Saturday, August 10, 2013

Hound Dogs And Wild Orchids

I first heard him late Thursday night. Oh crap. There's a hound dog parked at the pull off along the byway just below me. Sure enough, when I left for work Friday morning there he was sitting in the middle of the road watching each car that passed by. He had no collar. It isn't hunting season. He was settin' in one place for hours on end. All the signs that he had been dumped there late in the night.

I went back home and placed an order with animal control....Again....They were last here less than three months ago.

"Y'all should have me on file by now."





















He was still there in the same spot Friday afternoon when I came home. I called animal control to reconfirm my order. I got a long song and dance of we have been very busy today. This is a big county you know.

Yes, yes. I understand all that. I just want to know if you are going to make it up here today or do I need to go feed, water and maybe try to catch the dog?

Well maybe we can get there this weekend, maybe next week. You can bring the dog to us.

Got it. I need to go take care of the dog myself. And no I can't bring a strange dog to you in the back of my pick-up truck. I have no collar, no leash, no cage. I am not a dog person. I am not equipped to transport a strange dog to you.

Then the skies let loose with pounding rain, thunder and lightning. When it was over he was gone. Did animal control come get him? Did one kind stranger of the hundreds who have passed him by and had to slow down to avoid hitting him stop and pick him up? I didn't care. He was gone.

Until about 11pm last night and there he was barking and howling on the road just above me. Too late. You missed dinner. I had breakfast ready to serve Saturday morning and he was no where to be found. Finally he showed up for brunch. Then the skies let loose with pounding rain, thunder and lightning. When it was over he was gone. Alton is apparently smart enough to seek shelter in a storm. Just not with me.

Abandoned dogs are a routine, two to three per year. I really need the equipment to deal with this. I just don't want to pay for it. I looked at collars once and they were $15 a piece.





















I was weeding around my Pink Muhly Grass in between down pours when Alton showed up for brunch. I wanted to clean it up now before it starts to bloom so when it does bloom it will show up nicely.





















I found a native wild orchid, Goodyera pubescens, Rattlesnake Plantain, in bloom. These little orchids with very distinctly veined leaves are scattered all over the mountain.



























Some of my baby shrubberies are finally gaining substance. I keep planting and editing while a garden slowly rises above the Lush.





















In the land of loose hound dogs and wild orchids.

12 comments:

Jason Bugg said...

How big is he? I might have a crate that you can borrow.

Also, get in touch with Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, they can help.

I live in Waynesville and love dogs.

Jason Bugg said...

You can email me at my name (all one word) at gmail dot com.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Poor dog. You are a good person Christopher to help animals you don't think you care for.

Christopher C. NC said...

Hi there Jason. He is about 45lbs of skinny hound dog, all legs and ribs. I was going to call Sarges Animal Rescue in Waynesville this morning and see if they can offer me some supplies before I try to quilt trip the county animal control folks into being more helpful. I do have to give the county kudos. They have been up here every time I called for a pickup. Do you want the dog by chance? I know you love kitties too.

Lisa despite what a certain rodent lover in Australia may think, I don't like to see any animal suffer. That is exactly what happens when they get dumped in the woods.

Cindy, MCOK said...

Poor guy, he's a handsome fellow and I'll bet he would be a loyal friend to someone. I hope he'll get the opportunity.

Garden Broad said...

Poor doggie, I hope you find help for him. I'm not a dog person either, but I hate to see them lost like that, too.

beverly said...

I am a dog person and have extra collars, leashes,dog bowls, etc. If you need some email me at bhrgarden@yahoo.com. He is a pretty hound dog, although hounds are a pain to live with. There must be some bad people near you.

ps I'd be happy to send you this stuff because you make me happy with your posts every day!

Lola said...

Sure hope you find it a shelter soon. I like that you are willing to feed & watch over it till it is taken care of.

Christopher C. NC said...

Well there was no sign of Alton today. He must have gotten enough to eat and the strength to move on. Or?

What I truly don't understand is why a dog hunter would dump their dog like this. They of all people should know better. His ears were notched. Someone marked him. This isn't the first hound dog that has been left up here.

My local dog hunters surely wouldn't dump one of their own dogs where they hunt. Do other hunters dump their dogs in another hunter's territory? None of it makes sense.

Maybe Alton was just lost and his owner finally found him.

beverly said...

Hounds are known to wander. Perhaps that's what happened to him. All's well that ends well - unless your next post documents his reappearance! (:

Les said...

On a full belly or an empty one, a hound will find a scent that leads him elsewhere.

Christopher C. NC said...

I got a report yesterday afternoon that Alton was seen walking down the middle of the byway in Trust, NC about six miles over the county line into the Kingdom of Madison. I was happy to hear that. There are more people over that way.