little lost puppy...

I am a bit in crisis mode right now.  Yesterday, when we came home from church Chris noticed that there was a dog shaped hole in the fence.  We ran inside to see if there was some small chance that she was still in the yard.  She was gone.  My heart dropped.  How long had she been gone?  Where did she go?  We live really close to a busy street, did she get hit by a car?  Did someone find her and take her?

Chris and Ashlyn set off on bikes and scooters to see if they could find her while Landon and I got in the car and drove through the area calling her name.  Thankfully, a woman passing by heard me screaming Basil's name out the window and asked if I was looking for a boxer.  She told me that Basil had been running and jumped on a little dog and some people got scared so they called the sheriff.  Animal control came and picked her up.  "Hooray", I thought, "she is safe! Now I can go pick her up!"

I raced home and called the sheriff's department and they said they would have someone from animal control call me back.  After what seemed like hours but was realistically only about 30 minutes someone finally called.  They picked up a dog that matched her description and they had taken her to the local Animal Services department.  He then informed me that Animal Services is closed Sundays AND Mondays and I would not be able to pick her up until Tuesday!!  TUESDAY!  That was like two days away!!  I will admit that I freaked out a little bit.  I may or may not have cried on the phone with the guy from Animal Control.  Were they going to feed her?  She has separation anxiety and she hates being in a crate...are they prepared for her to freak out while she is there?!  And yes, I know she isn't a person but that didn't stop me from questioning if is she going to wonder why we aren't coming to get her?  He assured me that someone was going to feed her and that she was in her own kennel (as my brother pointed out, "you mean they don't put dogs who have been accused of attacking other dogs in kennels with other dogs?!  Shocking!")  He told me that he had picked her up less than an hour ago.  Really?  You couldn't just swing by my house and drop her off?  None of his reassurances made me feel any better but what could I do but wait until Tuesday?

This morning I called again and got no answer.  I got the recording telling me the Animal Services office hours and I plan to be there on their doorstep when they open tomorrow.  They then gave me a website and after checking it out I found this:

BASIL - ID#A672985My name is Basil and I am described as a female, fawn and white Boxer. You will find me in Kennel # C01. The shelter thinks I am about 4 years old. I have been at the shelter since Nov 13, 2011. This information is 1 hour old.

I may or may not have cried again.  So, I am sad today and the house feels really empty without her boxer wiggle and sweet face.  Oh but you can bet I will be there when they open tomorrow with my bail money to spring my incarcerated puppy.