I emailed the people that were going to be taking the dogs (S & J) and asked if we were still on for Saturday's meeting. In writing back and forth, with them asking questions, I told them that Alex was micro chipped. This had to be done before he left the animal shelter we rescued him from in March 2006. I told S that I would bring the info on his microchip stuff so they could change it over to their name. When I got the paper work out, I realized that I never in the 3 years we've had him, called and got the info put into OUR name! LOL So, I called Friday afternoon and got all his info into their database with my name, address, phone, etc. I paid for his first year which covered his pet insurance. If he were to ever be reported as a lost pet and then came back injured after being reported lost, all his vet bills would be 100% covered! I can't believe I never got that taken care of before Friday! The lady on the phone with "Home Again Pet Recovery" told me I should have a yellow tag with the Home Again phone number and Alex's microchip # on it. I said "yes, it's still taped to the paper about his microchipping". She said "Put that ON him immediately! It's absolutely necessary that he wears that so we can contact you if he were to get found by someone." So, Josh put it on Alex before I was even off the phone with Home Again. Daisy is not microchipped because we didn't get her from a shelter and never really thought about doing it for her. It cost $14.99/ year and I HIGHLY recommend it to ANYONE who has a pet (cat or dog) that goes outside for any reason. The website is http://public.homeagain.com/ if you want more info on it.
So, Saturday morning comes around and we have to take Garrett to his self-defense competition early in the morning in Grand Rapids. We had to be there at 8am. There was no way we were going to be taking Mattie & Teegan to that, so my sister came over about 7am to keep them. We (my mom, Garrett, Josh and myself) left our house about 720am. Right after we left, my sister let Alex & Daisy outside to go potty. We never put them on leashes and our back yard isn't fenced in. Normally, they just go potty and come right back into the house. We don't usually stand there the whole time they are going potty. We walk away and come back a few minutes later to open the door for them. So, my sister let them out, went to the bathroom and came back to get them. Well, Alex had taken off. She saw him 4 doors down and called him to come back. He looked right at her and took off again! She waited a little while before calling us to let us know, thinking he would come right back home. He didn't.
Anyway, Garrett did GREAT at his competition! He competed in 4 areas (Walk of Confidence, Strongest Kick, Strongest Punch and Escapes). He took 3rd place and got a trophy in his Walk of Confidence! He took 1st place in BOTH strongest kick and strongest punch, so he got trophies for both of those events! He did good in his escapes, but didn't place, so he got a ribbon! I'm so incredibly proud of him!! Plus, he gets a trophy for just being there. So, he brought home a total of 4 trophies and 1 ribbon!!!
This was his 2nd time doing competition. The first competition, he brought home 3 trophies total and 2 ribbons. He's got quite the collection now of 7 trophies and 3 ribbons! Go Garrett!! It made for a long day but we got home around 130pm on Saturday.
I was really hoping and praying Alex was back home by time we got here. No such luck. My sister felt terrible about it, but it was not her fault at all. She didn't do anything different than what Josh or I would have done if we were home. I looked at the phone to see if there was any voicemail and there was. I called the voicemail to see who had left us messages. Home Again Pet Recovery called several times to let us know that Alex had been found and the people wanted to return him to us!! The first call that came in was at 803am!! What luck!! Had that happened Friday morning, he would have been gone for good I'm sure. I don't know if they can track where the animals are once they are reported lost. I wasn't home to report him lost and my sister didn't know anything about it, so I don't know. Anyway, I called Home Again, gave them Alex's microchip number and they called the people who found him. Then, they connected them to me so we could discuss getting him back here.
