relievedSO this morning I did me workout at 6, got home at 7:30, and took the dogs for their morning constitutional. The last corner before we get home, a little white Lhasa Apso comes wandering by. My dogs don't take kindly to little dogs, but the LA wasn't taking the hint and followed us all the way home. No leash, but I can see a collar.
OK, lock up my dogs and go back out, the LA is sitting on the driveway waiting. His collar has a tag with his name and a phone number! Call the number. "Hi, this is X's phone, I'm in school or on rotation, I'll call you back as soon as I can." Fbomb. "Hi, X, I have your dog Raider, please call me as soon as possible." OK, I tether Raider in the backyard, provide some kibble and water, and settle down. Raider curls up under my chair. I keep calling X.
Around 9, I put Raider on a leash and start walking around the neighborhood looking for someone who recognizes him. None of the neighbors do. Fbomb.
About 11, I call X and leave the message that I'm really sorry but I cannot afford to petsit any longer, and I'm taking Raider to the Animal Control site and she should pick him up when she can. A bunch of people in line at Animal Control are adopting, and they'd take Raider if he's available. So I hand him over and drive away, it's noon, I still haven't been to the hospital. I'm five minutes down the road, and X calls. She works at Animal Control, and was passing through the Strays section, and looked in a cage and said, "What are you doing here?" Turns out she had adopted Raider from the AC shelter a week ago (which is why no one recognized him), thanks SO much for taking care of him, and when she gets home her housemates are going to catch hell for letting him out, because now she's going to get hit for the stray animal fees.
I leave the odds against this up to you. Use large numbers.
All's well that ends.