First, my heart ultrasound happened this past week, but no one called me with results, just like last time. SO, I decided NOT to look at the results on line, because of the anxiety that caused me the last time, and I will just find out when I go to the oncologist on Tuesday.
I might be getting a treatment that day, and I might not. NO idea.
and now....for the main part of my story for this week....
UGH! This is the summer of animals....apparently....
Transcribed and edited from my Facebook posts:
SO... here's the story....
Most of the junk on the front porch, and in the back yard....AND ONE of their three dogs, have been left behind.
The three dogs (two female, and one male chihuahua) have been there for years, living in the back yard full time.
From what we have been told, many people in the Mexican culture do not believe that animals should ever be allowed inside the home. They think of them as dirty.
At one point, a few years ago, the tenants were reported (not by us) for neglecting the dogs during killing cold weather. The guy immediately provided two shelters (a homemade dog house, with a heat lamp inside -that's not a fire hazard -and a big dog carrier) in their back yard for the pups.
There was also a problem with them leaving their gate open, and allowing the dogs to wander the neighborhood.
The oldest one would often lie down in the middle of the street to rest. Good thing it's not a busy street!
They would also come into our yard through the "cat gate," or a hole in the fence in the back, and eat the cat food we put out for the feral tribe.
We were able to close up the fence in the back, but the cat gate can't be closed, because it's how our ferals get to us for safety and food.
Several weeks ago, the lady across the street was out talking to the woman next door about the dogs being a nuisance. The weather was nice, then, so our screens were all open, and I overheard her say "I have a dog too, but I don't let him wander in the street!"
But now this....
For the past two and a half weeks, or so, the house has been empty of people. The woman and daughters had been gone for weeks, and Carlos, the man, was still there, until more recently.
At first, they had left all three dogs alone at the house, for a few days. The dogs were wandering the neighborhood, as usual, and managed to not get run over.
The woman and her small daughters, and someone who looks like she must be her sister, showed up for a few minutes, on Wednesday, perhaps putting food out.
They also closed their gate, so the dogs could not get out anymore.
But then, the same women and girls showed up again last weekend, and took two of the three dogs.
(We'd started paying close attention to any activity next door, and I saw the second woman with two leashes in her hand, so they clearly intended to leave one dog behind.)
We know nothing about where the people have gone, but they left one dog. He was howling pitifully all day last Sunday.
How did they decide which one to sacrifice? I can't even.....
Dave went over to check that night, and they left no food or water out for the remaining dog.
They clearly were planning to let him die, with this awful heat wave we are enduring here.
Dave had called the city animal control number the previous week, but they never called him back.
SO, after Dave confirmed that the dog had been left to die, I sent a text to the "action center," on Monday, and THAT got results.
Animal control came out Wednesday, and again yesterday. I managed to catch them yesterday, and spoke with the officer at great length.
When they came Wednesday, she told me that she had put a warning on the door.
The woman, her daughters, and a man, showed up Wednesday night, though, and took the refrigerator, removed the warning from the door, and DID NOT set foot in the back yard, possibly assuming that the dog was already dead, or hoping that he would be soon.
So, since last Sunday, we have been trespassing, going INTO the back yard, and providing food and water to the dog --usually going after sunset. We waited for them to leave Wednesday, and fed him then, figuring the coast was clear at that point.
We are to continue to put out food (which the city is now providing to us) and water for the dog over this weekend.
When an investigator takes the case (WE HOPE on Monday), they will call me for any updates, and notify me when we are to stop feeding.
They will take over feeding and watering, at that point, and monitor the property to be sure that they are the only ones feeding the dog.
The neighbors on the other side were also throwing food over the fence, and Dave went yesterday to tell them the situation, and to ask them to stop feeding the dog.
Once the investigator can verify that they are the only ones feeding the dog, they will file a warrant to remove the dog.
A second warning was also posted on the door of the house yesterday....
But then, last night, 4 adults (the woman, and three others) showed up, after dark, with two vehicles to take more stuff out of the house, and off of the back patio.
They took the kids' bikes, and a bunch of other stuff.
They were there for hours. It was dark, though, so the only person we recognized was the woman who lives(d) there. They WERE out on the patio a lot, though, and we'd hoped that they had read the warning, and taken the dog with them.
Dave went over early this morning, though, and confirmed that the dog is still there, and that the only food and water was what WE put out for him yesterday.
The second warning from the city was also removed from the front door.
In all this time, we have not seen Carlos at all (his was the only name we knew, as he had mowed our lawn for cash a couple of times).
We suspect he went back to Mexico, but another neighbor (our handy man guy, who makes it his business to know what's going on in the neighborhood) suggested that he had gotten into drugs, and that the marriage is broken up.
We had already figured out that Carlos had lost his job back in the spring, because he was home 24/7 for a couple of months before he disappeared. Always banging on something, or running his air compressor, or his mower.... driving Dave crazy, as he works from home.
Also, the woman and daughters had been gone all that time, too, possibly having left him. Who knows?
The gist is that the house is not being lived in, and they left one dog to die, and we are not letting it happen.
Addendum: Right after I posted this, animal control came back, and put a third warning on the door. The officer today asked if we had seen anyone, and I told them what I just told you... that there were people there last night, but they left the dog, and did not feed him.
So.
Hopefully, I will have good news for you by next weekend, in both the condition of my heart, AND the condition of the dog next door.
Have a good week!
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