By Sandy Quadros Bowles
March 5, 2012
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| Missing dog is happily reunited with his Shrewsbury family; owner works in Framingham |
Like all good love stories, this one ended with a kiss.
But it began in a far less romantic setting: A utility pole on Millbury Street in Grafton.
That was where, alerted by a friend active in collie rescue, I saw a poster about a month ago about a lost boxer/pit bull mix named Loki.
Loki lives in Shrewsbury with his family. He had escaped from a doggie day care place in Northbridge and had been sighted in Grafton.
His family, as animal lovers out there can understand, missed him desperately. And with each day, they worried more about Loki’s chances,
I posted a story about Loki on Grafton Patch. I know how much people care about animals and was certain readers would do what they could to help. I understood. Animals are one of the few things I love more than writing.
One of my favorite events of the year allows me to combine the two. The annual pet expo, sponsored by Osborne/Jenks, took place in Providence this weekend.
I always go. I check out the animal products, add to my overflowing pet-related T-shirt collection and maybe even get a story idea or two,
I was about halfway there, on Route 146 South near Uxbridge, when I spotted what at first glance looked like a small deer.
At second glance, I realized this was not a deer but a dog. Strange, a dog walking along Route 146….Then it hit me: I knew this dog.
This was Loki.
I called Loki’s owner, Anthony Kent, who works in Framingham. To my surprise, he wasn't shocked.
He had heard reports that Loki was hanging around the area I had seen him. Someone reported seeing him eating trash in the area. But as soon as the person even drove by him, Loki bolted.
More than once, Anthony and his other dog, Hunter, tracked Loki for hours but came up empty.
Now I had seen him in the same area. But like the others who had spotted him, even though I crouched to appear less threatening and spoke softly, Loki fled toward nearby woods.
Anthony drove down with Hunter and began yet another search, trudging through snow into adjacent woods and neighborhoods.
But this time, Loki would get his happy ending,
About an hour later, I watched as Anthony headed into the woods with Hunter, and out with Hunter and Loki.
Loki was frighteningly thin, and I immediately thought that another day or two in the cold might have been more than he could have taken.
But he was still bouncy and clearly happy to be with his family. He posed happily for a photo and gave me the best reward: A sloppy kiss
Now he is happily home, resting and recuperating from an ordeal that took him throughout the Blackstone Valley.
Anthony, too, could use the rest: He spent hours tracking Loki, on foot and through social media, while living his life and working at Bernardi Auto Group in Framingham.
I can’t wait to see Loki again in a few days, after he has regained his strength. And when I do, I will share the story.
And happily.
Because I have covered way too much sad endings.
But I have also been blessed, as a community journalist, to write more than my share of stories about people - not celebrities, not famous politicians, but ordinary people - taking small steps that can add up to big changes in their town and in the world.
They do it by keeping their eyes, ears and curious minds open to all possibilities.
Because when you do, you never know what - or who - you might find.
Source: http://framingham.patch.com/articles/lost-for-a-month-loki-gets-happy-ending?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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