I was followed for two days by a dog
Ohhhhhhh, boy; my nightmare come true, Rual. Since I was a kid, I've been incredibly soft-hearted toward animals (I had help, my whole family was the same way) and they sense it. We live(d) near the riverfront bike path, and generations of animals have been dumped by thoughtless owners who figure "someone will take care of them". We're the Someone. We used to joke the animals marked signs on the pavement like the rail-riding hobos did in the Great Depression so friendly homes (ours) could be easily found. One winter, a feral pregnant cat had kittens in the woodpile, and -- with a particularly bad case of walking pneumonia, mind you! -- I lay on the snow-covered ground for three hours, arm stretched out with fingers holding little bits of warm, fragrant chicken till I could lure and grab the (equally feral) kittens, who of course promptly bit me to the bone for my troubles. Eyedropper feedings of special formula and naps in my warm armpits got them tamed and ready for adoptive homes. There's been an endless string of stray, baby, broken or sick little animals and birds that get cycled (sorry) through here, and a little piece of my heart goes with them all.
I think my greatest fear
isn't theft-motivated meth-addicts and pickup trucks full of bored and mischievous alcohol-fueled high school kids on Friday nights in small towns with no sheriff. Nope. It's...
this. Especially if the animal was also hurt or sick.
Given the circumstances, you did all anyone could, and the little fellow likely
did find and adopt someone else just as he did you. My neighbor Margaret has a cat like that. He appeared one day at her house, apparently out of nowhere. She finally caught on when she drove to the bank. She heard meowing as she left her car, wondering who would take a cat to the bank. She looked through the window and there was Mr Mittens, in the back seat. Apparently, he loves to hitch rides in cars and he loves people. He latched onto me on a recent walk and stuck like glue through two returns until I could deliver him to her personally. She is pretty philosophical about it, and figures she'll have him only awhile before he finds someone else, someplace else.
Thanks for the story and photo, Rual.
All the best,
Dan.