First, everyone is ok. OK. Saturday my dogs got out of my mother-in-law's place while we were out to dinner. This is what we know about their big adventure. Particularly Piper. Zoe had a much smaller one! Note that I keep location names so if you *really* want, you can follow on the map.
James and I were at his mother's house. She's been going through a lot and asked if we could go to dinner, and of course we did. (1/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
When we left, we kept the back door open w/ the screen as it was a lovely day. Somehow they opened the screen enough to get through!
We found out while we drove home. It didn't register it was Zoe at first, but James's brain was faster. He got out of the car and snatched her from dodging cars!
At home there was no sign of Piper. We went outside and someone stopped to ask if we were looking for a tiny white dog. (2/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
They'd seen her @ the Tim's near Kitimat/Mississauga. I drove there to call for her. While doing this, someone else told me they'd seen her up by the 401 ramp!
I went up there and down to the next exit and saw nothing. I turned around and came back to the Mississauga/401 area and went through the tons of parking lots. Yet another lady (who would be something of a good Samaritan) asked if I were looking for a dog. (3/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
She'd seen Piper away from the busy road in the back Walmart corporate lot. She, a dog person herself, had also been looking for an hour!
We looked until dark and went back to Mum's to plan. We were staying at her place so we could start again at dawn.
As we were settling in the Samaritan texted. She'd spotted Piper in the same parking lot as before, which was great because she was staying put in 1 area! (4/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
James (who both badly sprained his ankle and broke his foot during a search of a construction area) and I went over there back to meet the Samaritan who hadn't caught Piper yet, but had seen her only 10 min before.
We looked all over again and nothing. I was starting to feel hopeless again, when Mum texted to say SHE HAD PIPER! (5/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
Ms. Samaritan can be credited w/ Mum hearing Piper scratching at the back door, as Mum would surely have been asleep if we hadn't just left her place in a hurry.
So we were reuinited w/ a 3.5lb (1.5kg) dog who miraculously travelled 4-5 km (2.5-3 mi). The map recreates the path based on sightings, but is only a guess.
We are incredibly grateful for our happy ending in this story, even James w/ his broken foot. (6/6)
#LostDog #LostPet #Mississauga #Streetsville #HappyEnding #DogsOfMastodon
Piper's great adventure!
"Leave them alone,
"And they will come home,
"Wagging their tails behind them!"
Beverly Bambury
Grandpa Don
Sir David Nielsen