A heartwarming dog story....

On Saturday, 7 September, somehow or another, my beautiful collie (you can see a picture of him on my page) somehow got out. We don't know how. He was gone for a few hours, however, before we discovered this.

How heartbroken we were!! Collies are smart dogs and they're generally extremely docile, sweet and loving. Mine is no exception. In addition, my collie (Bree Bree - I know it's kind of a dumb name - there is a story behind that and I can tell that another time if desired) is extremely good with children and other animals. He was good with my rabbit and he is also good with cats. He doesn't bother them in the least, doesn't chase them. He's just a happy-go-lucky dog who is pleased to be a part of life.

We drove around our neighborhood in vain trying to find him. It was dark out, vision was limited - but my hubby drove around until almost midnight. He DID speak to someone who had found him and gave him water. This kind hearted person walked around the block trying to find someone who lost a collie but we had not realized he was gone at that point and were not actively pursing leads..... isn't that a shame? At any rate, the dog also got away from these folks.

Sunday comes and goes. While in church, I prayed to St. Anthony (patron of lost things) and St. Francis (patron saint for animals) that my dog at least stay safe. WE hung signs in our neighborhood on Sunday, many drawn by my children in their own handwriting notifying anyone in the neighborhood of a lost collie and we listed our number. I was afraid that this was illegal to hang posters beneath stop signs but we were doing it anyway.

Monday morning, I got a call from a police office by the name of Mike Hones. God bless this man!!! How kind!!! An animal lover. When he first called, I was thinking, "oh no, he is going to chastize me about the signs!!) but no, he was calling about my dog!!

It turns out that someone's alarm went off in my neighborhood this morning and Officer Hones was dispatched to check things out. while in our neighborhood, he saw our signs for a LOST COLLIE. This triggered in his mind signs that he had seen in a community just west of us that included a high school (in walking distance) notifying of a FOUND collie. He therefore put two and two together thinking that it may be one and the same dog. He called me and asked me to meet him in a community nearby. I did so. He then led the way to a home in the community and knocked on the door and there was my beloved collie!!! These extremely kindhearted, animal loving folks had found my dog at a nearby high school, posted a "found" sign but took care of my dog. He was apparently covered with gnarls and burs and was filthy. These loving people took him to a vet and cleaned him up, fed him and allowed him to stay in their home.

These people would NOT TAKE A REWARD from me for their kindness and generosity!!!

No, no, no, no, and no. "He was our houseguest for the night," the gentleman said to me.

And they took him to the vet and everything??? How kind hearted can you get???

Turns out that Officer Hones is known for being a big softie when it comes to animals. He had a camera with him and asked to take a picture of the "rescue", reunited animal with owner and the rescuer. How lovely!!

How lucky was I? St. Anthony and St. Francis may well have intervened. Out of all the officers in our city, it was THIS officer called to respond to an alarm that (accidently as it turns out) went off in MY NEIGHBORHOOD and saw the signs. He also had the intelligence to piece together this puzzle and successfully put it together to reunite me with my beautiful collie!! And my collie looked just fine because the lovely people who had taken care of him REALLY took care of him, cleaned him up, took him to a vet YET REFUSED TO TAKE ANYTHING FOR A REWARD!!!

They are all in my prayers. I'm so thankful to these extremely unselfish people who did a good deed because it was "the right thing to do" and not because of any gain they might receive. I really am blessed.