Stuart and Stella Tell their Versions Of What Happened

I Went for a Walk by Stella

Hi I’m Stella. I weigh five pounds and I live with Stuart and everyone else. Thursday afternoon Mama was a little cold from the air conditioner so she opened the back door to warm up the room. She then sat down on the couch and closed her eyes to watch TV. She does that in the afternoon.

I decided I would step out for a walk.  I slipped out the door onto the back porch and then to the doggie door in the screen door. I have to jump up just to get to the bottom of the doggie door. I pulled myself up until my body was half out the door. My back legs don’t work so well, they pretty much just hold up my butt and follow my front legs. Except when I am going down stairs and then sometimes they try to flip over and go first. Anyway once my body was half out the doggie door I dropped twelve inches to the step below. I regrouped and headed across the deck and down two more stairs. Then I had to squish down and belly crawl under the gate. Passing under the gate I managed to knock off my diaper.

Now I headed up the path between the house and the garage. Fortunately no one was on the front porch they often catch me there, then up the driveway to the street. Sometimes the neighbor lady snags me at this point but she was not out that afternoon. Things were a little warm along the street so I headed down the shaded driveway that goes to the houses behind my house. It was a wonderful afternoon for a walk. In the yard at the very end of the driveway I found a very nice pond. I waded in far enough to cool my feet and to get a small drink.

I was quite refreshed and decided to head home. When I got back to the street I decided to walk along the far side of the street on the shoulder because I thought the dust on the shoulder would help dry out

my fur before I got home.

Out of nowhere Stuart shows up, jumps out of his car, scoops me up and is going on and on about where have you been. I decided not to tell him.

Stella is Missing! By Stuart

I got home about 4:20. It was a hot muggy afternoon. My mother in law, Mickey was frantic. Our little dog Stella was missing. I immediately went in to change clothes and search the house. It is not unusual for one of the dogs to get shut in a closet and to just sit there quietly. After that I went out and searched the yard and immediate neighborhood on foot calling her name. You know she only weighs five pounds and barely has use of her legs. And because of other health issues she easily gets dehydrated.

I came back and went through the house again and sent an email to the neighborhood. I then went out on my bike and did the whole street and went up driveways where I couldn’t see the yards. I talked to everyone who was out.

I went home and got my car and again circled the street and then started moving out further. She had been missing for well over an hour and a half at this point. You know a large bird could carry off a five pound dog. I regularly see foxes in our neighborhood and several neighbors have reported seeing coyotes. After circling the neighborhood twice I headed home.

There, just a 100 feet from our driveway, I found Stella walking along the shoulder of the road. I scooped her up into my arms. She was filthy and wet. I told her we were scared and worried and glad we found her. I took her home for a good bath.

p.s. A neighbor emailed that she had seen Stella at the pond, but when she went out to get her she was gone. She may be crippled, but she can be fast.