Searchin' for a lost and lonely dog

Discussin' the search plans

Tia

Teamin' Up

 








I like dogs…. well, actually I love dogs… I mean, how could anyone not love a dog…the irony is I don’t have one…. I haven’t had a doggy around the house for more than 10 years because I just...well, I just still can’t get over the loss of my English Springer Spaniel, Sugar.  So, I surprised even myself when the call went out on Friday night for volunteers to help find a lost doggy, and I accepted that challenge.

I’m not even a very good finder of anything, let alone a dog. Last month I lost my partial dental plate and didn’t find it until a day later layin' in a parking lot at the Richardson library, but I’ll save that story for later. I also lost my grocery cart the other day and looked for it for over 20 minutes walkin’ up and down the aisles and giving people my “crazy stare” cuz I thought they stole it, but I'll save that story for later also.

Apparently a previously rescued greyhound had gotten loose from her foster family and had taken off for a densely wooded area in the far north part of Dallas. One might think that Dallas is strictly a heavy populated city packed with millions of people. Well, it is, but there are still many areas that lay undeveloped and are home to coyotes,  cougars ( the four legged kind) and I guess a lonely greyhound.

As I had said, the plea went out for people willing to search through the briers and brambles and a place where a rabbit wouldn't go and with rain in the forecast, it was suggested searchers dress appropriately. We gathered at the VCA Preston Park Animal Hospital at 10 A.M. and Joe Hoiles had maps and fliers to post and was explaining the situation. I asked if "Tia", the lost dog, would come to us if we found her and he highly doubted it. Regardless, the clinic was kind enough to donate leashes should we come across the greyhound.

The area we were looking and searching lies in a flood plain and I can remember from years ago what a gorgeous setting it was, with woods, and pastures and a winding creek with 30 foot high shale walls. Now there were homes on each side of the creek though it still was rugged.

Since I was smart enough to wear my tall rubber boots and "dressed accordingly" I offered to search the creek bed for any sign of Tia. I knew any snakes were still hibernatin' despite the warmer weather we have been havin' but I dang sure didn't want to surprise any bobcat or anything I couldn't outrun.

There were about 20 volunteers, all shapes, sizes and ages. Some dressed appropriately, some not. I did meet a charming lady, a Susie McQuade, who, along with her husband John, are the founding members of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas. The world needs more people like Susie, who has a compassion for animals that I have rarely seen.

I haven't walked as much as I did today, in a long, long time...and it wasn't a nice leisurely walk either. I got tangled up so many times in the bramble and got scratched and snagged and poked and stuck...but all I had on my mind was finding that doggy. It rained some, and I got wet...it was cold  but I was okay ...but that dang doggy was probably cold and wet too. I whistled for her  and I looked...and I was praying she was ok.

After a couple of hours, all of the targeted areas  had been covered and I retraced my steps looking in the creek bed for tracks, and looking under thorny bushes but to no avail.

Sometimes our prayers are not answered the way we want them answered. Sometimes we don't have the answers we seek. But I want to believe we made a gallant effort to find a lost dog. A beautiful animal who had lived a tough life before a group like Susie and her husband rescued her from the pain and suffering of dog racing.

 I think Tia may have been found by some Good Samaritan and is probably sittin' by a warm fireplace wondering what all of the commotion was about. 

For me, well, it did me good to kinda remember what it was like having the wonderful moments when Sugar and I would walk in pastures and traipse through wooded areas and she would stare into my eyes just wanting to please me. And it reminded me how there are still good people in this world who are willing to give up their Saturday mornings and search for a lonely lost dog..