Most of you know that I work for a Vet. Well, one of my duties is going in on the weekends to feed what animals are boarding. This past Sunday was not different in that aspect.
I got up at dark thirty, grabbed a cup of coffee and got myself ready for the day. After feeding and walking animals, I was planning on going to church. Always being an early riser, I like to make it to the early service…Then I have brunch and enjoy the newspaper.
Well, this past Sunday, I pulled into the parking lot and started my day. I walked in, disarmed the alarm and clocked in. I had 5 dogs and 2 cats to feed and walk (doggies only get walks). So, I started right in. It is important to remember this all started around 7:00AM.
I had walked three of the four dogs. I had two little dachunds to walk (Forest and Jenny). They had made a mess of their kennel. So, I made sure the back door was securely closed and I let the pups out of there kennel to run around in the area while I was cleaning. I had the door to the office area closed so they were confined to the kennel area. The back door was unlocked as I had just walked back in and kenneled Cotton. I did not expect any company so I turned to the job at hand.
I hear a beep from the disarmed alarm, alerting me that the back door had been opened. I turned around to see a man standing there. Needless to say, I was frightened and alarmed! The pups ran right through his legs and out the door. The animals in the kennels were barking and I was face to face with someone I did not recognized who had no business being there. My heart was reved up and my flight or fight reflexes were on edge.
I first looked at his hands, which at the time were empty. We were still a distance from each other but I was already assessing what to do next. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind…some of them primal. Really, I could feel my body tensing for either flight or strike. I quickly thought about whether I could get past him or if I could knock him down. He was standing in the doorway so there was no way I could reach out and slam the door to protect myself or the other animals. Meanwhile, the two pups were out in the yard running around and barking…free as could be. (The yard is not fenced. So, if they chose to do so, they could be gone in seconds…) All of this was running through my mind in split seconds.
I yelled…not sure of the words I used…but feel some of them were not “church words”…I demanded he tell me who he was and why he felt he could just open the door and come in. Still my body was ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.
This person who was unshaven and scruffy looking stated that he missed his little dog and had come to pick him up. He stated he was sorry for letting the dogs out. At that point, not knowing whether he was lying or not, I buzzed past him to see about rescuing the pups from the yard. Forest and Jenny were dancing about barking along with the other dogs in their kennels. I tried to get them to come to me. But, this man wasn’t finished ruining my morning, he started trying to chase them down. Well, they just kept getting farther and farther away. I yelled at him to stop “trying to catch” the pups and let them come to me.
Well, Jenny finally ran up to me. I snatched her up and ran for the door. I got her in her kennel and went after Forest. They are bonded well to each other so he came running after his sister. I grabbed him up too and got him to saftey.
Then, I turned my rath on the intruder. I demanded to know who he was and why he thought he could just walk in to a building to which he had no ties. He apologized only to the point of saying it was an honest mistake and that he wanted his dog. I am sure my voice remained raised when I told him in no uncertain terms what I thought.
You see, the policy is no pick ups on Sunday. So, how had this man just happened to show up at 7:00 AM to get his dog? He never explained that little bit of information. He just kept insisting that he had missed his dog, Tassil, and wanted to take him home. Since he knew the name of the dog, and I was starting to calm down a little, I knew then that I was not in immediate danger.
I stated strongly that he should have called or at the very least knocked before opening the door. A door which has a sign on it at eye level that states “use front door”. He knew the policy…but just missed his dog. He was sorry that he let the animals out…but it was an “honest mistake”…. Honest mistake my A**.
Well, I got his dog, the dog’s leash and other things and shoved him at his owner. Then I shoved them both out the door and locked it.
I finished up what I needed to do all the while thanking God for protecting me and for keeping me from harming someone else (who might have deserved it a little….). I realized just how lucky I was that it was not someone who was intent on making trouble. I made it to church and my heart finally slowed down some time later.
I shared my most unexcellent adventure with my co-workers and my boss on Monday. There are a couple of take aways from this. We periodically leave the door unlocked while walking our charges…(keys sometimes get put down or misplaced and it is rather embarassing having to call your boss or walk to his house in order for him to come let you back in). So, keys should be on person and doors should remain locked. I learned where the panic button was on the alarm keyboard. Plolice come quickly in Davidson.
This is not the end of the story. The owner brought the dog back the next day for a dental procedure. When he came in he never once made any reference to the incident on Sunday. When he came that evening to pick Tassil up, I gave him his dog…he never once apologized to me for scaring me so badly on Sunday….That really burned my butt!
There is one question….what was he doing out at 7:00AM anyway? And what made him think he could just show up to get his dog?
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Posted by newt221