More than a little lost

This morning on my way to work, I spotted a stray dog much too close to the busy thoroughfare that is 63rd Street. So of course I pulled over to see if I could get to him. What I planned to do if that happened, I wasn’t sure.

As I jogged down the sidewalk, I ended up in the parking lot of a local grocery store, just a few feet from the lost pooch. I could tell he had been lost for a minute because his fur was slightly matted and dirty, he looked scared and nervous, and he must have been famished; he was picking for garbage and in the 90+ degree weather, I’m sure he was probably aching for some water.

Although he came close enough for me to offer a few pats on the head, he was still too scared to follow. Unfortunately I didn’t have a leash or dog treats on me so it became a lost cause as soon as he ran off. Even a quick drive down the alley behind the market proved to be fruitless. And I’m sure my eventual call to animal control was just as ineffective. Even worse is the fact that this wasn’t the first time I’ve come across stray dogs on the Southwest side of the city, and it’s awfully disheartening. So here’s to keeping a stash of treats, a bowl of water and a simple leash in the Jeep from now on.

This is one lucky pooch.