Animals have a way of visiting Murphy's Law on us sometimes, don't they?
A few months ago Cody escaped his confines and I frantically went looking for him in my car. As I was driving around I failed to stop at the stop sign in front of the elementary school. Well, actually I didn't stop at all, I ran it, but not on purpose and there happened to be a policeman who witnessed me doing it. I was issued a ticket for $150.00. Traffic violation tickets are much more expensive when they occur near a school. Just after receiving the ticket I headed home for a few minutes and when I turned into the driveway Cody was there waiting for me, sitting in front of the garage door, a big smile on his face, tongue hanging out and wagging his tail. I didn't scold him, but I told him Santa probably wouldn't be visiting him this year.
Anyway, I paid the ticket and Santa DID come for Cody. I can't get mad at that dog. He's so cute.
I have no doubt, finding him (or having him waiting for you at home) was worth far more than the $150.
When it comes to animals, our families have always been suckers, and because of that have always been reaching into our wallets.
When we lived on our 25acre hobby farm, surrounded by 1000 acre sheep properties, my son was exploring on the property next door one time, and found a sheep caught in some wire. It had been there a few days and the birds had started pecking at one of his eyes. So my son untangled it, carried it down the hill and back to our house, which was quite a feat as it was fully grown and full of wool. He then put the sheep in the boot of the car and travelled 40miles into town to the vet, who did surgery, removing the eye and stitching it up, and gave us ointment to stave off infection. The vet was very conservative with his account and only charged us $200.
The sheep was probably only worth $30, and if the farmer had found it, he probably would have just put a bullet it him.
Well, he lived a happy life with us from then on, and ended up dying of old age, some five years later. Because he only had one eye we called him Cyclops. He was qute accident prone, because a year or so after we had him, he got his horn caught in a fence, and lost that too. So he was one eyed and one horned, but we loved him.
I guess I should have this story over in Animals in our Lives, instead of here....but reading your story David, just made me remember this.