My Tax Dollars Hard at Work- Except on Sunday

I was so wrapped up in painting this weekend, that I forgot to share with you something that happened on my way to Target on Sunday. Something very disturbing, which pissed me off to no end.

I am a dog lover. I have a cute, sweet, cuddle bug of my own and I love her more than anything. She is such a comfort to me when I come home from work and her little tail is wagging so hard and all she wants to do is jump on me and slobber me with kisses. I adore every second with her, even on days when she's been naughty.

That being said, I have a soft spot for dogs- especially lost, confused ones. And I just so happened to run into a lost puppy while running errands on Sunday. This little guy was small, maybe a Shitzu, but hadn't had a hair cut in a while. His fur was a mixture between tan and white, and he had big brown eyes. Let me re-phrase that. He had big brown, I'm scared to death because I'm lost and almost got hit by a car twice on this busy street, where the hell is my mom eyes.

I could tell he was freaked out beyond belief. And given where he was on the sidewalk, he was not close to home. Now granted, maybe home was down the street and around the corner, but he was far enough away that he was confused. He kept running up and down the sidewalk, not sure which way was the right way, and he had just stared death in the face by darting into a busy street full of cars not paying attention. Luckily, he did make it to the sidewalk.

I decided this little guy needed help so I pulled off the street and tried to see through my window if he was wearing a collar. I figured if he had a collar on, perhaps there was an address or phone number that could provide me of this little guy's home. But- he had so much hair, I couldn't tell if he had a collar on or not. I got out of my car and tried to walk towards him (at this time, he was shivering on the sidewalk- probably in fear). As best I could I called him to me but he was so upset he ran in the opposite direction.

Not wanting to scare him more, and not wanting him to run into the street again, I didn't chase him. But he was a fast little guy. He ran a good portion up the street and then plopped down on the sidewalk again in a look of sheer confusion. So I tried again: I got back in my car, drove closer to him, and tried to call him over to me. This time, he turned around and ran back down the street to where we had started.

At this point, I figured it was a lost cause. He was obviously shaken up and didn't want anyone near him. I can imagine that not knowing where your house is would be quite a scary experience. I decided to call the police assuming that Animal Control would be closed since it was Sunday. The response I got was maddening.

Basically the dispatcher told me that Animal Control was closed on Sunday. DUH. Then she told me that they don't respond to calls like mine. Let me make it clear that the fire station was right across the street from where this dog was. They wouldn't even have to break up the shiny, red engine. But no, I was told good luck but they wouldn't do anything.

When I asked why they wouldn't do anything I was told it was because they wouldn't have a place to keep the animal. Well... true, if the animal didn't have a collar, they would be stuck with him. But I suspect there is a collar and tag on this dog, and his owner is somewhere hoping that he'll get a call that his best friend has been found. I was still told no, and she once again repeated that Animal Control is closed on Sundays.

What infuriates me the most is that you can be charged for a Class B Misdemeanor if you find a lost animal and don't take it to the shelter. So either way, you are screwed if you find a lost animal on Sunday. I mean, really... nobody wants to respond to my call because it's their day off, but if I catch the dog and don't take it to a shelter, then I get charged (did I mention the shelter is closed on Sunday?) LAME.

And so what if it's Sunday?! It's not like police and fire depts aren't going to respond if a human were lost: "Your daughter is missing? Oh, sorry. We don't respond to those calls on Sunday."
I mean, what if you had a bear hanging out in your backyard, or a huge, poisonous snake under your house, or a rat infestation. "You're just going to have to wait it out ma'am, and call back on Monday when Animal Control is available." God forbid a cougar decides to turn your garage into it's lair on a Sunday.

Give me a break. I guess if you're a pet owner, teach your animals not to venture out on their own if it's a Sunday. Because if they get lost, you're outta luck.

I never was able to catch the dog. I hope his owner found him, or that he found his way home unharmed. Damn city. I'd like to know if my tax dollars are paying for coffee and donuts cuz it sure the hell isn't going towards anything on Sundays.