We had a dog today for about an hour.
Tony, the girls and I made our usual Monday walk to the Marcado up the road, and there was a small beagle there. She followed us home. I guess she liked the smell of us, or the cookies I was feeding her. But she was a cute girl. I started calling her Lucky, because she has a bad habit of running into traffic. A lot. But she never got hit.
I could have been tempted to keep her.
I could.
But.
There’s always a but*.
I tied a rope around her and we tied her to the porch post while we waited for animal control to come get her. I am sure someone owned her at one point. However, Lucky had fallen on hard times. She’s super skinny, and very small. I think she had puppies. IF she is the true beagle she looks like, perhaps she had a chip. I know after the 6 days she will spend waiting for an owner to come (then she gets offered up or adoption), she will have had a de-worming and will start to fill out. I bet a cute, small, sweet, quite dog like Lucky will get snapped up in a heartbeat.
I think I did the right thing. I know I didn’t want her to be hit by a car. I’m only pretty sure that we shouldn’t have kept her for ourselves. Ugg! That was a cute dog.
There are a lot of comings and goings of families in my neighborhood. Some of these folks leave in a hurry, many abandon their pets. My friend Bambi had TWO families in a row leave dogs next door; first a Jack Russell and then a Rottie. It confounds me that people can up and abandon an animal that depends of their love and support. Then again, I also don’t understand the people who French kiss their pooches either. I guess I prefer livestock to pets. You know, the kinds of animals that one can herd and happily leave outside. (Note to Bayou Woman – Really? A Raccoon???… Really?)
I guess I want to know what you would have done?
* But we aren’t really pet people. But we can’t afford any vet and kibble bills. But I hate dog hair. But we are going on vacation in a few weeks. But I really don’t need any more poopers to clean up after.
I’m a sucker for kittens, but I have a very jealous cat, so we only have the one. Dogs I can resist.
You -absolutely- did the right thing! I know that neighborhood well, and that dog had no business being out on its own. And no, you are not ready for a dog yet, for all the reasons you’ve mentioned.
But…..one day…one day….I know you will fall in love with a dog. People talk about dogs being child-replacements, but it’s not always so. There’s something a dog gives you that no other human being can give you, not even a child. It’s a special love that I think that displays another facet of the infinite love of God. It’s not replacement child love; it’s dog love. And for what it is, it’s perfect.
So, yes, you did the right thing with Lucky. But one day, if -you’re- lucky, a dog will find you when you’re a bit thin on acceptance, perhaps a bit wormy inside from the challenges of being human, running in and out and dodging the traffic hazards of modern life. And -that- dog will adopt you and say to you with its eyes, “Don’t worry, Lucky! I’ll take care of you!”
[Whoa! I've blogged in your comments! :- ) And all before coffee! I must be feeling better! I guess the only thing to do is copy this and post it on my blog, too....]
Just think if you’d had your coffee and a (gasp) pastry already! You’d have taken over!
[...] a blog post! My best-girlfriend-soulsister-favoriteshoppingcompanion-vicariousmotherofmydaughters Emilie wrote a blog post that moved me so much, EVEN before coffee, that I ended up writing my blog post in her [...]
*sigh* Yes, you did the right thing. But as a complete, total sucker for abused and neglected dogs I might gently suggest that, if you are still thinking about her after the six days, you check with the pound.
Because sometimes, like children, doggie blessings come at the perfect time whether we know that it is or not. (Of course, sometimes they don’t, but I think it’s always a good idea to stay open to the possibility.)