~A Bitter Swallow~

So, yesterday I met up with Dustin after work. I got out at 12:30, so we went and had some lunch, then headed over to Lowe's to pick up a new, desperately needed lawnmower and weed-eater. We came home excited to get them put together and start on getting our lawn in shape.

Unfortunately, we came home to both dogs nowhere in sight. He had left them in the yard, like we always do. The house just gets too warm to leave them inside on sunny days. It's never been a problem. Until yesterday.

I'm not sure whether I am totally convinced that they just escaped on their own. They've shown no precedence to do such a thing before. In any event, whether or not they got out of their own will, or someone elses', they were gone. Dustin scoured the neighborhood looking for them. When we got the kids from school, we drove around to the neighborhood on the other side of the trees to see if anyone there had seen them. We left our names and phone numbers with various people in case they spotted them.

Then this morning, Dustin called the Humane Society to see if any dogs were brought in that matched Muttley or Sam's description. They had a dog that matched Muttley's. But not one for Sam. We went in, and sure enough, there he was, scared and excited to see us. But they did not have Sam. This is not a big surprise, since Muttley is much more apt to come up to someone whereas Sam is more likely to just run.

Luckily though, the gal helping us do the paperwork to get Muttley back was able to contact the animal control officer who had picked Muttley up. He told her that he had not seen another dog with Muttley, but had reports that a lady had possession of another dog spotted with Muttley at her house, and a control officer was on his way there to pick her up. We got that officers name and number, and the address for the house, and headed out.

When we got there, there she was! The officer was already there, talking with the lady. She said they had both shown up, having run across a huge field that ran from our backyard to hers (we're talking, maybe a mile across here, if not more). She said Muttley ran away, and so did Sam at first, but then Sam returned alone, scared and lost. She fed her, and got her to come to her. Then she called the Humane Society to let them know she had her.

I was sooooooo incredibly thankful that both were found and both were safe and sheltered from last night's rain! It was hard for me to sleep last night, listening to it pounding on my rooftop, thinking of them both stuck out in it, lost and alone. I thanked the woman who took Sam in profusely.

Even better, we paid nickles compared to what this could have cost us. Since Muttley got brought in after when we could have come got him yesterday, the woman at the shelter did not charge us yesterday's kennel fee. And the officer who met us to pick up Sam said he'll just use this instance as a warning. That's a $120 ticket we're free from right there. All in all, what we were thinking was going to cost us about $300, only cost us just over $60. With the money we saved from that, we are going to build up the fence around the yard so that they are physically unable to jump it or dig under it. Some nice lattice, some chicken-wire for underneath, some planter boxes and flowers for outside... maybe some berry bushes and roses for thorny deterrents. I get a safer spot for the dogs to go, and some more gardening for me! It's win-win as far as I'm concerned.

So, here's to lost dogs found, better sleep, and a negative getting turned into a positive.