Oreo Painting

"Oreo" - June 2010
11" x 14" Gallery Wrapped Canvas
Black & White Acrylic

Oreo is painted in memoriam of a beautiful dog nobody met.

Oreo's is a tale of tragedy Shakespeare himself couldn't have written better. Beaten for hours by her owner then thrown from a rooftop six stories down to the streets, Oreo was "rescued" by the ASPCA and treated for her injuries - broken ribs, broken legs, open wounds...the list goes on and on. A few months later, Oreo was dead.

The ASPCA is said to have raised some $6,000,000.00 for Oreo through donations from people who heard about her story. Oreo made a full medical recovery, and only a few months later the ASPCA killed her. Pulled for evaluation while still healing (physically, as well as emotionally) from being beaten for hours and then thrown six stories down into the road, Oreo's temperament evaluator stated that she was too aggressive and not fit for adoption - a death sentence by ASPCA standards.

Having learned of Oreo's story and her impending death at the hands of her "saviors", Pets Alive stepped in and stated that they would be more than happy to take in Oreo and all of the expenses and responsibilities that come with her. Pets Alive is highly experienced with bully breeds AND at handling animals which are in need of extra delicate attention and care. Basically, Oreo fit what Pets Alive does on a regular basis to a "T". Oreo was killed by the ASPCA the next day.

There has been a TON of politics, emotions, beliefs and even a law is trying to be passed in New York surrounding the events of Oreo's death. Bridges have been burnt, some have just been damaged, others have even formed through political bonds or similar beliefs on what Oreo has grown to represent... Hell, I even painted a portrait of the poor creature during these events... The dog that nobody ever met... Another face in the sea of needless death that is the kill shelter system...

She was just another dog, that didn't need to die, who nobody saved.