My Buddy

Today was a bit of a sad day around the Evans' house. Karen, after working last night, arrived home about 8 this morning to find our neighbor's dog under my truck.

Now before I go on, it would do well for you to know some background. We've lived in this particular house in good ol' Albertville AL for nearly 5 years. Over that time, our neighbors have had a combined total of about 13 dogs. None of these dogs were kept in fences or pins, but instead were allowed to roam the neighborhood freely. At one point there were about 8 dogs between the 4 houses surrounding ours. They were quite a nuisance, dragging off shoes and other items we would carelessly leave in our own garage. Not to mention that apparently my yard is the perfect doggy bathroom. So for the most part, I was the grumpy old neighbor who would yell at the dogs "Git outta my yard ya stupid dogs!"

Well last summer the house beside us rented out to a new set of neighbors. Before long they got a dog...a little yapper...chihuahua that hates everybody and thinks he's a giant. Then a couple of months later they got another dog, a shitzu that in my book doesn't really count as a dog....more like a canine cat. Then they got ANOTHER dog, some little lab looking mutt. Once again I didn't really think much about them, other than I wish they wouldn't poop in my yard. But over the last couple of months, the little lab mutt would come over and visit. He was thin and looked under-fed and didn't seem to receive much attention from his owners. So I just started playing with him some and giving him a little scrub behind the ears. Over the last 2 months or so I actually grew to like the little guy. Karen even liked him! At least a couple of times a week I'd come home, eat dinner, and go out and play with him. I was in the process of teaching him how to fetch a tennis ball. I would get him out in the back yard and run around with him. He was my buddy! I even gave him a name (cause I didn't know his real one)....Oscar.

Back to the 13 neighborhood dogs. All but 2 of them have died from anti-freeze poisoning. The neighbors shitzu was the latest victim, poisoned about about a month ago. We don't exactly know who is doing it, but we are the only family who has lived here for all of the dogs death except for one, who lives a couple of houses down.

Well this morning Karen found Oscar (whose real name I found out was Alvin...I was close) under my truck looking very sick. She came in and got me, and at first glance I could just tell that he too had been poisoned. He was looking really bad. I didn't know what to do, so I came in and got him some water. By the time I came out he was limping back to his own yard. Karen went over to let the neighbors know but they didn't answer the door. Had he been mine I would have either rushed him to the vet or put an end to the suffering myself. But he wasn't. So I went to work, surprised at how sad I was over this little dog. When I returned home from work, my neighbor called me over and told me he had found Oscar (Alvin) and that he was going to have him put down. So tonight, I lost my little buddy.

I've always been a sucker for dogs. I just love how, no matter what, they are happy to see you. How they give you their undivided attention at a whistle. How they love to run and play. How, even if you have to scold them, they always seem to come back wagging their tale. It's something about their unconditional love and devotion that just gets me. They are the epitome of innocence. They are quick to forgive and forget and seem to take everyday as something to enjoy. They can really add to life ya know?!?!

Some of you probably think all of this is pretty silly....I mean after all it is just an ol' dog. He wasn't even my dog. I didn't feed him or anything. He was just a neighbor dog. But it makes me furious to think that someone would be so cruel to kill a dog that way. I am thankful that I got to play with him some. He brought a good bit of enjoyment to me, and I'll miss my little buddy Oscar.

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