Following a nighttime burglary that took place at Ansi Elementary School in New Taipei City’s Sansia District seven years ago, teachers at the school took in a young stray dog to help maintain the school’s security. Since its fur was brown all over, the school named it “Coffee.” From then on, the clever and docile dog teamed up with the school’s security guard to keep the schoolyard safe.
Unexpectedly, one night not long after Coffee arrived at the school, it was beaten and badly injured by an unknown person, suffering a broken hind leg. The whole school then joined the struggle to save Coffee, with everyone kindly contributing money and effort to help out. Some teachers made a wheelchair and used it to help Coffee practice walking every day. People where worried that Coffee might end up paralyzed, but the dog had a miraculous recovery.
Recently Coffee caught a skin disease because of the damp environment, so the school once again collected funds to turn what had been a dirty and messy corner of the schoolyard into Coffee’s very own den. When it was ready, the school held a house-moving ceremony. At the daily flag-raising ceremony, Coffee was introduced to all the children in the school, formally appointing it as Ansi Elementary School’s guard dog.
Photo courtesy of Ansi Elementary School
照片:安溪國小提供
School principal Weng Chun-sheng used to worry that children might be afraid when they saw a dog, so the students did not have much contact with Coffee. Now, however, Coffee finally has a proper status, and the story of how the dog overcame illness is a valuable lesson in life.
(Liberty Times, translated by Julian Clegg)
七年前,位於新北市三峽區安溪國小驚傳夜間竊盜事件,為了維護安全,學校老師找來了一隻年幼的流浪狗,因為牠全身毛色類似咖啡色,校方為牠取名「咖啡」,聰明溫馴的牠,伴著警衛伯伯守護著校園安全。
未料咖啡剛到校不久,就在某個夜晚遭不明人士打傷,傷勢嚴重、後肢斷裂,全校發起「搶救咖啡大作戰」,大家出錢出力發揮愛心,老師們更自製輪椅,每天扶著咖啡練習走路,讓有殘廢之虞的牠,奇蹟似的康復了。
近來咖啡又因環境潮溼染上皮膚病,校方再度募集資金,將校內髒亂的畸零地,改造成咖啡專屬的窩,並舉辦搬家儀式,在升旗典禮時向全校同學介紹咖啡,讓牠正式成為安溪國小的守衛犬。
校長翁俊生表示,以往擔憂孩子看到狗會嚇到,學生較少與咖啡接觸,現在,咖啡終於有自己的名分,牠戰勝病痛的故事,也是珍貴的生命教育課。
(自由時報記者張安蕎)
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