Chuffy
Posted : 5/7/2009 4:14:08 PM
He is HOME!
He was three doors away from us the whole time.... all this time I have been walking the streets calling him, rattling a box of treats, posting flyers thru doors, asking everyone if they had seen him, calling vets, kennels, dog wardens and the police station.... and the whole time he was holed up with neighbours we had never seen - I had thought that house was empty as there is never a car there and the curtains are always drawn and you never see anyone coming and going.
Yes, it WAS a kindly (and batty) old couple who felt sorry for him, had no idea what a microchip was or and indignant at the idea that they should call an official when they find a stray dog. Apparently *I* should be doing that (I did) - how that is of any use when the dog is not reported by the person who finds him I don't know.
Don't get me wrong, I was hopelessly relieved and terribly grateful to get that call. When the gentleman started to read me the Riot Act though, I did get a bit.... snippy. It was like all the worry and fear from the last couple of days just came bubbling up and I had a hard time holding my tongue.
It turns out there is a gypsy camp just moved near us and they thought he was from there - this when they called my house telephone to tell me that they had got him. Right. They said he looked DREADFUL when they found him, dirty and soaking wet - our guess is he went round to a relatives house (they used to feed him biscuits and they had a dog he liked to play with) and fell in their brook. Therefore, they warned me that if they found him again they would keep him, despite my "gentle" (well I did try to be) protestations that I had had him for many years and to not return him would be very cruel, as well as illegal. They think he is not being cared for - and they have been feeding him BAKERS of all things, so I expect I will be cleaning up dog mess for a few days. DH grabbed the lead and collar and was out of the house before I had finished the phone call. He was cooler headed than me, explained the situation and the guy apologised. So, all is well I suppose. I hope anyway... as these are neighbours....
So - Lesson one: keep the collar on.
Lesson two: if you find a lost dog, DON'T assume he is not being cared for. Report him. Someone may be worried about him. If you want to save a dog, go to your local shelter and do it through the proper channels.
Thank you all for your positive thoughts.
Edit - I have been going round and knocking on their door all evening and they have been out - and took Max with them. They did the same yesterday. When he told me I obviously wasn't worried about Max or I would have contacted them earlier, I explained that I had been knocking on his door and he laughed at me and said "oh its no good you knocking on our door when we're not there, love!" When I assured him Max was well-loved and we had been VERY worried - walking the streets calling him etc. and he laughed again and said "oh its no good you walking round calling him when we've got him! ha ha ha!" That and their assumption that we were a gypsy site helped me to my conclusion that they are a bit batty!