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An article published this Saturday in the official press stated that “the priority is to save lives” amidst the criticism surrounding the abandoned dog during the evacuation in Río Cauto, Granma.
"There are men and women standing up to danger, risking their lives to save others, making that phrase from the Liberator Simón Bolívar their own: 'if nature opposes us, we will fight against it,'" reads in the text published in Granma, which includes a photo of the rescue where the dog was left behind, without mentioning the fact.
"In some areas of Granma, there are still discussions about the flooding, the hasty evacuation of hundreds of people, the daring rescues, and individuals who owe their lives to operations carried out by boats or helicopters," adds the text signed by Ronald Suárez, which seems to, in the coded manner typical of the official press, justify the abandonment of the dog.
"The damage to the economy is enormous, as well as to who knows how many families, whose belongings were swept away by the current or lie unusable in the mud. But right now, the priority is to save lives," concludes the text.
Critiques
The organization Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana) made an urgent national appeal 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 that is left alone, looking up at the sky where his friend went."
BAC, in coordination with volunteers in the province, sought citizen support to locate the animal, offering to cover all expenses for its rescue, veterinary care, and transportation.
On their social media, they strongly denounced the official media coverage:
"Why are the official media writing a poetic piece romanticizing animal abandonment in Bayamo?"
They went further: they launched a campaign to flood social media with the image of the howling dog, which had become 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 cries. May every notification, every comment, and every story carry the same message: We demand proof of life for the puppy from Bayamo!"
The call from BAC aims not only 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
Everything began with a series of images published by CMKX Radio Bayamo, the official media of Granma.
Under the title "The Pain of Departure," they depicted a lonely dog in the mud, gazing intently at the military helicopter that was leaving with its owner.
The scene took place 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 chaos, an Army helicopter was rescuing a family, leaving behind -without explanation- their dog.
“Nobody—among those who were there—knew his name, but it wasn't necessary.
We saw him lift his muzzle and howl... howl with a mix of pain and resignation…”
This excerpt from the text published by the broadcaster, written in a lyrical tone, sparked outrage on social media. Rather than inspiring tenderness, it triggered 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? No words.”
“A chronicle of 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 is no poetry to justify abandonment.”
“And what about the puppy? We want to know if it was rescued! What they did is unforgivable!”
Social media, typically fragmented by censorship and fear, united this time in a single cry.
Even outside of Cuba, numerous Cubans shared messages such as:
"If there is one thing I love about the country I live in, it is that they would never leave a dog behind during an evacuation."
“If you abandon the dog… you will have nightmares about events that will happen later.”
The shock was so great that it reached the Cuban poet Alexis Díaz-Pimienta, who recalled one of his verses to denounce what happened. He quoted a fragment from his poem I Could Also Be Jacques Daguerre on his social media:
“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 criticism of the act itself but also a moral warning: leaving behind the most loyal has consequences beyond the visible.
Where is the dog from Bayamo?
As the levels of the Cauto River slowly begin to recede, the question that keeps being asked is a singular one: What happened to the dog from Bayamo?
Are you still waiting among the mud and debris? Were you finally rescued? Are you injured? Did you die waiting?
BAC-Habana has urgently requested information from volunteers, shelters, and independent protectors in Granma.
They have offered resources and logistics to take him to a safe place. However, so far, neither the official media nor the authorities have responded.
"Let us not allow their story to end in abandonment," concluded the BAC.
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