A Lost Dog

I told myself I'd never play the Good Samaritan with lost dogs again after an experience I had years ago. I couldn't help myself yesterday. 

I was out on the sidewalk by my truck when a golden retriever type of dog showed up a few feet away on the corner. He was skittish and seemed confused, darting back and forth. He came closer and then started to run out into E street. This was just before 4pm when there's a lot of traffic. I called to the dog and got him to come back to the sidewalk. Then I grabbed a dog biscuit from the truck and coaxed him close enough to grab his collar.

Sweet dog but seemed frightened. I found a couple phone numbers on a tag on his collar. I tied a nylon strap I had in the truck to his collar and tied the other end to the water faucet pipe by our front porch. I tried calling the numbers on his collar. No answer on one, voice mail message on the other. I left a message. 

Didn't get a call back right away and had told myself if I don't get one I'm letting the dog go once the traffic on E street calms down. Perhaps he can then find his own way home? Then I tried calling animal control and see if they could come get the dog to hold him until we can find the owner.

I guess Eureka doesn't have any dog catchers anymore. Phone book said to call the County Animal Shelter. I called the Shelter. A waste of time. Got some recording that eventually told me to call a number if my situation wasn't one of those mentioned. No mention of what to do if you have a found animal, or maybe I missed it? I called the other number, which turned out the be the Humboldt Sheriff's Office. Another recording saying to call 911 if it's an emergency. For other business call back between 8am to 4pm. Waste of time again.

By this time I figured the owners must have gotten my one voicemail, but I tried again, desperate. I don't want to let the dog go, but it's not spending the night here. Been there, done that. I called my neighbor Julie. She might be able to help, and might be able to recognize the dog as the one in the enclosure at a house a block away. I wasn't sure.

Julie comes right over. She doesn't recognize the dog. She sends a text message to one of the numbers we'd been calling. I'm hinting at putting the dog in her enclosed back yard. She won't fall for that but takes a picture of the dog to post on the Nextdoor Neighborhood web site, then leaves to go post it.

Maybe 15 minutes later my bum nephew comes over and doesn't seem happy with seeing the dog in my garage. That motivates him to call one of the numbers we had, again. Lo and behold, someone answers. She'd just got home from work and didn't know if her dog was missing. She checks and says she'll be right over. Within five minutes she comes and gets the dog. I asked her where she lived. Yep. Huntoon and F Streets. That was the dog after all.

I got my tablet and checked the Nextdoor Neighborhood web site. The announcement and photo of the lost dog was already up. I made a quick post that the owner had been found. Problem solved. All's well that ends well.

Update: Just after 8am this morning I got a call from the Animal Shelter. I'd forgotten I'd left a message. I guess they are there, but only from 8 to 4.