The quote became one of the most shared messages of the day. In it, many found not only a critique of the act itself but also a moral warning: leaving behind the most loyal has consequences beyond what is visible.
Where is the dog from Bayamo?
As the levels of the Cauto River slowly begin to recede, the question that continues to be asked is a single one: What happened to the dog from Bayamo?
Are you still waiting among the mud and debris? Were you finally rescued? Are you hurt? Did you die waiting?
BAC-Habana has requested urgent information from volunteers, shelters, and independent protectors in Granma.
They have offered resources and logistics to take him to a safe place. But so far, neither the official media nor the authorities have responded.
“Let’s not allow his story to end in abandonment,” concluded the BAC.
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