Sunday Morning

I had planned to sit with coffee and the newspaper and wear pajamas as long as possible. But it was not to be. There I was, reading the New York Times online, when I looked up to see a worried face peering in my kitchen window. Shady the dog was back.

Shady first showed up in our neighbourhood this summer. She escaped from her house several times in June and July. We're not sure where she lives, but one of the neighbourhs had her family's phone number, so we'd call them and they'd get her. After a while we didn't see her again. Her owner said they were building a fence, so I figured the problem was solved.

Shady is a labrador cross. She's so shy she looks like she's black. Somehow she looks smaller and is harder to see than she really is. Really she's a dark brown with soft brown eyes. She wouldn't let me near, backing off each time I came over to her. I knocked on my neighbour Sue's door. Sue is a veterinary technician and has a legendary way with nervous creatures. Sue lured Shady in with some dog treats and lovey talk, and got my dog's leash on her. There we were, two moms in our pajamas with coats over, talking about what to do with this dog. Kirsi, who has her family's phone number, was out of town. I took Shady to my house and called the SPCA and Animal Shelter. I knew Kirsi got her number from one of those places.

SPCA had never heard of her. Shelter knew her, but wouldn't give me her number. Shady wore no license, had no ID tag and had no ear tattoo (in the time she spent here she warmed up enough to accept some cuddles, and allowed me to look inside her ears). Shelter said they'd come for her, and they'd call her family to fetch her.

I set Shady up with some of Soleil's food and a bowl of water, and gave her a blanket for a bed. In no time, Sara from the Shelter was here and took shy Shady away. I felt guilty giving her up, but I know her family never came to look for her before until we called them, so we couldn't keep her here and wait. Sara told me she was a frequent visitor to the Shelter. Thinking about how scared she must feel to get away from home like that and be captured by strangers and taken away in a van, I wanted to keep her and make her our dog. I wish her family would appreciate her enough to build a fence or lock the door, or whatever they need to do. I hope she'll be okay.

Question: Why get a dog if you won't take care of it?

mompoet - suppressing urges to rescue everything that is not perfectly happy