Lacey gave us grey hairs today!
Lacey disappearred from the back yard for an hour and half this afternoon. She is home and fine.
I was out back with the 2 dogs. The back yard is fenced in. We don't even bother with collars or harnesses (all of which had ID tags on them) when we take them out back. I bought a starter agility kit a few months back and finally got to it today. Once it was set up, I walked Lacey through it on a leash twice. Let her go and did the same with Sugar. I saw Lacey head into the veggie garden as I was working with Sugar. Well, the cats and dogs go in there often for the shade. I saw down and re-read the training tips again. Decided it ws time to go for my groceries and called the dogs to oome in. Sugar bounced right in. No sign of Lacey.
I went through the veggie garden, didn't see her. But by this time of year it is pretty dense in there. I got Dad to help. We started using a stick, then Dad thought of the garden hose. Now we are getting hot and worked up. Calling her constantly. Nothing!!!
Worked our way through all the hostas. Still no Lacey.
I saw a white dog romping in the field behind the school. Went over and saw a woman there tossing a ball. I was going to just leave, but I decided to walk over and speak to her. She moved into the apartments the OTHER SIDE of the field a month ago and had just discovered the field this weekend. This was her first time there with her dog. Her dog is a white maltese, Riley. He was sweet. I mentioned about Lacey. She said she'd keep an eye out as she walked home, and asked where I lived. I pointed out my home from there. I really didn't think much about it, as I have NEVER taken either of my dogs to that particular field and certainly not out the other side of it. I went back home, told Dad the dog we saw was Riley not our dog and I had told the woman about Lacey.
I start driving the neighborhood, windows open, calling her name. Took the 2 routes I walk them, at least three times each. Going around and around in circles. Dad is back at the house, he has started going through the vegetation around the rest of the house.
I get back home and the next door neighbor tells me Dad has the dog inside!
I went FLYING into the house!
Turns out that woman I just met had found Lacey, on the street out the far side of the field, and heading towards her apartments. She couldn't get Lacey to come to her. She let Riley out ont he full length of his retractable leash and he got her to stop. The woman picked Lacey up and carried her all the way back across the filed to our house! She came to the back fence and hollered. Dad heard her wet around to see and then ran himself back out to the front down the street past 2 houses nd through the walkway to the school area. (She didn't know how to get to our house from the school and it isn't easy to picture if you haven't done it.) Then Dad carried Lacey back to the house. He says he thanked her at least 6 times
We don't even know her name! The apartments where she lives, there are 7 buildings and over 100 units.
Lacey has been very subdued since she came back. I think she must have been scared. She was quite hot and panting. Dad said even the woman told him "the dog is very hot." That all passed in less than half an hour. She just sits in my lap and sleeps. Now and then she opens her eyes to check where I am, where Dad is, then she is asleep again.
Dad and I separately looked along the rear fence and we think we know where she got through. The down pours of rain from Wednesday caused some erosion and there is a gap; small, even for an 11 pound dog, but apparently big enough for her! We will work on fixing that tomorrow. For today, by the time we got settled with her back in the house at 4:30 PM, we were both too tired from the stress to do anything.
Lacey IS microchipped, but that is small comfort when you are dashing about trying to find your doggie!
God was surely looking out for Lacey, as I don't know any other way to explain how I came to speak to that woman on her first visit to that field and let her know what was going on.
