She's HOME!!!

On January 19th, my son's pug raced between my legs and out the door while I was putting my boxer, Appollo, on his teather. Roscoe, the local wandering lab was in the yard again and Puggles wanted to play. I still had my pajamas and stocking feet so after a few calls and pleading, to no avail, I went back in the house to get dressed. She'd been loose a few times before and never left the immediate area, so there was no immediate alarm to chase her down in the pjs. Once I got dressed and back out there, she was no where to be found. I took a drive through our small neighborhood but then had to get to work. I told myself not to worry, she'd probably be waiting for me once I got back home...she wasn't.

I was already distraught over the break up with my boyfriend and the fact that the next day would have been my wedding anniversary had I still been married, facing the money troubles and everything else, this pretty much destroyed me. Puggles, the dog that I had done so much to even get, my son's pride and joy was gone. Not wanting to have to accept this, I immediately posted ads, signs, went to file a report with the Humane Society and Animal Control, went door to door asking if they'd seen her, everything I could think of. No luck. Friday, when my son would be back from his dad's, was approaching at lightening speed. If I wasn't at work or scanning ads, I was curled up in a ball, crying. Holding Appollo for some comfort...bless him for understanding as much as a dog can...and wondering what I was going to say to my son.

Friday came, 6 o'clock was almost there and still no Puggles. I had run a bath, trying to collect my wits, what was I gonna say? I was drying off when I heard my son come through the front door calling "Mom! I'm here! Hi Appollo!" and then it came...."Where's Puggles?" Standing there in my towel, I managed to say "Hon, she's not here" The tears started coming as I explained what happened, apologizing because I had let him down. "It's not your fault, mom" I could hear the hurt in his voice.

For the next few weeks, we continued to scan ads for found, missing and even pets that were up for sale (in case someone found her and tried to sell her). We visited the animal shelter, followed every possible lead and posted sign after sign. We even renewed the 'Lost' ads with a promise of a reward, no questions asked, for her return. Announcing it even at my son's school over the morning announcements. Nothing. Desperate to try and mend my son's broken heart I answered an ad for someone moving to California and saying they couldn't take their pug with them, Roxie was her name and I brought her home. But unfortunately my son was so fixated on Puggles, that the new pug wasn't being well-received. She just wasn't Puggles and couldn't possibly take her place. A month went by....5 weeks....6 weeks...and then the magical call came. Someone had seen a neighbor with a newly acquired black pug. I described her in detail and they said they'd check it out further and get back to me. A week later, today, they called again. They said they were sure this was my pug. The man who had her was very skittish whenever they asked about her and would whisk the pug inside whenever they looked his way. I called a police friend of mine and he put me in touch with an officer on duty. When the officer showed up, I explained everything that had taken place. He offered to go over to the house and check it out. We went with him to identify the dog. When the man opened the dog Puggles ran out! The officer caught her and I called out "Puggles!!" She started wagging her curled tail off and squirmed out of the officer's hands running up to us. She still had the same collar on that we had taken a picture of and everything. We laughed and cried and hugged and were so incredibly happy to have her back!! She's home and bathed (she smelled like cigarette smoke, yuck!) and back to being the cuddlebug she was!