Dateline: Wednesday Night

ever almost hit a dog?  Then decided to be a good guy and find the owner?  I would almost say don't...

Following Sim home the other night she almost hit a dog.  We both stopped and got out to make sure the dog was okay.  1-2 years old blond German Shepard female.  Beautiful dog.   well behaved.  and she had a choke collar with a 8 foot leash, but not a license.  walk the neighborhood and knock on doors.  Those at answer at 9:30 at night do not know the dog.  call the local police and they take a report, but then have us call the County Sheriff and file a report, they then ask us to take the dog to the Animal Control Shelter as they only respond to hit or violent animals.  I get eh dog in my dog and start heading out.  I arrive at the local shelter... Closed on Wednesdays....  Back in the car and on the way to the County shelter, almost a minutes drive away... I'm on the phone with their answering machine when the smell hits me.  The dog is car sick and has barfed... the back seat is swimming in puke.  and the smell is deadly.  just then the answering machine voice states"we are closed after 6:00 PM, and only respond to Law Enforcement Officers"...  I stop at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Dept administration complex and ask what I do with the dog.  "There are cages out front the shelter for overnight drop offs".  Back to the shelter and in the corner of the parking lot is a small hut like brick object on  entering I see 6 cages, 2 small, 2 med, and 2 large. I get the dog into a large cage... and full the dish with water.  Its now 1:00 AM... four hours later then finding the dog.  Next stop a gas station with a vacuum unit to try to clean up the back seat.  the dog also took a dump....  scraping out what I could and vacuuming up everything I finally get home about 2:00 AM and spray down the back seat with a carpet cleaning solution.  go inside, take a shower and go to bed.  All these because I care about animals and the people paid to care so don't.....  Things need to change...

l8rs