Thursday, July 13, 2006

Whose Responsible?

It's really hot outside and my neighbor dog is melting. I love this dog but I have to be careful as the owner doesn't like any interference. He doesn't feed the dog, take it to the vet, or let it in the house but it's HIS dog and I had better not forget that.
I forgot it once and let her slept in my house each night all winter long. When he found out he took the dog away and she just came back after almost 9 months and you can see on her neck where she has been chained. She seems a bit subdued.
My neighborhood considers her the neighborhood dog and we all feed her and bring her into our houses and I take her to the vet when she needs it.
For the most part she has a wonderful life. She is with the neighborhood kids all the time, at the park, on trips to the store or Taco Bell.
She goes for walks with me around the block at 2 am and patiently waits when I can't keep up with her pace.
She wrestles with the neighbor cats and lies in the sun with them.
She guards our dead end street, lying in the middle, not moving for cars that come down it - we all move for her.
No one gets past her without our knowing about it.
That's a nice safe feeling.
She is afraid of thunder and fireworks and comes to me and I medicate her to relieve her anxiety.
Right now though she is melting in the heat and I want to bring her into my house so she can cool down but her owner is home and I don't want him to take her away again.
Does she know that it's his job to take care of her and not mine? Or does she just feel betrayed by all of us?