Charity begins at home

I got some mail from the dog pound today, it was slightly panic inducing, as you will come to understand. As it turns out, I didn't need to worry.

It reads:

Dear Ms T

In 2006 you were caring enough to adopt an abandoned or lost dog or cat, who we hope is still with you today..........

(actually, I got him in 1997 but anyway.....)

What, they don't know?

they don't remember when I went, grizzly baby on hip, to pick up a newly emasculated Taff and he was overjoyed so that he wrapped his lead around my legs and I ended up in the gutter?

They don't remember the Saturday afternoon I arrived at the pound soon after him and I emptied my wallet to bail him out five minutes before closing, desperately hoping I had enough or else he would be stuck overnight and I would have to pay the $50 for overnight boarding?

They don't remember the time a few years back when he took off and I was searching frantically while he had been taken to the local vets for safe keeping? when his registration had run out and he wasn't microchipped and I had to pay for after hours impounding because the vet needed to go home and the dog catcher had to pick him up after hours and then he was impounded overnight, while I worried about a black dog running around on dark roads?

They don't remember that?

That would have been the 2006 date referred to in the letter and it probably would have been cheaper to pretend I didn't know him and buy him all over again.

They don't remember the time, just a few weeks back, when my Dad took the call (not for the first time) about my delinquent dog, picked him up and paid the fine because I was snowed under?

Yes, Sydney Dog & Cat home, we still have him but your soulless concrete kennel with wonderful staff is his second home.