Saved a dog tonight

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well I can't say for certain whether I saved her or not, but I would like to think I helped her out a bit.  I was at the computer (as usual) and since it's such a nice night, my wife was reading out on the deck with our dog.  She came in and said there was a dog outside, near the main road (I live on a small dead end street off the main road- very quiet where we are but 50 yards away is a different story) without an owner.  I quickly jumped into my sandals, grabbed a pocket full of milk bones, and my dog's leash and collar and ran out into the street to see if I could help this poor dog.  I hoped like heck that there wouldn't be doggy bits when I got there.

I got to the main road just in time to see a golden doggy butt go around the corner, so I ran across the road (less than optimum distance from some passing cars, but safe enough) and ran to the corner.  The dog was about fifteen feet ahead of me, and not moving too fast.  I could see she was old and having trouble with her hips.  I was hoping she wouldn't be too scared and try to run, but fortunately she came over to me happily when I called her.  She was a very old golden retriever and was pleasant enough, especially when I offered her a cookie.  She had on a collar and a flea collar, but no tags, so I did the only thing I could- I took her home, which was a long trip because she didn't move too fast.  As I came up my street I called my wife from my cell phone and asked her to bring down some water, knowing full well that this dog was never going to make it up the stairs into my house.  She plopped down in the driveway and got comfortable next to the dish.  Since we had no idea how long she was on her own, I got another dish with some food, which she also happily gulped down.

We called Animal Control to see if they would come get her, and I decided while waiting for them I'd drive around the neighborhood and see if I could find someone who looked like they'd misplaced a dog.  Finally I found the owners, and called off animal control (who it turns out the owners were about to call to see if anyone had turned her in!) and helped the owner get the poor pup back home.  They were soooo happy to have her back, they were offering us a reward for her, which my wife and I declined.  We were so relieved to have found her family that the thought of taking any kind of reward was like getting paid to breathe! 

Poor thing was 13 years old and they think she must have fallen down the stairs at their place (few stairs from the deck) and given the bad shape of her hips, she couldn't get back up and ended up on the main road trying to find her way around the block to get to the front of the house which is at ground level.  She might have made it too, if some overly helpful bugger hadn't caught her and taken her away to his place and fed her!

Every time I manage to help a dog find his or her way home (and I've done it many times, although the one before this one almost had a new home- I didn't want to give her up!) I feel pretty damned good about myself. 

Def

[Anthony]

Good job

[Grant Lamontagne]

Not a big thing, but you know I am pretty happy about it.  I love dogs.

Def

[prime77]

Great Job Def. It's good to know that theres people out there who will take the time to help an animal in need.

[J-sews]

Good job sir!

Whether she would have found her own way home or not is irrelevent - cars and stray dogs don't mix. Ya' done a good job getting her off the street.

So about how far had she traveled from where she had originally fallen?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Well done mate!

If you hadn't intervened who know's what would have happened to the poor ole thing, hopefully the owner's will be a bit more on the careful side too. ( I know it can happen to anyone)

Anyway good show old boy, what, what ;D ;D

[Sparkey]

Good Show...

[Grant Lamontagne]

So about how far had she traveled from where she had originally fallen?

She'd traveled about 3-4 houses down the road.  The houses are pretty closely packed on that side of the road (very old and desirable neighborhood to live in, several folks around here in the time I've been here have subdivided their lots and sold off their back yards to other people who have build houses in them!) and there's a fairly steep drop down to the road.  She probably thought the only way back was to go around the block and try to get to the house from the other smaller street that is level with the house.  The hill there isn't as steep as the stairwell at their house.  The owners also mentioned that she suffers from canine Alzheimer's so even if she was on the right path to getting home, there was no guarantee she would have made it.  For a dog in her condition the last few hundred yards was a long way to go. 

It's good to know that theres people out there who will take the time to help an animal in need.

I really like animals and I always try to help them out whenever I can, but it's not just limited to them!  Two years ago I was picking up a friend of mine on her limited lunch break to help her get some errands done, and when we were passing by about a block away from my place I saw a senior citizen who was either very short or was on her knees on the sidewalk.  Because the road is a little bendy there, and it was mid winter, I asked my passenger if she could see if the lady was ok as we drove by.  She said no, she saw blood, so I pulled off the road, ran over and the poor woman had tripped and fallen face first onto the cold sidewalk, cutting open her nose.  Luckily it didn't seem to be broken, and other than being shaken, she seemed to be mostly ok.  I offered her a ride anywhere she wanted to go, but suggested maybe the hospital might be the best bet.  She agreed that she'd like to go to the hospital so I loaded her into my car and took her down to the hospital.  She insisted she'd have a ride home, but I gave her my cell number just in case.  I never heard from her again, so I imagine she was ok.  Folks in the ER looked at me like I was king of the jackasses, just dropping off my grandma in the ER and running out on her though!

While I like the personal high that I get from helping out people and other animals, it kind of sickens me to think that things like this are noteworthy.  I was raised to help, and I never think twice about doing it, but there were lots of people that drove or walked by that dog and that older lady and did nothing.

I can't imagine too many situations that are so important that you couldn't use the excuse "Sorry I am late, an old woman fell on the sidewalk and I drove her to the hospital because she was bleeding pretty bad from her face" to your benefit. 

