As the summer heat increases, so do the numbers of animals left out on the streets and roads by their human handlers in a terrible way. A nightmare for those unfortunate pets who cannot be accepted as a member of the family.
In a protest action against this scourge that continues to be repeated in societies, the famous French photographer Manuel Litran decided to raise the voice of those who do not have it through the “photo of shame”, a disturbing work that has permeated social networks for days. Many believe that it is a montage, however, unfortunately it is not so.
It shows the asphalt covered with the corpses of 140 dogs that were euthanized by the Sociedad Protectiva de Animales, in July 1980. The saddest thing about the matter is that, forty years after the photograph was taken, history continues to repeat itself with impunity.
How many more of them have to die for us to make conscious
Although euthanasia is currently only practiced for strictly veterinary purposes, the problem of street animals has remained, and even increased over the years.
Only between July and August 2015, about 9 thousand specimens were rescued in France grouped in the 56 official shelters of the protector. In 2014, the number of recovered and rehabilitated dogs amounted to about 43 thousand.
“Sadly this happens in France, but also in many other countries, including, of course, Spain, where the situation is much more serious: in 2014, more than 140 thousand dogs and cats were counted in street condition,” said an animal activist.
The artist’s intention was to live up to his motto “the weight of words, the impact of photos”. This fact of enhancing the scene with the hyperrealism of dead animals made him the spokesman, through Paris Match, a medium for which he worked, of a powerful message to raise awareness among the French about the situation of these pets.
Original post by “the photo of shame”
“I didn’t sleep all night, I was terribly moved by this photo. Paris Match had the idea to make a report about the peak of rejection of domestic animals that occurs every summer, during the holidays. We contacted the SPA, which immediately agreed to answer us, the photographer recalls about the 1980 image.
But, making the “photo of the shame” was quite a feat. As the portrait painter tells us, he and his work group hired two refrigerators to transport the bodies of the animals that the SPA had to ‘steal’, literally, in just two days. Then they had to be left on the side of the road due to the strong smell emanating from the corpses.
Fortunately, that photo from forty years ago finally achieved its purpose, since it was thanks to its forcefulness that the Protective Society of Animals gala modified its rules and for years only euthanasia to dogs for veterinary reasons.
In addition, today this type of action against animals is punishable in the French nation with two years in prison and a fine of 30 thousand euros, so we can say that things have changed a lot, even though there is still much to be done about it.
Share this story with your family and friends and let’s all take advantage of the shocking and unpleasant of this image to raise awareness and make more people aware that it is only up to each of us to stop this situation.
