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.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This really breaks my heart. Thank you for taking care of her.
I'm so sorry. It just kills me. It doesnt matter how many dogs you can save, or help save, there are always some that no one can save.

On the bright side, at least she doesnt have to forge for herself in the streets anymore, and she will always have a home with you.

RIP little one.
Kellie Roberts said…
Ken, it's heartbreaking, isn't it, when they're so close but you can't get to them in order to bring them to safety.

On the way to work awhile back I saw a little pumpkin-colored pittie girl running alongside the road. Me and another woman stopped traffic and tried to lure her with food, etc., but she stayed just out of reach and then ran off into the woods. When I came home from work that night, she lay dead by the road. If only. If only she had let us save her.

Sadly, these sorts of stories can be told all too often by all of us who do what we can to save them all . . .
The Brat Pack said…
Wow, this was just heartbreaking to read. Thank you for giving her a final resting place so she knows she was cared about.

Maryann & The Brats
Anonymous said…
I can't even read the whole thing. It's so sad.
The death of this little dog I never knew or even saw breaks my heart. It's bad enough to see the body of a cat or dog on the side of the road, but it's so much sadder when it was one you had connection with, however brief. May she rest in peace now.

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