Old Fashioned Neighborly Values Bring Dog Home Again

Fences can keep neighbors apart or help bring them together. Read how one pair of women and a helpful good Samaritan pounced on an opportunity to bring this stray dog home.

Written by Cathy Creswell of Michigan

I love animals, and have rescued many. Usually it’s a stray dog that’s running around free and happy. I get it into my minivan and take it to the animal shelter if there is no collar. If there is ID on the dog, a call is placed to the owner. I have rescued maybe 20 dogs this way. Well, yesterday I went out to check that I had put the trash at the curb and joined my neighbor in a friendly conversation. Turns out that a Yorkshire terrier had just run down the street, followed by a man who had almost accidentaly hit it with his car. He and Sue, my neighbor, tried to catch the poor little dog but he just ran off in fright.

I went down the street to where they said he had run and looked for him. Sure enough, he came out from the backyard of the house he had run to, and was running quickly down the sidewalk. He got about 30 feet from me when he finally spotted me and turned around to run away. I followed, chasing him into another backyard.

I saw Sue. She had followed along with Beggin Strips. I motioned to her to get on the other side of him, and we cornered the poor thing. The fences joined and prevented him from getting away.

I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and he screamed in terror and rage and bit my thumb. It didn’t hurt much. I’ve had worse bites from my cats.

I wrapped him in the blanket Sue had brought along. We took him back to her house and put him in a plastic milk crate with plywood on top held down by a large rock. Sue then set about calling the animal shelter. The fellow Andy came back. Andy’s teen daughter had the clever idea of looking on Craigslist. Sure enough, a missing Yorkie post had been put up just the day before. Calls were made and the family came over with kids in tow, including a newborn baby. Turns out it was their dog, a 9-year-old named Abby. She was so happy to see her people!

I was happy to be part of this adventure. It makes me so happy to cooperate with loving, concerned neighbors. Together we acted as a community should and set about righting something wrong. Turns out Abby had gotten out the day before and had run five miles to our neighborhood. She was so hungry she had been seen hunting a squirrel to eat! So it turns out, this time I not only rescued a dog, but prevented a wild animal from becoming dinner.

There’s More!

If you haven’t stopped by for a visit lately, please drop in and see all that’s new at The Great Animal Rescue Chase. We’re delighted to continue to share good news rescue stories with you here each day.

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Photo credit: Stephanie Swartz | Dreamstime.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Tricia H.

2:17PM PDT on Sep 8, 2012

How wonderful that people look after one another.

September 8
send a green star

Cindy G.

7:48AM PDT on Sep 7, 2012

Thank you for saving this cutie...and for all of the other animals you have saved too. It warms my heart to know that there ARE good people out there who also love animals and go out of their way to help or save them!

September 7
send a green star

Beth M.

12:37PM PDT on Sep 5, 2012

Thank you! There really are many good people out there.

September 5
send a green star

Sheri D.

5:33PM PDT on Sep 2, 2012

Well done! Thanks!

September 2
send a green star

Judith H.

7:05AM PDT on Sep 2, 2012

In a way we're responsible for these critters being here. We are equally responsible to lend a helping hand when needed. Nice to see there in some beauty in this world.

Aletta K.

2:49PM PDT on Sep 1, 2012

Great work , thanks !