My husband and I are feeling SO lucky tonight.

We were out on our deck, enjoying a bottle of wine and chatting as we often do on Friday nights. Our dog was playing in the backyard, and periodically coming up on the deck to visit before disappearing again. At one point I realized we hadn't seen him in a little while and said "Where's Monte?" to my husband. We called and whistled, and then started to poke around the backyard. He's a black lab, so at night he's always tough to see. Then we saw our gate was open!

Once we saw this the panic set in. We're always careful about the gate, but must not have closed it properly. We went out front and looked, and called ... no dog. We grabbed our cell phones and leashes and set out. Our neighbors have huskys who were barking - maybe he was over there? We knocked on the door and he was nowhere to be found, but our neighbor promptly hopped on his bike and took off looking.

I went one way, and my husband the other. When I got to the end of our street a police officer pulled over to talk to me. He saw me walking with an empty leash and asked if we were looking for a dog. I gave him the details, and he said he'd keep a look out, and to call the police station if we didn't see him, as someone might call in. I thanked him and he wished me luck.

I crossed a busy street, looking for a lab as I went, hoping he hadn't been hit by a car. I walked about a mile down a route we sometimes take when we walk him, calling him, and feeling dread set in.

Suddenly the police officer pulled up and said "You're on the wrong street, he's over on Alpine. Hop in!" I got into the back of the car and saw on the LCD screen in his car that he had reported our dog missing to the other officers.

We drove to a specific address on this street and stopped. "I think they have him" he said. We knocked on the door of a home we'd never visited before. A couple with a teenaged daughter answered and a dog appeared, but it wasn't ours. Then our dog came to the door as well, tail wagging!

"Our daughter was just talking about wanting another dog" the woman said, "we opened the door and he walked in!" She had taken him into her home, had given him water and could tell that he was someone's pet and not a stray. She called the SPCA to report the find, and they had asked if she wanted him picked up. She had said no, he'll stay here with us and we'll put flyers out in the morning. Then she called the police, and the officer who had spoken to me earlier went to find me, still looking for the dog.

They were all so gracious, our neighbor on his bicycle, the police officer whose name I never caught (it all happened so fast!), and the family who took him in. The stars were aligned tonight and I can't tell you how lucky we feel.

Needless to say the local police station is getting a big sheet cake from us tomorrow, and we're going to send gift baskets to the neighbors who helped us.

There are definitely good people in this world. We have our pup back thanks to them.

That's a lovely story, there are lots of good people out there. I'm pleased you got your fur baby back safe and sound.

SHEET CAKE? You'll put them off their donuts for at least three hours!!
Seriously though, to your local police!

Ah, what a lovely ending to the story. So glad you have your dog back now

oh what a wonderful story! I am so glad that everyone involved was so nice and caring
big hugs to Monte

I am forever picking up dogs and trying to find their owners.

Once I managed to find a dog's owner by asking in the gas station. It's one of these little local stations with 2 pumps and they make pizza behind the counter. They know everyone in town and happened to have the owners phone number! It's now the first place I try when i pick up a dog

Hee hee - you may be right! I certainly never expected the police to help us find our dog. We're going to have to see what the local bakery can whip up for us. I have cookies being delivered to the neighbors who helped.

So nice of you to pick them up when you find them. I think the daughter was pleased to see us, but also a little disappointed. She thought she had a new puppy.

well luckily for the owners it's all been little frou frou dogs that I seem to pick up, and I have no interest in them
Now If I was to pick up a big dog one day....well.....

Like a 75 pounder? Monte's puppy pictures are in the gallery, but he's a wee bit bigger than that now. I'm a fan of the bigger dogs myself.

He sounds like a big lub Yep I love the bigguns.

Our Wembley was a 100lb Olde English Bulldogge, and when we get another it'll definately be a chunky dog ....Gonna go check out your gallery now

I want a Newfy myself. LOVE the big dogs. I think of Monte as a medium sized dog.

Wembley sounds awesome.

ok I tried to go to the gallery twice, and twice I had to shut down this computer as it froze. so I will try again later

Here's Wembley (aka Magoo)

I don't think that worked...but I can't tell, because I often can't see pics posted from this computer anyway..*sigh*

Great to hear you got your dog back safe and sound, Kaffy.

I must admit, we have always helped people to find their missing dogs and had to phone the number on dog tags a few times.

I would hope people would do the same for us if we lost Harvey on one of his walks.

We have also found numerous mobile phones and called the 'home' number in the address book, to return it to its owner.

Awwww...... And that's the way it should be, everyone helping everyone else! So glad you found Monte safe and sound!

I love big dogs as well, but hubs wouldn't let me have anything bigger than what we got.....a coonhound. We call her the mutant beagle because she really looks like a beagle in the face.....just bigger.