Does Chewy look a little sad to you? I think he does, and I'll tell you why!
We got home from Church on Sunday, and Chewy was gone. He wasn't anywhere to be found in our backyard - and our yard is not very big! I did notice that a sheet of iron had fallen off the fence behind our shed... and my guess was Chewy found it too. I felt sick, what if he'd been hit by a car... he's not very street smart. We went out and checked the streets near our house. No Chewy. He is registered, and wears and ID tag with our phone no. on it, so thought if anyone finds him they'll ring.
Late afternoon, we did get a call, from our local council, saying Chewy had been found, by a neighbouring council, and was taken to the pound. I could pick him up the next day. I didn't sleep very well, all I could think of was poor Chewy laying on the cold concrete at the pound. He'd be worried and scared, all those other dogs howling, all the smells of the other dogs.
I barracaded up the hole and also the side of the shed, coz I suspected he may have squeezed through there. I waited til 9am, and went out to the pound. Turns out, I was sposed to bring his papers. I was asked to "ID" Chewy, then go back to the Council Offices to pick up some forms, pay fees, then come back. (note: the pound is about 1/2 hour from my house, the council office is about 20 mins from the pound). But wait... there's more. I had a Drs appt at 11am. By the time I'd ID'd Chewy (which I felt absolutely rotten about, saying hello etc... then walking off and leaving him in that cage), and going to the Council Office (where they made me wait about 25 mins, for ONE bit of paper), I had to get to my Drs, and that was about a 1/2 drive from the Council Office. From the Drs, I drove back to the pound (about 40 mins from the Drs), and after another 20 mins, I was FINALLY able to go get my Chewy. He was so freaked out. He didn't even want to eat his treat. He just wanted to get outta there! It was almost like he didn't know who I was, until we pulled into our carport, he got so excited, his tail started wagging, he ran around the car and his kennel. He sniffed his food bowl and drank a tonne of water.
Its so good to have him home. I've put him in the laundry, just in case his taste of freedom was enticing him again.
Someone had found him and phoned the council. The council picked him up, about 15kms away. They're not sure if he actually ran that far himself, or whether the people that found him, found him closer to home, and drove to their house that far away? While I was driving all over the countryside today, I was thinking... they better not slug me a fortune for taking him to the pound, they could've rung, and I'd come get him straight away. What happens if you don't have the money to get our dog out? Do they keep him? That's blackmail!!! "We're holding your dog, til you pay. If you don't we'll give him to someone else"!!! Then I was thinking, what if he wasn't registered. They wouldn't be able to ring me. What do they do then? Put him up for adoption straight away? Maybe it's cheaper to go down there, and buy him, rather than pay all the council's damn blackmail fines? I think it's terrible that they use emotional blackmail to make people pay exorbident fines, to get your escapee dog back. Its just wrong. I would say MOST dog owners, love their dogs and are worried sick when they pups stray. Many times, beyond their own fault. Anyway, I succumbed to all their emotional blackmail, and will pay anything to get him back. I still think its wrong though!!!
Poor Chewy. He's very tired and forlorn. Hopefully the experience of the pound will stop him trying to escape! If anything, the kids have a renewed love for their dog, and vow they are going to play with all the time! We'll see how long that lasts, shall we?!!!
