As Natureman departed for a meeting and I returned from town, we exchanged words near the mail box. He asked how I was doing and I replied, "sad." He informed me in my absence he had continued the search spending the late morning looking for Romeo, all for naught. :(
After I returned to the house I was about to grab a bite when I heard an unusual noise from outside. The chickens tend to make quite a ruckus as they lay their eggs but this sounded different. I opened the sliding door and stepped out to check if I could decipher the noise. There it was again, it was the longest, most pitiful howl I'd ever heard, like an animal in distress and then there was a bark. It was Romeo!
I started out down the road and stopped in my tracks as the realization hit that it'd be smarter to have the car as close as possible to wherever I would climb as he obviously was injured. I got in the car, opened the windows and drove off down around the bend listening for another howl but it was not as clear. Obviously I had gone too far, so I backed up until it was clearer and stopped the car. After fighting the brambles up the opposite side of the End of the Rainbow Valley's bowl toward's the neighbor's corn field, another howl rang out. But the sounds were not coming from in front of me, but from behind me. Noise reverberates in a valley and it's easy to misjudge. Back down I scurried, yelling to Romeo I was coming.
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| Hole behind center tree- House on top of hill(R) |
After climbing the hillside following the now whimpering, eventually I saw the small hole in the hillside. I scrambled towards it. There awaiting my discovery was the saddest mud caked snout and eyes belonging to Romeo.
He had fallen into a small den and was stuck. The hole's opening narrowed the further back it went. He was wedged in rear towards the back and couldn't move.
*The photo to the right shows its size better as I later returned with Natureman to show him where I had found Romeo. His boot gives one a better idea of the hole size.Any how, back to Romeo's rescue. I reached in, pulling his front legs from behind his, well, I'll call them armpits outstretching his paws forward. Then I leaned into the small hole reaching to collapse his semi extended rear legs, this time grabbing behind his haunches pulling his rear torso slowly towards the opening. Finally, he was out and free but as he attempted to stand to relieve himself, his rear legs buckled as he couldn't hold his weight. He had to be carried down to the car. Some adrenaline must have been rushing as I didn't think twice about lifting the 70 pound dog. Numerous stops were necessary before we reached the road and the parked car. I was determined.
Before anything else, we needed to head back to the house. Besides needing to make a call to make sure the mobile vet had office hours, it dawned on me I had left a dozen eggs boiling on the stove. Can you imagine the stink that could have been awaiting my return? First things first though, poor Romeo needed water. He must be dehydrated, right? But he was too stressed to even go for a drink. I hand cupped his water for him.
Of course, the vet call was almost fruitless as only a recording at the vet's stated a return call would ensue. They were open but I couldn't wait for the return call. Off we went.
Fortunately, a full checkup found Romeo's vitals good but traumatized, his injuries more arthritic from being cramped in the small space. The vet sent us home with anti-inflammatory meds, antibiotics and extra pain relievers in case of continued distress. Romeo was home safe albeit being a very exhausted pooch. He's not the only one sleeping better... Thanks for all your positive wishes. Romeo's back home in the End of the Rainbow Valley.
Has one of your pets ever gotten in such a predicament? Do share.
If he could only talk. Happy tails!
ReplyDeleteSo thankful Romeo was found safe and sound🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteThank G-d you found him. That would have been a horrible way to end his life. You'll have to compare stories with Marti about Mr Sparky's excellent adventures when he still walked this earth. I've had my share of mishaps with the queen of escapes named Gracie, but nothing as harrowing as this. You are a determined lady and Romeo is lucky to have such a concerned owner.
ReplyDeleteOur experience started during a blizzard. The guys were out trying to get a head start shoveling so I let Sparky out to join them. He somehow wandered off and lost his way in the heavy blowing snow. When streets were cleared we started driving around after making calls to everyone we knew, including the Humane Society. No luck. We only prayed that he had found shelter in someone's garage. We lived in Onalaska by the Omni Center. Somehow he had walked across Lake Onalaska to Fisherman's Road area near the airport and fell through the ice there.
ReplyDeleteWe were so fortunate that someone saw him and called 911. An off duty dive and rescue trained firefighter was on I-90, heard the call and responded. With no back-up it was a risky rescue, but he succeeded in getting Sparky (and himself thank God) to shore.
He drove him to a local veterinary clinic where they gave him warm IV's, etc. and worked to de-ice his heavy coat. Since he had tags, they were able to call us. We brought him home later in the day.
The local news had heard the original 911 call and responded, getting photo's of the icy rescue and they later came to our home for the "Happily Ever After" pictures and story.
We were told the story and pictures hit AP nationwide. All we cared about was getting a very special member of our family home.
He did suffer somewhat from flashback's. At times he wouldn't enter our kitchen. He would stand in the doorway (on the carpet) and with one paw tap the shiny tile floor. Nothing could get him to enter when those memories came back to him. This continued the rest of his years but fortunately only once or twice a year.
A local high school rock band ended up naming themselves "Sullivan's Dog" because of the story. It was a short lived group, but a nice memory.
Anyone who calls a pet "just a dog (or cat or bird or...) obviously had never enjoyed the love you give and get from this addition to your family.
Happy tears!!
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