Word of the Week: Compassion
So it’s been pretty cold here over the last week. A couple days after Christmas we noticed a stray dog meandering around our yard (mostly peeing on all our bushes, lol). Strays are few and far between over here. Someone’s dog might get out, but you might see it once or twice
We started putting out biscuits last week. We caught a glimpse of this elusive pup one night eating the biscuits. His skinny frame revealed each and every rib. Then we decided to fill the bowl with dog food and put out an old comforter to keep him warm.
At 1:30am my daughter woke up and he was sleeping soundly on the blanket with a full belly. He took off as soon as she tried to sneak out there and get him. In the morning we opened our backyard fence gate in hopes we could trap him back there if he came back. Sure enough, not ten minutes later we looked out the window and there in the snow was the pooch. We quietly closed the gate.
Distracting him while the warden sneaks behind him
He did a perimeter check (peed in multiple spots around our fence line) as we brought his blankie and food into the back yard. We called the police only to find out no one was looking for him.
We then called the dog warden. They had multiple calls over the last week and came to find him once but couldn’t… so on this call they made an effort to come out quickly before he escaped. We opened our door to the “sun room” (actually the room we store junk in the winter) which has another set of doors closed to enter our house. For days he wanted nothing to do with us…. until the dog catcher came. He hid behind Shane and then cowered near me as the warden approached.
We finally got to pet our little vagabond, while the collar was slipped around his neck. He will have a warm place to sleep tonight, a good meal, a bath, and a check up with the vet. (which is a good thing because he has multiple scars on him from apparent fights or run ins with other dogs.).
A big scar on his chest
I find it rather ironic that I was up late last night working on a post about “what’s right with the world” and about compassion… and this unfolds. So that post will come later in the week, and for now I’m happy my new year started with this tale. (or tail? lol)
The only thing that can make this story better is if I turn on the news in a week or two and he’s featured for adoption (they show dogs and cats from the pound – needing homes – on tv)
