sad story...

.. that will make you unhappy, then angry. And finally disappointed to be part of a human race that is willing to act so heartless. One of God's creatures someone decided they did not want to care for: a dog found abandoned. Causing me to be the one to call and request the city come and pick up. I felt terrible about it, but could not leave it out to get hit by a vehicle, or starve.

I was out walking in the neighborhood, a route I used to do on a regular basis. Just recently started trying to get out and exercise regularly, after a long spell of trying to be kind to my misbehaving knee.  Since the broken arm, as profound boredom has set in, I decided I should start back walking and try to do at least a couple of miles most days of the week. There is a nearby subdivision where I can get off the busy, high traffic street where we live, and make a loop with practically no speeding vehicles.

When I started out this afternoon, I passed a street sign on a corner, where there appeared to be a medium sized dog tied to the post. I gave it a wide berth, not knowing how friendly it might be. When I came back around to that same corner, the dog was still sitting there, at the edge of a lot, right near the street. I thought it strange the owner would have tied it out so close to an area where every vehicle that passes is going much too fast. But kept my opinion to myself, and just gave the canine glance, to avoid making eye contact/creating a power play, and walked on.

When I came by again, I had just passed a couple (wearing shorts!) out walking who asked if that was my dog, and I said I wanted to ask them the same thing. I stopped a passing pickup truck, coming out of the housing area, and asked if they recognized the animal, but they said they did not. We all looked more closely at the dog, and realized it was not tied to the sign post, yet patiently waiting for his owner to come back. Wearing a harness and a leash, but not attached to anything holding it in place. Just waiting for his master to return. Waiting and waiting.

I stopped a city trash truck, and asked the driver to call Animal Control, but he gave me the number instead. It was after 5:00 pm, so I had to call 911. The truck came to pick up the orphan in less than twenty minutes. I felt terrible:  sad, mad, and awful turning that scared, well-mannered pet over to the people who would take it to lock it up. What is wrong with human beings?