Now, for those who don't know, we live in a manufactured home community. The community is right at the corner of a VERY busy main road and a highway!! Alex has taken off before, but he's never left the community, EVER!! So, I thought for sure, the people who had him were in the community. That was, until, I asked the guy where he was so I could come get Alex. Come to find out, Alex had wondered down to the HIGHWAY and was rolling around in something dead! Thank God, this truck full of people saw him, pulled over to get him, and he went right to them instead of running away. How he wasn't hit and killed on a highway, where the speed limit is 70 but people drive 75-80+mph, I have NO idea!!! So these people get him, tie a rope onto his collar and take him with them until they could reach us. They were coming from Grand Rapids and headed who knows where. When I called them, it was around 135pm. They were 35 minutes away from here and headed back to Grand Rapids at that time. I told them I would meet them someplace if they'd like to get him back. But, these people were so SUPER nice, that they brought him right home to us. When I went outside to get him, one of the guys in the truck said to me "If you ever need a new home for him, call me!" How funny is that?!? The day they were to go to a new home, he runs away and the people that found him, wanted to keep him! LOL Anyway, he was back home by 210pm.
My sister said that Daisy was really lost without Alex. She was moping around the house, being clingy, looking out the window often, and just pouting. I know I made the right decision now to keep them together, no matter what! She was one happy girl when Alex was back here with her!! That would have been awful to call S&J to tell them that Alex ran away that morning and never came home! Home Again Pet Recovery is AWESOME and for all this to happen the day after I got his info all set up and the tag on him, was Crazy! Three years of never wearing that tag.... Wow! It's all I can say!
Six o'clock approached too quickly last night. That was the time set to take the dogs over to S & J's house. I cried almost the entire way there. I didn't want to let them go and didn't know if I could really go through with it once we were there. My mom kept Mattie & Teegan but we took Garrett with us. S & J came right outside to meet us, and I immediately liked them! Very friendly people!! I told them that if I cried, please bear with me on it. J said it was ok and he understood. He went on to say they have fish and S cries when they lose one of them! She laughed and said he was right, she does! LOL We went inside so the dogs could explore and I wanted to see how they would react to what could be their new home. They seemed comfortable as soon as they walked in. They never shook, barked, growled, nothing. They were wagging their tails, giving S & J kisses, and just wondering around. Everyone, including Garrett & Josh was comfortable in their home. They have 2 wall sized fish tanks with a TON of fish! That was really cool! I asked them if they had a fenced in backyard, they said no. I then proceeded to explain to them what Alex did that morning and said it would be wise to keep him on a leash now. That made them decide to get Daisy microchipped ASAP too! They told us they were going to go get them harnesses and start walking them daily since they live in the city, don't have a fenced area for them to run and want them to get their exercise. They both made it known that we were welcome to call, email or even drop by to see them anytime! What an awesome couple they are! We are VERY happy with them and I know, without a doubt, that Alex & Daisy are going to be very happy with their new owners! It was a match made in Doggy Heaven! LOL Josh even told me after we left, that he could see us becoming friends and hanging out with them! Crazy huh? Even Garrett, who had been crying on our way home from G.R. about the dogs having to leave, never shed a tear when we left. He gave them each a hug and kiss and told them bye, then walked out to the van without another word about it.
I just asked S & J to keep the dogs away from the door when we left because I couldn't bear to see their cute little faces looking at us as we drove away from them. I was crying when we left their house and for quite awhile afterwards. I'm happy with S&J, I'm happy for Alex & Daisy, but I'm sad for us. I knew it was going to be tough coming home to a quiet house. Normally, they are in their crates whining like crazy to be let out. There was no whining..... In fact, our laundry room looks empty where their crates were..... Alex usually sleeps on our bedroom floor at night, he wasn't there last night..... After Mattie ate breakfast this morning, I cleaned up cheerios that I know Alex & Daisy would have been tearing through the house, as fast as they could, to clean up themselves. They weren't here to do it...... It's hard! I miss them both terribly but I know we did the right thing for our family. Maybe it will be easier once we are out of this house where all the memories of them are...... Maybe it will get easier......Maybe.
Yesterday was a roller coaster of emotions. I'm glad it's over with and I can only hope things begin looking back up for all of us.
I know that was super long, but I just needed to type right now. If you made it through, thanks!
Alex & Daisy: I love them both so much!!
Ah hell you had my crying!
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