2023-10-03 13:16:10
Susanna and Hugo
WE TALK WITH SUSANA MOLLÁ FIGUERES
Maria Bueno
Maria Bueno. Give us a brief overview of who you are and what you do. How did you come to the cultural world, what made you write this book, surrounding yourself with artists to illustrate it?
Susana Mollá. I am the human of my dogs, Hugo and Miguel. They are my whole life. Hugo passed away in December 2022. I have a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Valencia and I specialized in Hematology. Since 2006 I have been practicing my profession in the Castellón Provincial Hospital Consortium. But apart from Medicine, another of my passions, which I have not been able to dedicate myself to as I would have liked, is writing. In it I find a kind of therapy, for me it is healing and on the other hand it helps me focus and clarify my doubts.
I decided to write this book because it seemed necessary for someone to explain that a paralyzed dog is still a dog and is happy if you love it. We often use the excuse of his suffering to euthanasia them and that is not true. We suffer, and possibly we suffer a lot. But they do not. For this reason, I wanted to talk about this very important topic in which the human decides for another life, often placing himself above the animal and also saying that he does it for its own good. I don’t judge anyone who does it, but I would like people to tell the truth: I do it because it hurts me to see him like this, because I won’t be able to take care of him, because I can’t bear the financial expenses that it entails, etc. But let’s stop hiding behind false kindness.
I decided I wanted it to be a picture book, because art is beauty and our dogs in wheelchairs are the most beautiful in the world. The stories in the book are hard and full of emotions and the illustrations bring light and joy. They are a very important part of the book.
Maria Bueno. What is this book about, can you tell us about some of the illustrations that accompany it?
Susana Mollá. This book is about the love we feel towards our dogs, a love that leads us to fight for them until the end, taking care of them when life doesn’t make it easy for them. It is a song to life, to the importance of the decisions we make and a story of overcoming. But so that we didn’t all tell the same story, I asked each family to tell us about a specific topic from day-to-day life with a paralyzed dog. There are stories that talk about the moment your dog stops walking, about acceptance, about the phases of grief, about walks or trips. There are also chapters written by veterinary specialists in rehabilitation and nutrition.
Regarding the illustrations, I can say that they are all wonderful. Each family had to give me their story and accompany it with an illustration. I wanted variety. And so it has emerged: we have illustrations by recognized artists such as the one that accompanies the story of my dog, made by María Bueno and there is even a very special one made by a girl. They are all beautiful and help the reader put a face to the true protagonist of this book: the dog.
Book “Stories of paralyzed dogs”, with illustrations by different artists, 2023
Maria Bueno. As I know that your foray into art and collaboration with artists is not new, what type of proposals linked to art and culture would you say yes to without blinking?
Susana Mollá. To any proposal that shows respect for the animal world and fights against the mistreatment to which we subject them. Without a doubt, I would say yes without asking what role I would have to play.
Maria Bueno. Do you think that art and culture, worked with and from other disciplines linked to life, can be transformative?
Susana Mollá. There is nothing more transformative than art and culture (taking into account that any manifestation of it in which there is animal abuse and suffering is not art nor is it culture). The artist, whatever the facet in which he operates, has the ability to show the world different universes in any of the fields of action. You are in a privileged situation because your work reaches many people and you have the possibility of gradually transforming the way of seeing things. That is my intention with this book: to save dogs from the ignorance of human beings, who believe that a paralyzed dog is not a dog, much less is it happy.
Maria Bueno. Why is the book focused on animals, specifically dogs, as well as the images it contains?
Susana Mollá. Because they are my passion. And also because I only know how to write about what I know. After living with a paralyzed dog for almost five years, I have a lot of information that the person new to this world of animal disability probably doesn’t know. And someone had to make a book like that, because you can’t find any information about it.
Maria Bueno. Do you think that the lack of acceptance of diversity in animals is a metaphor for what happens on a human level? Can you explain this to us, please?
Susana Mollá. It’s all the same. What happens is that with animals we feel that we are above them and we have the power to decide about their lives. That is why the majority of paralyzed dogs are euthanized, something unthinkable in people. But it is true that we do not like pain, suffering, effort, work and we prefer to look elsewhere. But life is full of things that are going to cause us pain and we have to accept them. It hurts to see your dog sick, of course. But it hurts us, not them. If we had to “kill” all the things that cause us pain in this life, we would never finish. We have to learn to live with the things we like and those situations we like less, but which are part of life.
Illustration of Hugo in the book, 2023
Susana and Hugo, 2023
Maria Bueno. References… Two people who inspire you linked to art (and perhaps animals).
Susana Mollá. Roberto Mollá and Alejandro Palomas.
Maria Bueno. An event that has marked you.
Susana Mollá. Learn astrology from Felipe Ortega Regalado.
Maria Bueno. A cultural space linked to the human and non-human.
Susana Mollá. La Rambleta and the City of Arts and Sciences (Valencia).
Maria Bueno. A movie, a book, a song and an inspiring place for your work (and life).
Susana Mollá. Movie: Always by your side, Hachiko. Book: A country with your name (Alejandro Palomas). Song: When tenderness sounds (Joan Dausà). Place: Formentera.
Maria Bueno. How do you think we can deactivate this lack of diversity, this lack of normalization in life in its different areas, which is claimed in your book?
Susana Mollá. Giving them visibility first. What is not seen or spoken about does not exist. That is why the first step is to look at this world in its entirety, seeing that not everything is as we would like and then give it a name. The next step is acceptance. Once we know that difference exists, we have to accept it. We must educate in and from diversity. And finally integrate it into our lives.
Maria Bueno. What connects us to people and dogs and how do you address it in the book?
Susana Mollá. What connects us is love, I have no doubt. And it is very easy to connect with them because their love is unconditional and that is like a drug: it creates addiction. No one is going to love you the same way your dog loves you. Once you discover that way of loving yourself, it is difficult to do without them.
Maria Bueno. Where can we get the book?
Susana Mollá. Through the Vinatea Editorial website. And all the information on events related to the book, such as the book presentations, through Hugo’s Instagram: @hugo_gos_che.
All profits generated from the sale of the book will go to help different animal shelters.
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