I had a great jog Sunday morning before church. I was about half-a-mile from home when I saw her: a little gray poodle walking in the middle of the street.
Faithful readers of Texas T-Bone may recall a past entry about my status as a Pied Piper of Dogs. Most dogs like me, and strays especially latch on. Much of this can be attributed to the fact I am normally one of very few people out early in the morning. Friendly dogs tend to want human companionship. So, wah-lah!
So I slow down going past the poodle, and she sees me. She is absolutely adorable, very small and obviously shouldn’t be running in the street. I stop, and she comes up to me. She’s got a collar, but the tag on it is a rabies vaccination from 2000. I scan the nearby houses and see them all closed up tightly. Can’t imagine she got far.
I scooped her up and walked home.
The Petite Filet was not exactly thrilled when I showed her what was perched on my arm. She had survived the other two times I’ve brought home strays, but told me I was “worse than a kid.” And I said, “No, I’m not! I don’t want to keep it!”
We called the vet’s number on the tag, but we knew it would be closed. Our town’s animal control office is open only during the week, too. It looked like the dog would be with us for the day.
We quarantined her in the kitchen, with some food and water, and went to church. The dog had started to feel at home and drank water and ate some of the food that afternoon. I took her out and she peed a few drops and let out a Hershey’s kiss-size turd (good morning!). Then the dirty doggy got a bath.
I had a feeling she hadn’t strayed far from home, being so small. I also figured someone was really missing her. When she was scared, the poor pup would shake and make a strange wheezing noise. I figured she was probably on medication, too.
So I hopped in my truck to see if anyone had put up signs in the neighborhood about a lost dog. Sure enough, I didn’t have to go that far before a bright green sign described my morning find, adding at the bottom “needs medication.” I jotted down the number and went home victorious. The sign also said her name was “Moet”, but I never found out if that rhymed with “poet” or “poette.”
The woman who answered the phone had forwarded calls to her cell. She was out of town but said she’d call within the hour when headed our way. Moet is her grandparents’ dog, and apparently her grandfather had let her out that morning and forgot about her. The petite little fluffmuffin found her way through the fence and onto the street, where I found her.
Let me tell you, when the woman came to pick up Moet ... she was early 20s at the oldest, and was driving a nearly new Corvette. Blonde. Extremely physically fit – her apparel looked like gym attire, but was very low-cut. Tan. Beautiful. And really happy to see Moet again. She’d put up the signs around the neighborhood. If I wasn’t the married gentleman that I am, I would have accepted a reward a la Ace Ventura. But alas, I don’t think she was that happy to see the dog.
Most animals will break free from their manmade confinements at some point, if only for a few seconds. It is always wise to have an updated rabies-vaccination tag and a separate tag with the dog’s name, your name, phone number and address, on the dog’s collar (on the dog) at all times. Moet would have gotten home faster if I knew exactly which house from which she escaped. And I wouldn't have had to give her a bath.
By the way, I called Moet by another name ... “Betsy Ross.” Do you know why? Because a little dog walking down the middle of a street raised a red flag for me. Further, the dog’s owners were white, and probably blue because she went missing. Yeah, I’m that crazy. If I find your stray pet in the road, I'm going to give it a dumb nickname, too. Just another reason to tag 'em.
"Moet" might be similar to the Moet of "Moet-Chandon", so maybe it's pronounced "mo-ay"?
I don't know, this is Texas (and the Crumbling Suburbs at that). "Moet" is more like "Mooooooooooettah" here. But maybe you've got a point.
T-bone, I am so proud of you! I like you, rescue way too many animals, and even have a toothless cat to show for it! Glad that Betsy Ross found her way back home. You're kind of a hero.
"S" took the words out of my mouth -- I would have called her MO-AY like the bubbly... :)
Or maybe White Star... :)
That is nice of you guys to take her in and make sure she got to her rightful owners, in even BETTER condition that you found her.
i would also think it's the champagne, especially if it's a poodle being picked up by a tan woman in a corvette!
That reminds me of a couple of years ago, when I found a white, curly, half-blind and elderly poodle in the parking lot of my apartment complex, when coming home from Deep Ellum at 2:30 am. I didn't figure that one was supposed to be outside. I only had him for about an hour, as he had a tag, and I called and left a message for the owner. You would not have been as impressed with this owner, though, she was blonde, allright, and about 60, complete with stilletto heels and faux leopard print! Whoo-hoo! Where else but Texas? California.
That's a great name! I have never heard of such a creative way to name a dog.
I found a little dog not too long ago....called the vet....said his name was D-O-G no....not dog....say the letters real fast....and ummmmm...that was the name....deogie.....or something like that.....whoever named that little guy was creative....neglectful and creative.
That's a sweet story. It's shocking to me how many people adopt pets and don't realize that it's a responsibility. I'm glad Moet got home, let's hope they take better care from now on!
Well, I have never been a great fan of Hershey's Kisses. But now, I don't think I can stomach eating one without remembering this story. I would feel as if I were eating dog crap!
One of my dogs is a stray, we gave him a very simple name though....Friendly.
The chick in the Corvette sounds hot. Perhaps she could have fired up the T- Bone's BBQ! ;-)
Well since we live so closely and my dogs won't keep collars on them much less tags, let me set the record straight right now ~ I own a blonde shar pai, a black lab *who is very gray right now and needs med's*, and a chow collie mix who looks like a fox who I refer to with the most love, as our gay dog. They are all males.......so email me if you find one of mine wandering around as I'll be frantic of losing one of my babies!!!
I'm just as big of a sucker as you are. Sometimes, I end up keeping the animal until I can find it another home.