🐶🐕🐩 Lost and Found: The Romeo Who *Almost* Stole My Heart 🐶🐕🐩

I mean, come on guys, Just look at that face!

So most of you know me as a crazy cat lady, but this little (and very fat) dude waddled up to my car on Thursday and honestly very nearly became the 7th member of our family! @zakludick hahahahahahaahahahaha

Ok, but no, it doesn't actually work that way. While I'm not saying I haven't been tempted to adopt every lost animal that crosses my path, you can't just go around the neighborhood picking up "strays." Apparently that's not ethical or logical 🙄

No really, I know what heartache is experienced when a furbaby goes missing. I would not want to be responsible for causing that kind of pain for anyone. And while our local " Karen's" make a huge noise about not letting cats out of the house, like ever, and dogs escaping through gates that were left open by accident (and they're not wrong for encouraging responsible pet ownership), most of the time when a pet goes missing it's a tragic and scary thing. At the end of the day, we're all human and it's possible to accidentally leave a window, door, or gate open or to even have a pet wiggle their way out of an enclosure that we thought was safe.

So. Back to our "almost" 7th child...

I had already picked up Matthew on Thursday and we were just around the corner from Meren's school when we noted this little black blob bobbing down the road, with no owner or people in sight. I pulled over and put on my hazards.

This little guy came waddling straight up to us and indicated that he wanted to get into my car! He was super friendly and was licking our hands like crazy.

With no collar or other humans in sight, I decided that this little guy needed help. Apparently, he needed help to get into the car too, as after several attempted jumps, we realised he was too fat to clear the gap 😆 Matthew picked him up, despite my protests as he was a dog we don't know and he could have easily snapped at Matthew or bitten him), and gently out him into the car, closing all the doors and joining him on the back seat for some playtime and cuddles.

@Matthew-Williams has a wonderful way with all animals, really, but especially dogs, and these two hit it off so well. I snapped a few pictures and sent them to Zak.

Then I did the responsible adult thing 🙄...

Once I knew that this little mutt wasn't going to hurt Matthew, I left the two of them safely locked in the car while I went to scout the neighborhood.

All I found at 2 pm were empty homes and locked doors as everyone was probably still out at work or running around fetching children, just like me.

Despondent (but also a little happy) I walked back to the car to have a think. I figured the next step would be to go to the nearest vet and have him scanned for a microchip.

As I was readying myself to leave and go pick up Meren, I noticed a house quite far down the road, where a man was fixing pipes and had quite a few laborers on the property doing some sort of renovations: and the gate was wide open. I walked up to him and asked:

"I'm so sorry, but do you perhaps know of a black pug who lives in the area?"

And he responded:

"Oh, the fat old one? that's Romeo!"

And what an apt name, as it is apparently his modus operandi to seek out unsuspecting moms like me in a bid for free cuddles and treats 😆

Romeo was safely delivered back to his dad (although he did try to get back into my car several times) and now all I'm left with is these photos... and all the dog hair... and the godawful smell of wet dog in my car!!!

Farewell sweet Romeo, may we meet again. And when we do, I hope you've brushed your teeth!