Another dog without a name

This is the only photo I have her.

A little over a week ago, this miniature pincher appeared in my neighborhood. I was on my way to work, and I spotted her on the sidewalk on Forstall Street. The appearance of my car set her running, and she ran faster when slowed down and rolled down the window. Over the next few days, I spotted her, sitting in front of various houses where I knew she didn't live, running in terror from people and cars. I had the horrible sense that she had never been outdoors before. She was frantic.

Once, I spotted her sitting patiently at the door of a gutted house that hadn't been occupied in over three years. She wanted to go inside, and this empty house was perfect, since there would be no strangers to frighten her.

I called animal control, not that they would be able to catch her.

On Wednesday morning, I could hear her frantic barks circling the area as the giant garbage trucks drove through. Later, when I put a tin of food out, she carried it away, very carefully, and I never saw her alive again.

The next day it snowed all morning. I was hoping she had stayed under a house somewhere, even though I knew she would be too cold.

The next day a friend told me she had seen the body, on St. Claude, across from the gas station. Later I drove back and looked for her. She was laying, still and quiet, seeming unharmed, at the bus stop. She seemed much bigger than I remembered.

The SPCA told me to put her in a black plastic bag and call sanitation.

I took her to one of my vets and arranged for her cremation.

She weighed twelve pounds.

Sometime later this week, they will call to tell me that I can take her home.