Zippy Finds Her Home

Last Saturday afternoon, Carolyn and I were driving home from downtown. As we came down Willow Creek Blvd, we saw on-coming traffic was backed up for several blocks. At first glance we didn't notice the dog running right down the middle of the street holding up the long line of cars. A small black dog in the center of the right hand lane never swerved but held the center course like it was leading a parade.

On-coming cars were slowing down. Those immediately following the dog were honking trying to get it to get out of the way. It looked like a very short of time before something bad happened.

We pulled into a gas station at the corner of Smoke Tree Lane and got out to see if there was anything we could do to get the dog out of harm's way. As we did, the dog turned on to Smoke Tree Lane, ran past us and headed up the mile long hill that leads to our house. A number of cars heading that way followed right behind, honking.

We got back in our car deciding to give chase and see if we could catch the animal who we could now see was frightened by the cars, the noise, and the confusion of the situation. Going up Smoke Tree Lane, a number of on-coming cars nearly hit it as it swerved back and forth between lanes.

Near the top of the hill, the dog turned again on to Golden Hawk Road. Now only we and another car ahead of us were behind the dog. With some effort the other car was able to get in front of the dog. When the driver did, she got out of her car and headed the dog off. We pulled in behind and did the same thing. The dog examined its options and ran onto the porch of a nearby house atempting to hide from us.

When we got there, the dog was exhausted and scared to death. We approached with some caution not knowing what it's reaction to being cornered might be. Amazingly, it just collapsed.

The dog was a speckled brown, grey, and black short haired variety. It looked a bit like an Australian Shepherd. It made no attempt to be aggressive but it also did little to respond to our entreaties. It refused food that was offered. It did take a little water. It would not come to us.

The dog had no collar or identification. So Carolyn got a rope from our car, made a lead and put it on her. I encouraged it to come with me but it would not. By that time the homeowner saw us on the porch and came to find out what was going on. We asked him to called Animal Control. We waited a good while but no one showed up. I then decided to get the dog in my car and take it to Animal Control.

When we got there, it was closed. I called the police at that point. They said a squad car would come out. We sat there for nearly an hour no one came. It was Friday night, a busy night for the police and the dog was low priority. So Carolyn and I took her home with us.

The lady who helped us catch the dog told us where she first saw her running in traffic. It was about three miles from our house. The next morning, I took her in my car and we went back to the closest neighborhood. I parked in a lot near some apartment buildings. When I opened the car door, the dog jumped out wanting to take off. For the next two hours we walked through neighborhood after neighborhood, the dog leading the way. I stopped everyone saw and asked if they recognized the dog. No one did.

I stood with the dog at an intersection in the neighborhood to see if anyone would drive by and recognize her. No one stopped.

Finally, we walked into an adjoining neighborhood which had another large apartment complex. I let the dog lead me wherever she wanted to go. I spoke with everyone I saw. We walked a big loop through the complex and came back to where we started. No one knew the dog.

I started to leave to try another area. The dog, for the first time, resisted me and pulled me back into the complex. So, I told her OK we'll go around one more time. We did and still she didn't go up to any building and no one I saw knew her. So again, I tried to leave. She wouldn't let me. She dug her heels in, pulled on the rope and pulled me back in. I told her we would try it again.

The third time around, I ran into a woman who initally said she did not know the dog, but then remembered that there was a new family to the area who had a dog. She pointed out the apartment a few doors down. I walked over to it. As I approached a young boy ran out of a sliding glass door yelling, "Zippy! You're home." His mother followed him out and identified Zippy as their dog who had jumped out of the back of her husband's pick up truck the day before.

Zippy turned out to be a Queensland Heeler, a kind of the Australian shepherding dog. She had lived at this location for only a couple of weeks so, she knew the neighborhood but not the exact apartment. Thank goodness she was insistent and didn't let me lead her away. Her persistence got her home.

When I got home I looked Queensland Heelers up on the Internet. They are called Heelers because of their penchant for herding and knipping at the heels of sheep or cattle to corral them. They are intellignet hardy animals with great loyalty to their owners. They came from England and Scotland to Australia where they were crossed with native dingoes.

Have a good life Zippy. Stay out of the traffic.