Paul | blog | September 27, 2011
Last week was a tale of 2 different endings for 2 different dogs I came across
Last Friday I called into one of the boarding kennels that I use from time to time just to say hello. Whilst talking with the proprietor a man and woman called in. At first I thought that they were coming to collect a dog that was being boarded, but when the owner went into the kennels I found out that they were there to see if a dog that had been rescued, was the dog that went missing on them in January of this year.
Roxy, a German Shepherd / Labrador mix was a “Community” dog, and was shared between 11 households on a small estate in North Cork. Due to problems with a dog warden, it was decided to send the dog on a 2 week vacation, at least until the heat had died down, and satisfactory arrangements could be made before his return. Whilst on his holidays, the dog bolted and was only spotted a couple of times since, once at the mouth of the Jack Lynch Tunnel where he was eventually picked up.
Rona & Jim being the closet to Roxy were distraught and spent every waking moment thinking of what might have happened to him, and scoured the internet for lost dog sites in the hope that he may be handed into a rescue.
It was obvious from the moment Roxy turned the corner of the boarding kennel building that he owned these 2 people, as Rona burst into tears and Jim wasn’t far behind.
Rona had never given up on finding Roxy, and on Thursday night whilst the laptop was open, decided to have another scour of the rescue sites. She couldn’t believe it when she came across a picture of what looked like a well slimmed down version of Roxy, but she knew from his eyebrows that is was her dog. Jim tried to calm Rona down advising that it may not be him, and not to build her hopes up, but this obviously didn’t work, as when she was now waiting for the dog she had seen on the internet the night before, she was visibly shaking.
It was great to have been witness to this unbelievable reunion, and to see first hand what Roxy meant to these people, who hadn’t been real dog lovers until he came into their lives. I am sure both will give as much to each other on their continued lives together.
The other story doesn’t end as well.
Due to health reasons a man was advised to give up his three dogs, all pure bred pedigree dogs.
2 were smallish breeds, and the other was a large dog.
Homes were being sought for all three, and I myself put out the feelers, as did many more. It was thought that the 2 smaller dogs would find homes very quickly, probably more to do with the current economic crisis than anything else.
Sure enough, one of the small dogs went straight away to a fabulous home in Co. Kerry, and is currently enjoying a 2 week holiday at the beach.
A breed rescue came forward for the large breed, as they had somebody looking for an adult in this breed, that cost the owner € 1200 as a pup. Due to the distance involved, the rescue requested if they could be met halfway. The Kennel owner couldn’t make this journey due to prior appointments, so the owner of the dogs was contacted and he volunteered to make the trip.
All went well until the rendezvous, and when the hand over was taking place the dog bit the owner on the hand. This was totally out of character as during the dogs stay at the boarding Kennel whilst homes were being sought, he was a model dog, and got on with all humans and dogs alike.
2 days later the kennels got a phone call from the rescue to advise that they had the dog put to sleep, as they couldn’t re home a dog with this temperament.
Obviously the kennels and the dogs previous owner, whom had to be contacted, were extremely upset, and as a result the owner in now taking back the third of this trio, even though he is not in the right health to do so.
So there you have it, Roxy the cross bred dog, who was missing for 9 months, was reunited with his owners who never gave up hope, and were moved to tears upon their reunion, and our pedigree dog that was bought for € 1200 as a pup, put to sleep in his prime.
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According to the San Francisco Chronicle (You see there are no limits as to where we @ pedigreedogs.ie will search to bring you relevant dog related stories) - a bison calf in San Francisco’s bison paddock in Golden Gate Park died hours after being chased by a toy-breed dog that apparently burrowed under the fencing.
