MikeI freely admit that I’m a sucker for animals…
admin February 4th, 2007
Mike
I freely admit that I’m a sucker for animals. I’m a sucker for people too, but that’s another post. The Canuck often laments how easily I’m distracted while driving by someone walking a dog. I shout “PUPPY!” and he responds “ROAD!”
However, today I met one of the sweetest dogs I’ve yet met. And the sad part is, I met him because he needs a home.
The Big Seester and I were on our way to pick up The Canuck at the Windsor train station (my car very rudely declined to take me to church today, so TBS generously agreed to not leave the poor Canuck stranded). We were planning to stop by the library to return a book on our way down to the bridge, so we got off I-94 at Woodward. Lo and behold, at the Beaubien intersection, we saw a dog sitting dead smack in the middle of the intersection.
For those of you who don’t know (i.e. live in another part of the country or world that is not being affected by this giant polar air mass that has settled on a large swath of the northern U.S.), today was the coldest day yet this winter (my weather program right now is showing one degree Fahrenheit, and that’s not including the wind chill), and tonight and tomorrow are supposed to be even colder. Now, I know it’s worse in other areas – I know Minnesota, for example, is expecting -26 F tomorrow – but it’s still darned cold. It’s not fit for man nor beast, which is why shelters are extending their hours, extra warming centers are being opened, and TBS and I knew we absolutely could NOT leave this poor dog out to freeze (assuming he wasn’t hit by a car first).
So I got out of the car and coaxed…and coaxed…and coaxed. He was a little shy, but very affectionate and gentle. However, he didn’t want to get into the car. After about half an hour, with the help of some local men, we managed it. One of the locals volunteered that the dog’s name is Mike, that he lives at a house right by there, but that he’s constantly jumping the fence. (Hello – if you live right off a major interstate and your dog jumps the fence, you either build a bigger fence or you leash him when he’s outside!) In addition, based on what he said it didn’t sound like the people especially wanted him (which fits, based on the fact that he was left outside in zero-degree weather). So TBS and I continued our efforts, and eventually one of the men picked Mike up and put him into the back seat. (Despite this, Mike made no effort at all to snap at anyone – good temperament!)
Then we were stuck with what to do with him! We couldn’t take him across the border; in order to do that you have to be able to prove that the animal has had the appropriate vaccines, and we had no way of knowing if he did. We couldn’t just dump him somewhere else. We called our aunt, who has a history of rescuing animals, but she was reluctant to take him in. Our mother was at a play. And all this time, The Canuck was sitting at the Windsor train station! (He got in around the time we got Mike into the car.)
So, with some misgivings, we decided to take Mike to the local Humane Society. They took him in, and if his owners don’t come claim him in four days, he’ll be evaluated for adoptability (health and temperament) and put up for adoption. I didn’t ask how long they give adoptable animals before they euthanize them. 
Anyway, I put in an initial adoption interest form just to maintain my contact with them – now they’ll notify me if something is really wrong with him, etc. I can’t take him; I don’t have the room or the time for a dog, much as I’d love one (and him specifically). If you or someone you know in the southeastern Michigan/southwestern Ontario/northern Ohio area might be open to meeting a darling dog, e-mail me at clamrampant at yahoo dot com and I can tell you more about him. I don’t have a picture yet (didn’t occur to me to take one), but I will ask the Humane Society for one when I talk to them later in the week.
He’s medium-sized – I’m guesstimating around 25 – 30 pounds, but don’t hold me to that. They wrote him up as a rottweiler/terrier mix; he’s got rottweiler coloring and a terrier face. His hair is medium-length (not short, but not long like a collie or anything) and somewhat wiry. He’s sweet, and seemed to be OK with the other dog that was in the lobby. I didn’t see him interact with cats (or, obviously, kids), but I think the Humane Society will try to evaluate that in the adoptability testing. Based on the disposition I witnessed, I don’t think there would be a problem with kids (can’t evaluate cats without seeing him with them). In the meantime, I am trying to get him transferred to a no-kill shelter.
Even if you can’t take Mike, thanks for reading this. Stay warm, everyone!