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Unfortunatley that seem's to be the way of the world these day's, It bug's me royally when people just walk on by, I try not if I can help it

I remember a good few year's ago an old girl had fallen over in the high street a few feet in front of me, so with out thinking I bent down to pick her up, and before you know it she start's screaming on top of her lung's because she think's I'm trying to steel her hand bag

Fortunatly another woman just behind me saw the whole thing and managed to placate the ole dear, but it just goes to show no good deed goes unpunished

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've heard that somewhere....

Def

[jock1]

Well done sir .If I was closer I would buy you a cold one

[Grant Lamontagne]

Should I ever find myself in your neck of the woods, I'll hold you to that!   :grin:

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Should I ever find myself in your neck of the woods, I'll hold you to that!   :grin:

Def

Your forgeting he's scottish, so it'll be half a pint ;D

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm only half Scot... does that mean I'll only get a quarter of a pint?   :grin:

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I'm only half Scot... does that mean I'll only get a quarter of a pint?   :grin:

Def

No it just mean's the half pint will last you all night while you sit moaning in the corner ;D

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I'm only half Scot... does that mean I'll only get a quarter of a pint?   :grin:

Def

No it just mean's the half pint will last you all night while you sit moaning in the corner ;D

Oh and you've got to tell the obligatory ghost stories too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTr6oLFHnK0

[jock1]

Under the circumstances I would have saved up to purchase one full pint of ale for the man.As for moaning all night it's just cause when we're down there in Englandshire we have to drink your weak girly beer ;D

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Under the circumstances I would have saved up to purchase one full pint of ale for the man.As for moaning all night it's just cause when we're down there in Englandshire we have to drink your weak girly beer ;D

No weak girly beer left mate, it's all metrosexual alco pop's now ;D

[jock1]

OH GOD thats even worse than I thought it was 1992 the last time I was south of the border if you can suuply your address I will arrange for emergancy supplies of proper beer A.S.A.P.Have you ever tried barley wine it is a personal favourite when mixed in with ale of some description.
Guarantee three pints and you are sitting in the corner slobbering like a poachers dog

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

OH GOD thats even worse than I thought it was 1992 the last time I was south of the border if you can suuply your address I will arrange for emergancy supplies of proper beer A.S.A.P.Have you ever tried barley wine it is a personal favourite when mixed in with ale of some description.
Guarantee three pints and you are sitting in the corner slobbering like a poachers dog

Address on the way ;D

Truth be told, and I know I'll get stick for it, but i rarely if ever drink any more

[jock1]

Mate I don't drink that often anymore either it's not the years it's just the mileage catching up

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

OH GOD thats even worse than I thought it was 1992 the last time I was south of the border if you can suuply your address I will arrange for emergancy supplies of proper beer A.S.A.P.Have you ever tried barley wine it is a personal favourite when mixed in with ale of some description.
Guarantee three pints and you are sitting in the corner slobbering like a poachers dog

Mind you my brother a few year's back had some 20 year old scotch, I had ONE double, next thing I remember I'm lying on the kitchen floor surounded by gigling girlfriend and relative's ;D

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Mate I don't drink that often anymore either it's not the years it's just the mileage catching up

I know what you mean! I'm only 31 but i feel like I've been around the clock twice already ;D

[Grant Lamontagne]

What?  Premature aging?  Excessive mileage?  Why do I get the distinct feeling that you guys are talking about me?   :grin:

I just had a very nice surprise and I wanted to update this thread.  The family that owns the dog that we helped out just showed up on our doorstep, with a cake that says "Thanks for letting me drop in- Maggie" on the top.  In case I forgot to mention it, the dog's name is Maggie.  They also brought her to say Hi, which my wife and I were very grateful for.  Of course we are grateful for the cake too.  Apparently there are the odd few deeds that go unpunished! 

I'll try to get a picture of the cake and post it shortly.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

What?  Premature aging?  Excessive mileage?  Why do I get the distinct feeling that you guys are talking about me?   :grin:

I just had a very nice surprise and I wanted to update this thread.  The family that owns the dog that we helped out just showed up on our doorstep, with a cake that says "Thanks for letting me drop in- Maggie" on the top.  In case I forgot to mention it, the dog's name is Maggie.  They also brought her to say Hi, which my wife and I were very grateful for.  Of course we are grateful for the cake too.  Apparently there are the odd few deeds that go unpunished! 

I'll try to get a picture of the cake and post it shortly.

Def

Thats really cool mate, I know a good deed's supossed to be it's own reward, but cake's better ;D

As for the premature aging part, surely that's part of the multitool.org entry requirement 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'll have to talk to Esteban about adding that to the EULA....

Def

[Roadie]

Woo cake!! Good job on helping out, even better that its been appreciated! Went for a walk this evening with the dog we have semi adopted (we're renting a house on a farm and we know the previous occupants (oldish couple who own the farm but are letting the son take over more and more) and they don't have room for the dog at their new house, and so left it at the farm (the son feeds her as he lives down the track) so all we do is take her for a few walks and fuss over her!) and finally after a couple of months of regular walks is starting to lose some of the weight its gained by eating the pig food!

[665ae]

As for the premature aging part, surely that's part of the multitool.org entry requirement 

I didn't think it was premature... aging...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well, the wife tore into the cake before I could get a picture, so no pictures of it... That's what I get for marrying a woman with a mouth full of sweet teeth I guess...

Def

[CQC-7]

I know that feeling