03/19/2024
This is Jasper. He is my faithful companion and has been for the past three years. He is by my side day and night, when I’d like him to be and, honestly, when I wouldn’t necessarily. He is just like every dog who is respected and loved in that he looks forward to seeing me no matter what. And it didn’t take long for me to reciprocate the feeling. As a result, he is my unconditional love, my snuggle bug, and even the Chief Tasting Officer of my dog bakery. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for him. Literally. Unfortunately, today brought an unexpected turn to our lives. The story ends well, but the fear is still coursing through me.
While sitting on my couch this morning, enjoying my coffee and looking forward to what promised to be a productive day, I heard the doorbell ring followed by frantic knocks at my front door. That panicky combination compelled me to answer the door rather than ignore it and thank goodness I did because standing before me was a complete stranger asking if “this” was my dog. In fact, “this” was indeed my dog! “This” was my faithful Velcro dog, my Jasper, who had wandered past our backyard gate thanks to the landscapers who had propped open the gate with a rock so they could drive their machinery in and around our backyard. Miraculously, Jasper had been spotted by a stranger and when asked where home was, he walked her home. Literally.
I tell you this because today could have ended tragically for us. Certainly, while left to his own devices, Jasper could have been hit by a car or he could have been picked up by someone who had wanted to do the right thing, but didn’t know how to. I can’t answer how he knew how to walk the stranger to our home, but I can tell you that had we placed his collar on him with all his IDs, there wouldn’t have been any confusion or hesitation.
Bottom line: please shut your doggy door when landscapers arrive at your home and/or place your dog’s collar on her/him when landscapers arrive so passers by know to whom and to where to return your dog.
Today was a frightening lesson learned. Please don’t let this happen to your dog.
