Lost Dog

Today started out like any other. The kids dressed for school, quick breakfasts, bus pick-up and then I came home to get myself organized. Today, like all days, I spoke first to my mother. The dogs were barking like crazy in the background, and she suggested I open the door and "set them free". I then sat down to check my e-mail and update my Nutri-System weight journal (I've lost 7 lbs after 2 weeks!). The dogs, Roxy the terrier and Freddie the bichon, were, as usual, out on our screened in porch where they enjoy barking at squirrels and laying in the sunny spots.

The doorbell rang. It was Sheryl, my neighbor. "Do you have Roxy?" she asked.
"She's out back," I replied.
"The lady down the street just saw a little brown dog running through her yard"

I slammed the door in Sheryl's face, (which I didn't mean to do) and found no sign of Roxy on the porch. Evidence of her escape, a ripped screen.

Okay, now what? I'll never find her at this point. We live in the woods, right off a major highway. She's either in the woods, or she's roadkill. I call my husband. I grab my other dog. I call her name. I offer her a slice of bologna (her favorite). No Roxy. I take to my car and ease my way around the neighborhood, asking the trashmen, the joggers, the contractors, the walkers if they've seen her.

Oh, joy. I pull around to my neighbors house, and see her. She's in the driveway, and the moment she spots me, she takes off at lightning speed. She has now crossed the street, and in major woods. I'm not going in there. She appears and runs away three more times. One man spots her in his yard, but she took off to the right. She runs across the street, two cars stop and offer help. I can't get her. I call Gregg again. This time he says he's on his way home. But we can't get her.

I come home deflated, and frustrated. I call three animal shelters and make a LOST DOG sign.
I tell Wendi. She starts to cry. She has such a big heart. I'm more angry at the dog, and concerned about how the girls are going to react. I hope Gregg will help me deal with this announcement, I don't think I can do alone. I think to myself, well, this is going to be a life lesson about grief. Their first.

I go outside to post the sign on our community bulletin board. A little embarrassed that we still haven't put up a fence. After all, this is the 6th or 7th time the dog has gotten loose. But she's never been gone this long. Its been three hours.

I slowly drive around to the street behind our house, knowing that this is futile and fearing I might see her little body wounded or worse on the side of the road. I hear a faint bark, that is familiar. Is that her? It's so high pitched and upset, I worry that she is hurt. The bark gets louder and louder, and I pull into the nearest driveway. I've found her. She's barking like mad at a little black cat perched in a tree. She attempts to run several times, but she's far too interested in this black cat to run away and disappear. I call her three more times. She won't come to me and if I approach her, she'll run, I know it. So I call "Here, Kitty Kitty", and the cat makes it way over to me. The CAT. At this point Roxy is so distracted, that she slows down enough for me to grab her.

When we return, she walks directly to her familiar water bowl, and takes a nice long drink. She snuggles into her comfy pillow in the kitchen, and settles in for her nap. DOES SHE EVEN KNOW HOW LUCKY SHE IS??? DOES SHE EVEN KNOW SHE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT, PUT IN A SHELTER, OR KILLED??

Of course not, just like my kids, the comforts and familiarity of home is taken for granted. She had her adventure. She had her fun. And now she's home safe.

Thank goodness for happy endings.