Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Not rabid...

So I was all set to tell you about the project I was working on this afternoon. I am sorting through the October and November issues of home magazines from the last six years and removing all of the pictures that I really like. Once I have them all separated I will create a scrapbook of autumn inspiration. I love to use the great ideas that I see in magazines but never have time to look through them all. This way they will be nice and consolidated.

But that's not what I am going to tell you about.

I am going to tell you about the lost dog that I found wandering on a road near my house. I saw that the dog had a collar so I pulled over thinking that I could take a look at his tags and bring him back to his home.

I called to the dog and he came running to me, tail-a-waggin. I stroked him and told him to sit which he did. I looked for tags- no tags. Crap.

Then I opened my car door and in hopped the dog. "Yay! We're going for a ride!" his tail wag seemed to say. I pulled the car over further, told Lily and her friend Katie to stay in the car while I went to one of the houses to see if anyone knew the dog.

The first house I went to was a home where I knew they had a dog. Dog owners often get to know each other and I thought that maybe they knew this dog. My lost dog barked when he saw the man who lived in the house, but settled down quickly. I borrowed a leash from the family who said that they had never seen the dog and knew that it belonged to no one on the street.

Back into the car we went down a different street. I stopped the car and told the girls that we would check a few houses on this street to see if anyone knew him.

I don't know if I have ever mentioned that my kids are hard core dog lovers. When I stopped the car Lily hurried to the front of the car to snuggle the dog.

The dog then snarled and bit her on her arm.

Lily started crying and I got the dog out of the car and told him to sit.

He sat.

Then I called the police. Once I told them that my daughter had been bitten by a dog with no tags they were on their way. Once Officer Eddie arrived, the dog started barking like crazy.

He did not like Officer Eddie. Officer Eddie called for back-up.

I told the dog to sit. He sat.

Once the dog settled down I told Officer Eddie our story. He looked at Lily's arm and thought it would be okay. Then the second officer arrived. The dog liked this cop. After taking our information, they took the dog and we were on our way.

Once we got to Katie's house to drop her off I took a closer look at Lily's arm and saw a tiny puncture wound. My heart sank. I called the pediatricians office who recommended waiting on starting a series of rabies shots, hoping that the owner would be found and that the dog would have been vaccinated.

We picked up Rebecca from her playdate with Katie's older sister and headed off to the police station to talk some more to the officers.

They were really really helpful. You know how sometimes when you are really stressed out and upset because your baby might have rabies and your husband is 3000 miles away and then a cop is really nice to you, you kind of want to weep? It was like that.

They called in the the officer who has the police dog since he is the most experienced with dog bites. He gave the kids police shield stickers, showed them his dog bite scar and really put us all at ease. They promised to let us know as soon as they learned anything, but were extremely hopeful that this dog was healthy since he was well cared for, trained and wearing a collar.

So we went home. Lily wanted Chinese food for dinner and since she might have rabies I let her get it.

We ate and I fretted. In the tub I talked to Lily about the possibility of needing shots since rabies is 100% fatal. She agreed, though reluctantly that getting a shot is better than dying.

It was then that we had a visitor. At 8:30pm the animal control officer came over to let us know that the owner had been found and that the dog was up to date on all it's shots.

I almost kissed him. Relief is such an amazing feeling. My muscles went limp and once again I wanted to weep because the news was good and this nice public servant did not want me to have to wait all night to hear that my baby would be okay.

It's been kind of a long afternoon you know? The funniest thing was that once Lily knew that she wouldn't need any shots she wanted to tell everyone her story. David was in a meeting so she called TJIC. Then David called and she told him. She wasn't going to need shots and she wasn't going to die. Some days that's the best news we can hope for.

12 comments:

Karen said...

So glad you heard in time, and so glad she didn't need stitches! (Although I will tell you that the shots are awful but not as bad as the risk of dying a really horrible death. I remember it like it was ... um, just about a month ago.)

Anonymous said...

It's good to hear Lily is OK. Do we dare hope for another Padrusch pus story?

David W. Padrusch said...

I'll be home tomorrow to kiss your boo boo LIly. Daddy loves you.

Anonymous said...

I know that ride of mom worry and relief. You describe it so poignantly. Thank goodness for happy endings.

Anonymous said...

I got bit by a dog when I was in 4th grade. I got the shots. It hurt but it was ok. You are a good mama and a hard core dog lover. xo Mari

TwoBusy said...

Wow. Now I know why you're all keyed up. Yikes.

Glad she's okay! That's a story she'll be telling for the rest of her life.

Anonymous said...

How traumatic! It's great that Lily will be fine and that the pup has a good home. Now if they would just put tags on the collar... So kind of you to catch the pup and return him. I am a sucker for a lost furry critter, too. :)
Unless it has a ninja suit... -Ms. TT

Saguaro Chick said...

Glad Lilly is okay! The craziest things happen when your hubby is traveling! There is nothing worse than when you try and do the right thing with the best of intentions....and then something like that happens. Huge relief the dog had all his shots. Do the owners know he bit your daughter?

LaurieStar said...

Hello! I just wanted to tell you that I have been shamelessly enjoying your blog and never posting a comment - but this post for some reason made me break down and write! I have a little daughter probably the same age as yours and this has never happened to us but I am glad your daughter is okay and you can be relieved! I could totally get all that "mom" stuff you went through!
I enjoy reading your funny posts! :)

Lisa said...

You are such a great writer! I'm so relieved that she is ok and it is nice to know your public servants care! Glad Lily was excited about her story!
Hugs, Lisa

mgster said...

Sara....I am so glad to see that this turned out okay. Sorry you had such a scare. Not a pleasant experience.

Need to tell you that if you get an email from me...something about my purchasing a laptop, I DID NOT SEND IT! Someone hacked into my email list and my friends and family are telling me they received it. They knew it was not legit because it begins..."Hello Friend" and the whole thing is written with errors, etc. I didn't see your name on the list of people but I know we did briefly correspond by email. I immediately changed my password. This was so very upsetting that someone would do this. So just beware if you get it!

Ginger said...

Hi Sara:
So glad Lily is alright and not going to have to get the rabies shots. My niece had to take them a few years ago, and thankfully, they aren't as bad as they used to be. I got bit by a dog when I was in elementary school and have never forgotten it. I just wished I had "milked it" to get something special. lol.
Didn't think of it, or I would have.