Finally found a CampSite with power & water hook-ups, so I can broadcast the course of events – in case I don’t make … well, just in case.
As we crossed the rest of Ohio, after touring the Cat’s Meow Village, and drove into Indiana… Dixie was out of sorts. Little appetite or thirst, lethargic… not even interested in chasing her tennis balls.
When this persisted through the whole day, we grew concerned. Stopping for the night near Evansville - around 4pm, early for us – we asked around at the hotel for information on any Veterinarians or Animal Clinics in the area.
A housekeeper just finishing her shift and heading out, gave us the name of a clinic which she thought might still be open. We looked up the phone number, called… and got the okay to bring Dixie over.
After about a 20 minute or so, preliminary check-over by the intern or assistant, Dixie was taken back into the examination room. We waited nervously for another hour - maybe longer - until the vet asked us to come into his office.
Pressing us for details on where exactly we had been traveling and Dixie’s recent diet, he finally came to the point;
“We’ve seen this before, usually with families and pets going through the Pocono’s… which you just skirted. We believe your dog - Dixie? - has picked up a virus which has left her ‘Nose Dead’ . Meaning she is unable to pick–up or discriminate scents. That is severely damaging – physically & emotionally - especially for a breed like Golden Retrievers.”
” I don’t want to alarm you, actually this seems like a mild case… but I would like to give her a couple of shots… get some food in her and watch her overnight. We can call you first thing in the morning… just make sure my assistant has the hotel’s number.”
Back at the hotel… we ate some dinner, and discovered we each had some nagging doubts that something just didn’t feel right. Dawn called back to San Diego to one of her friends who works with animals – she asked us to not use her real name, so I’ll call her K2; who upon listening to Dawn describe what the Vet told us…. reacted so strongly, I could hear her from across the room!
“Nose Dead?…Are you two BRAiN DEAD ?!?… This guy is either a quack or a crook… GET DIXIE OUT OF THERE, NOW !!”
Jumping into the car, we pulled into the clinic’s parking lot just as Dixie was being loaded into a van. I got out of the car… (damn me.. why didn’t I ram into the van… I should have crashed into the van)… and pounded on the driver’s door; “Hey… give me my dog, hey Hey HEY… stop and give me my dog!!”
The driver gunned the engine and squealed out the driveway, scraping me off at the “Right Turn Only” sign. Dawn was able to get the License Plate, and I had a good look at the driver.
A phone call to the Police, firm questioning of the housekeeper, and contacting Animal Protection groups… painted a somber picture. Dixie had been abducted by a dog-stealing ring, although for what purpose no one knew, and was most likely headed for Arkansas, but no one could be sure.
That brings us up to tonight. Dawn is at her folks place in Prairie Grove, Arkansas; coordinating information exchange between City, State, & National organizations.
Me ? I’m sitting in an Ozark’s campground with Dawn’s Sister’s Husband (he also asked to keep his real name private, so I’ll call him ‘Doc‘). Trying to control my emotions and stay focused. But it really all comes down to this….
someone has Dixie… (why didn’t I crash into the van?)… and someone is going to pay.
