dogs in the hood

Michelle emailed this to me last night and I had to post it this morning!

KT

I’m normally just the food and DIY blog contributor, but I’ve got another little story for you.

Even though Shadow is an ‘outside dog’, I really do love her and we try to keep her comfortable and safe…outside. Last night, the outside was not a very hospitable place. The wind howled and even though we didn’t get much rain, it probably wasn’t the most fun night Shadow has had out there in her 800sq ft kennel (aka, the screened lanai). Now, I slept thru the whole thing, but Jon was up at around midnight listening in. Later, as I snored away. He heard an odd sound – dismissed it and went back to sleep. About an hour later, we both awoke to that same odd sound. ‘What was that?’ OMG there’s someone at the door?! – It’s 3:30 in the morning!’ Jon’s much faster than I am, and was at the door as I shut off the alarm…it’s the Police. By now, you’ve guessed it has something to do with the dog. He wasn’t kidding, there was a squad car in the driveway. I, naturally, am thinking the worst – but Will’s still asleep and the cat’s inside…and I don’t hear the dog alarm going off so she must be snoozing too. Jon and the Officer are out there laughing looking in the car. Yup, you guessed it – there’s Shadow like a Hernando County Sherrif’s Dept Ride-Along!!! She didn’t get the memo that it’s only for PEOPLE! (had I been awake I’d have grabbed the camera for a photo) This Officer is a dog lover, and was out to deal with an accident at the back of our neighborhood when he spotted Shadow out along the road, but had to keep going. The wind had blown open one of the lanai doors and she was loose.

After dealing with the accident, the kind Officer was done with his shift and thought he’d check on that dog. To him it was obvious she wasn’t a stray, and there she was in the middle of the road (Shadow’s a good dog – not a smart dog). Everybody loves Shadow – no, really, even non–dog people can’t resist her. Most people here know that the understaffed Animal Control in this area hasn’t got the best reputation and I don’t think he had any intention of letting her be at their mercy. She’s just too sweet, and all wet with muddy feet and those big brown eyes. Her tag said Shadow with a phone number-the office number, cause Jon never leaves the office, except at 3:30am! So, he knocked at the nearest door, which was the first bump-in-the-night. No answer. He looks at her and loads her into the squad car. Now, to do this he has to fold the seat down special for her, because she’s never ridden in the back of a car – she’s a truck dog! I said he was a dog lover. She rides gleefully with him all the way to the middle of Spring Hill to the Emergency Vet office to see if she’s got a Chip (she doesn’t) and does some detective work with her tags. Meanwhile, she’s having a blast – this is the only dog who loves going to the vet’s office – ANY vet’s office! I mean really, a nice guy in really cool car, that smells like e v e r y t h i n g (heaven for a dog with a supersniffer!), and a ride to a place with more people – wow, like being the bride at a canine bachelorette party!! But that glass slipper has to land sometime. The info the Officer digs up leads him right back to the house he’d knocked on before.

So that’s where the story, and Shadow’s wild night end’s – back in the driveway – in the back of a squad car. One cold, wet dog – and some very happy owners. Gotta love the Dog Lovers. (BTW, she was right in front of our neighbors yard when she was spotted – not much of a party girl)

Michelle