Lucky Louie!

Louie had been rescued from an animal shelter, lived with a woman, Meredith , who adored him and he was lost and then found through the kindness of a community. Louie is a very lucky dog. We all got to know Louie almost a month ago when he escaped Meredith’s parents house and began running. Not an unusual of a scenario, but then it got interesting. Meredith and a few friends began a Facebook page, Looking for Louie, and people began to learn of his plight. There were frequent updates of Louie sightings, organized search parties, a discussion of how to best capture him and many folks out with fliers. Louie was definitely on the move, some of the early sightings were miles away from where he began. Then he moved east to an area choked with lakes, parks and dead end roads. There was worry that he might be inside a large wilderness area called Highland Recreation. Then he was seen back in Milford, next he headed north and east. Each sighting was investigated and many people spent precious free time looking for the wayward canine. He was finally found last week. His rescue was challenging, but everyone persevered. He then came to our hospital for evaluation, re-hydration and some well needed rest. He went home with Meredith on Thursday. We all wish Louie well.

I think the thing that makes Louie the very most fortunate is that he was lost in our little community. I realize that it would have been preferable that he had not been lost at all, but if you’re going to need a little help from a group of kind hearted people, well then, this is the place. I grew up in Milford and Highland. Everyone knew each other or at least knew of one another when I was a kid. You were recognized at every shop and everyone made time to attend our parades. I thought most places were like my home ‘towns’. I left for school went on to internships and residencies and lived in a few different places. I am still a little surprised I ended back home, but I am so happy to be back.

Our community has done something amazing, even though we have grown in population, we have managed to stay small and still care deeply about each member’s individual success as well as our community’s success. We have been buffeted by a stunningly painful economic down turn that has left us all reeling. We have lost businesses and friends. But, we all have toughened up and pulled together, not apart. Those are the core characteristics of our little ‘cow town’ (that’s what a prestigious veterinarian told me Milford was when Peter and I announce we were opening our hospital in Milford), that made it possible for Louie to be returned to Meredith, for Community Sharing to reach out to so many families in need, even when times are tough we kept trying to help each other succeed. We were Louie’s lucky star and we should take a moment and reminded ourselves how lucky we all are.