THE HIGHWAY DOG

Driving away from the Navy base last week, I was pulling out on the highway when I suddenly saw a hunting dog running Zig-zag between the lanes. I held my breath for a brief moment while cars and big transportation trucks passed the dog, not stopping, not slowing down only standing on their horns. I panicked! Loudly I shouted out in the car "Am I the only one who sees this?"

I stopped the car, jumped out to try to get him to safety. He looked up and came directly to me, I lifted him up and in the back of the SUV. My daughter and I made faces as we drove away, the smell in the car was just horrible. The dog smelled of dead animals.

He had a collar, with a broken chain attached. He looked fine weight-wise, and sweet---he sat looking at us. But now what?

Back to the hospice, I called Martina and Chirra for assistance. He was a male, a strong male and our males think their hospice is only for them, and also I needed help to wash off that incredibly strong, obnoxious smell.

Marty and Chiara came and we washed him off. He was a good boy, standing still for us. We found a microchip and made a report to the ASL office.
The next morning we got a phone call, the owner wanted to come and pick up "his Brian". We thought that was a good sign, but also it would be a hunting day the following day, so of course he needed his hunting dog.

The man came together with three other men who all were afraid of all the dogs at the hospice. We asked about the broken chain attached to the collar around Brian's neck. He explained that Brian was on chain during the day but during the evening and night he was lose.

The man took his dog, a hand shake as a thank you and he departed.

Many times this is the hardest part --- to give a dog back to a person who is his owner when your gut tells you something different. We can only pray that they are happy with each other and Brian is in good care.
This is a difficult work!