And Your Little Dog Toto

We have been babysitting this sweet little girl since the 21st. Her name is Toto - she was named by the same little five year old that took this very attractive picture of her Aunt Donna. (I think I was being loved to death when this pic was taken.) She belongs to Fred's sister and her family. On Tuesday, the 30th, Toto dug out of our backyard while we were at work. She discovered that the gate might be a great point of exit. She dug a teeny-tiny hole and flattened herself into a pancake and escaped.

I spent all night Tuesday walking the neighborhood and calling her name. I made flyers and Fred and I posted them throughout our subdivision. We knocked on doors. Nobody had seen her. We were also watching their beagle for them. I got their vet's number from Bailey's rabies tag. I felt sure that someone found Toto and called in and reported it to their vet. They didn't open until 8:00 a.m. I dropped Jonathan off at Kids R Kids and then sat in their parking lot and called the vet. They had no record of Toto. Toto has been on the run before. The Simmons' family is not her first home. Kristin found her running down the street one day and picked her up. They hadn't taken her into the vet yet for her rabies. She had a collar on, but nothing to identify her. At this point, I freaked out and started sobbing uncontrollably. What kind of aunt loses her 5 year old niece's dog? I freaked out while I was still on the phone with the vet. The poor lady had to calm me down.

I went to work with puffy eyes and started reporting her missing with everyone under the sun. Craig's List, Petfinder, SPCA, Collin County Animal Shelter - you name it. I had been working with the Collin County Animal Shelter. They had her picture and said they didn't currently have her, but they would let me know if she came in. I also used a pet rescue service that makes flyers and sends them to the local vets and shelters.

There were a couple of sightings (one was in Arlington), but none of them were her. After work last night, I went ahead and drove out to McKinney to the Collin County Animal Shelter. I walked in and told them that I was looking for a Shih-Tzu/Poodle mix and the lady opened up her book and showed me Toto's picture. She said they hadn't found her yet. She let me look at all the dogs so that I would feel better. Their facilities are really nice and I discovered that they don't take in a lot of small dogs. Any smaller dogs that they had were Schnauzers or Shih-Tzus. Those long haired dogs tend to start looking pretty rough when they have been out in the weather and not groomed. I guess people are more hesitant and call animal control.

I had given up all hope. I felt for sure that she had either gotten out of our neighborhood and been hit by a car or taken in by someone who didn't really want to find her home. This afternoon, our 4th grade neighbor and a lady with two dogs knocked on the door. They had Toto! The lady had come across Toto at our community pond just as the neighbor boy walked up. He knew we were looking for Toto, so he led the lady to our house. I can't believe she stayed in our neighborhood. She wasn't hungry and the weather had been so nice that she had enjoyed her little adventure. As soon as we got her, she darted through the doggy door to find her escape route. Her outdoor privileges have been revoked and I went to PetSmart and bought her a tag with her name and phone number on it.

Toto returns home tomorrow... she was found just in time. Her little 5 year old girl didn't even have to find out that she was missing. Lots of time was spent on my knees - before and after she was found! I am so thankful for our little miracle. I just wish it didn't have to take 5 days!