Finder....(or Dogs do have a 6th sense.)

It was 8 pm on a cold night in January. I was driving home and had reached the busy intersection of Natural Bridge and Hanley when I saw him. The big brindle dog ran across my the intersection.
Have I seen dogs running out like that before; sure. But that night it happened for the first time: I wanted I catch him.
Not to keep, but to make him safe. I turned around and drove up and down and all around. Armed only with a short leash and crackers I kept searching. Never found him.
As I drove home he haunted me. What if that were my dogs!?
I decided to keep the leash in my car. And dog treats.
My pups sounded the alarm a few weeks later: our ally was under attack!

There were two big dogs, labs perhap one black one white. Once my pups were wrangled inside I took off in my SUV. After one lap around I found the black one down the ally. Gentle coaxing and I got this poor old lady in my backseat. Bit then what!?
I called my friend Jaime. This happens to her all the time. Her advice was the Humane Society. I did not like this answer as I know they are a kill shelter, and this poor pup was old, and had some lumps. She had super long untrimmed nails. I mostly felt so sad for her.
So I called Stray Rescue. I knew they couldn't take her, but I needed to hear what they advised. This is where Wichita came from, I respect their work deeply. They also said Humane Society, to scan her. They gave me a website with all the local no kill shelters.
So, after getting Sweet Girl a bowl of food and a bowl of water we went to the Humane Society.
In my ideal world, she would get a bath and nail trim. She'd get a full exam, and that one awful growth on her ankle taken off. She would get a soft bed, and warm home. She was so old. She hobbled instead of walking. And I hated to think she would meet the end on the cold city streets.
We got there, and we hobbled in. She was so happy, maybe just to be inside to be warm, and to be the center of attention. They did find a chip, but it wasn't in their system. I looked at those long nails, and her lumps, and I realized she wasn't being taken great care of. My heart broke for her. At one time she was loved enough to be chipped, but there she was outside, unkept, no collar. I talked to the lady, she said if I left her there they would bath her, trim her nails, feed her, walk her, give her a place to stay, and try to track down the owner. If no owner came forward in 9 days she would be checked by a vet. If healthy she would be put up for adoption. So I asked what if she is deemed not healthy. And we both looked at her white muzzle, the lumps. The lady said if she wasn't healthy they had to think of her quality of life. And I thought of my cat. The sweetest prettiest cat, who was loosing her battle with kidney failure, so she was put to sleep, as she had no quality of life. And as much as I hated that, I knew it was the best thing.
In the end I let the Humane Society keep Sweet Girl. And I knew that she would probably spend her last days there. But she wasn't on the street. She would get attention.
I drove off swearing I was done picking up strays.
Then the pups set off the dog alarm Thursday night......  I just saw two white fuzzy ears peeking through the fence.
This time it was easier.... except the Humane Society was closed. So I called Jaime. Because Spot aka Bingo aka Bowie was so small she agreed to let him sleep at her place.
We blasted Facebook with his picture. But no one recognized him. He was scared and sweet. He wore a collar. I thought for sure he'd be chipped. But no..................................

Spot/Bingo/Bowie

I promised him two scenarios when we drove to the Humane Society that morning. I promised we would either find his family or find him a good new one. So when he was found to have no chip he looked up at me. I told him it was ok, it was probably for the better. He was a sweet little white boy with great white spots. He didn't bark, he liked other dogs, walked great on a leash.... but had no tags, had no chip, and was not neutered... and those three things equal to bad owners. So he needed to move on. He could do better. I actually hoped he wasn't claimed, I hope he gets a clean bill of health, and goes up for adoption. He will find a home so fast.
There will be more. And I will grab them. In the end what I keep thinking is "What if that were my dog?" I would not want them out on the street eating trash and sleeping on cold wet ground. Darting from cars, and susceptible to bad people. There are bad things done to dogs, and St. Louis is not a safe place for dogs.
So. I scoop up the ones I can. And every time I do, I hope that it will never be my dogs. May they stay safe.

And please: If you have an outdoor animal chip it, and give it a tag with your contact info. And PLEASE help control the pet population; have your pets spayed or neutered!