Heroes of a Different Sort

When one hears the words animal control, all kinds of evil images rush to our minds. They kill our fur babies. They take our pets away never to return to their owners. They chase dogs and cats with nets and plot ways to harm them.

Those things may be true for some, but the Vermillion Parish Rabies Animal Control out of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, are not big bad dudes trying to hurt animals.

In fact – they are my heroes.

Last month, our Sherpherd/Husky mix, Boone, went missing. My son and his girlfriend had gone to visit her sister in Abbeville, Louisiana. They had taken Boone and three of our other dogs, including Gotham, the girlfriend’s dog. Gotham is a black lab, and he and Boone are best friends. Literally.

Gotham and Boone in younger days!

Through an unfortunate series of events, Gotham and Boone got out of the fencing. Gotham was found the next day, but Boone was not with him. How the dogs ever got separated, we will never know. The area Boone was lost in was deep, never-ending farm land that could not be reached except by trespassing and/or with a four wheeler. Combine that with a nearby highway and our frustration rose by the hour to say the least.

Boone is one of the best, sweetest dogs I have ever had. He is good with children, but he will defend the defenseless if necessary. He is smart and has been easy to train. Our hearts were breaking, but not nearly as bad as Gotham’s. He would not play. He would not swim in our pool when he was brought back home. He would not take his treats. And, after a few days, he quit eating as well.

We blitzed a campaign over Facebook via vet clinics, Pawboost, and the various animal agencies. We spoke with Vermillion Parish Rabies Animal Control more than once and in person. He is a beautiful dog, and they were quite frank with us when he went missing that we might never find him again because someone might try to keep him. We made a trip from outside of Houston to Abbeville more than once to scour the area and look once again for Boone.

All this time I was praying for him. I prayed to St. Francis to keep him safe (St. Francis is the patron saint of animals). I prayed to St. Anthony to find the dog since he was lost (St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost things). I prayed to St. Joseph to bring him back to our family. And knowing how skittish Boone is toward strangers, I prayed he would trust the right person to help him find his way back to us.

A week and nearly to the hour that he went missing, we got a phone call from the Vermillion Parish Rabies Animal Control. They had picked up Boone that morning. He was fine but a bit skinny. They would keep him for us until we came to get him.

Boone was literally walking across the road in front of the animal control officer's truck. He was just - literally - there.

And then, in another miracle of miracles, the officer called his name and he came to her.

Boone is safe at home now.

Thank you, Vermillion Parish Rabies Animal Control! Today - you are my heroes!