A Canine Call to Action…

Nemo rearing to go!

Imagine getting a frantic call from your neighbors to ask if you can help look for their missing dog. Yup, that’s the call I got last week. Now before I go on, this dog – a 10 month-old poodle/shih tzu mix named Pushi – was lost somewhere in an 18 acre forest. There’s still quite a lot of snow on the ground, which makes you feel like you’re in a video game trudging across the terrain and jumping obstacles. Not fun. My neighbor and her hubby had already combed the area where Pushi was last seen for two hours. Her request was a total no-brainer. Of course I would help! I dressed for the task and packed up my trusty yellow Labrador Nemo in the back of my car, and off we drove to my neighbor’s property.

If you’ve ever lost a pet, you’d know that sickly feeling in the pit of your stomach you get when a pet goes missing. To many people, pets are like their children, a family member who gives nothing but unconditional love to their owners. When I used to work at the local animal shelter, I’ve seen people break down in sobbing relief when they are reunited with their pets. It’s a humbling experience, and you end up hugging them and telling them everything is all right. Not wanting my neighbor to endure the pain of losing her puppy, I said a quick prayer to Saint Antony (the saint of lost things – trust me it works) and together with Nemo, I let him loose to search for their lost dog.

As we followed my dog, going this way and that, negotiating the uneven ground, I heard a faint bark and stopped. Nemo must’ve heard it too and high-tailed it toward a group of pine trees. There we found Pushi, her leash all tangled up around the trees. She was both frightened and happy to see her mistress after her ordeal. I’m not sure what she thought of Nemo in that moment, as he’s ten times her size! My neighbor was beyond grateful and asked me in for a glass of scotch to celebrate our victory finding Pushi. No arm twisting was required – she had me at scotch! Of course Nemo was rewarded with treats and attention, though I believe he just thought it was more of a game than a duty.

It’s amazing how our pets connect us to our humanness. That we would do anything for them, and

Pushi - seven hours after her ordeal

they would do anything for us. Love and loyalty can come in all forms. Mine happens to be a four-legged, 100 pound yellow Labrador with an insatiable desire for Milk Bone biscuits and walks in the forest. As for Pushi’s adventure, it turned out a ‘happily ever after’ for her and her family. Thank you, Nemo and Saint Antony!