This morning started like any other for Nico and I. I had my
pastries and he had his sausages and I was halfway through my cup of tea when I
heard that a dog had been hit by a car at our local Leisure Center and ran off
towards the canal, near my home. At first I was going to sit and keep an eye
out as my house looks onto one of the routes down from the canal but then I
thought about it more. It made me think
of how I would feel if Nico was hurt and no one came to help look for him. A
moment later I was a flurry of activity shouting for my mum to get Nico on his
lead while I fell about looking for clothes and suitable footwear. A few
minutes later I was out the door armed with treats for Nico and the number of
an emergency vet.
Nico and I were out there for a good hour and a half
searching through the wooded areas around the centre and canal but unfortunately
had no luck in finding the injured dog. It was pretty disgusting work as being
near the canal the ground is always wetter anyway and we’ve had a lot of rain
recently so it was like sludge most of the time. Plus it was cold and generally
rather bleak while trying to squirm through dead trees on the search. Nico was
brilliant about following me through even though he got very muddy and probably
had cold feet considering how deep the sludge was in comparison to his wee
feet. He did not complain or try to stop once though and was always sniffing.
Of course, he didn’t know what he was sniffing for but it made me feel better. We got into a right mess but I’m glad that we
did it all.
I wasn’t sure whether to take Nico at first, and had to
weigh up the options. On the one hand,
he might scare the other dog or the site of him might cause the dog to panic
and become aggressive but on the other he might be able to find the dog easier
than I could alone. Obviously, I did take him but it was always on my mind that
it might not have been the right choice until I bumped into others looking who
had their dogs too. Nico behaved perfectly like he has been trained to and made
some new friends on the search. It felt nice to be part of the dog community if
you like, trying to help find another part of it. I’m glad that I did my bit
and it was nice to think that if it was Nico these people would be out looking
for him too.
For someone with social anxiety like me, it isn’t easy to do
something like that. It was terrifying just getting up and heading out to help
like that but I’m very proud of myself for doing it. Without Nico I would never
have been out in that area of town by myself, never have met those people or
spoken to them, and wouldn’t have felt the sense of community that I did today.
Every person that I don’t know and talk to is part of my recovery process.
On our return to the house, Nico was muddy up to his knees
and in dire need of a bath and I was utterly exhausted. Tea and bones were handed
out and we had a hard earned rest but I do feel a sense of achievement and
pride for what we have done today. I
hope the dog is found and that his injures are not too severe so it can recover
and return home to its family.
Sam and Nico
