[speaker001:] Okay, this is really ironic that this would, I would get this subject today because just yesterday our dog ran away [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Oh, no.
[speaker001:] And it's just been tearing me up all day [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Oh, I bet.
[speaker001:] Because we have just been looking all over for him. We've been to the pound, we've been to the humane society, we've been to the adoption center, we've just been all over the neighborhood, we've been calling neighbors [LAUGHTER]. So this is just really strange [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Oh, I guess so. Have you lost him before?
[speaker001:] No, this is the first time. Um, he's gotten out before, but he's always stayed right here
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] you know, he's never gone away. And so this is just really strange, you know because,
[speaker002:] What kind of a dog is he?
[speaker001:] Um, he's part golden Lab and part, uh, [lipsmack], let's see, Alaskan, no, not Alaskan. I always forget [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Uh, Australian shepherd.
[speaker002:] Oh,
[speaker001:] And,
[speaker002:] boy, he's a big one.
[speaker001:] Yeah, he's pretty big. That's why it really surprises me, you know, that he hasn't come back, because, [breathing] like I said, he's never gone away like this before, and, [breathing] I would think, you know, he might, I mean, he might could get hurt by a car or something. I don't know that he could really get killed that easily because he is so big.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] You know, but, [breathing] I don't know [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Oh, well, I hope he comes back, that's too bad.
[speaker001:] Thanks, I do, too [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] How long have you had him?
[speaker001:] Oh, about two years. So, he's [breathing],
[speaker002:] Oh, that's tough.
[speaker001:] Yeah, [breathing] it's really, gosh, [LAUGHTER] anyway,
[speaker002:] Yeah, you get very attached to animals, don't you?
[speaker001:] That, isn't that funny how we do?
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] I mean, we just really,
[speaker002:] Well, you know, they're always there for you and they don't talk back to you [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Yeah [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] And, uh, [breathing] it's kind of pleasant.
[speaker001:] Well, they're companions,
[speaker002:] Yeah, sure, sure.
[speaker001:] Well, do you have any?
[speaker002:] Yes, we have a dog, a little white Lhasa. And her name is Angel. And we have a cat, who, a white cat. He's, he's just a Tabby, just a, and his name is Dominique. We call him Neek.
[speaker001:] Um, [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] But,
[speaker001:] How do they get along together?
[speaker002:] Pretty good. Uh, we've, we had the, the dog first, and, uh, she's kind of a wimp and,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] and the cat kind of rules, but, uh, she likes him all right. He, we had another cat about two years ago. It got leukemia, [NOISE] feline leukemia
[speaker001:] Um.
[speaker002:] so we had to have it put to sleep, and, {F uh, then } we got this new cat, so, uh. I have two children and they really enjoy the animals. And then my mother who's very elderly lives with us, and she's really good friends with the dog. They're very,
[speaker001:] Oh, yeah.
[speaker002:] good buddies.
[speaker001:] [Breathing] That's what are so neat about animals, I mean, they are, you know, like I said, they're, they're really companions, you know, and they're friends,
[speaker002:] That's right.
[speaker001:] [Noise] you know. I mean, they, you can love them all you want and they love you right back and they don't [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] That's right. They don't care what you look like,
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker002:] or what you act like,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] They just love you, unconditionally.
[speaker001:] I know.
[speaker002:] It's wonderful.
[speaker001:] It's just so neat. You know, it's, that's, I don't know [LAUGHTER], this is just so hard.
[speaker002:] Oh, I know it has to be.
[speaker001:] It's just, it's like I said, we've had him for two years and he's never, I mean, he's, he's gotten out, but he's always been right there. He's never been gone for, at all
[speaker002:] Uh-huh, uh-huh.
[speaker001:] you know, he's just always been right there when he gets out.
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] You know, it's the first time he's ever been gone like this [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Oh, that's really too bad, that's awful, well,
[speaker001:] Uh, [breathing] I, [lipsmack] I just knew today, uh, you know, that we looked at the pound, and that we just went all over the place, and I knew we were going to find him, you know, and when we didn't it was, like, oh, no, [LAUGHTER]. So [lipsmack] I don't know.
[speaker002:] Well, I, I'll, I hope you'll find him. You most likely will.
[speaker001:] Yeah, we keep, you know, they told us like at the Humane Society and the adoption center, you know, don't give up hope, you know, [breathing] and then,
[speaker002:] Well, have you put any posters up or anything like that?
[speaker001:] Well, not yet. We were talking about that tonight since, you know, he, we just, he just got out yesterday we were just talking about that whether we, we were trying to find some pictures of him recently. We've got so many when he was a puppy [breathing] [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] Uh-huh, yeah.
[speaker001:] you know, but we just don't have a whole lot. We have him on film, you know, on the video camera [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah.
[speaker001:] You know, but you can't put that on the [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] No, you sure can't.
[speaker001:] you know, so [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] Oh, dear.
[speaker001:] So, I don't know, I, we will probably will put some things up. Some posters and stuff up [lipsmack].
[speaker002:] Well, that's good.
[speaker001:] And hopefully that will help, you know, maybe around the neighborhood. But, [breathing] we know a lot of people that live in this neighborhood, so that helps, too, you know, if they can keep,
[speaker002:] They can keep their eyes open, yeah.
[speaker001:] yeah, so, [lipsmack].
[speaker002:] That will help. Well,
[speaker001:] I think that if somebody else picks him up, I think that, uh, if he gets out he'll come back.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] You know. I really do, because he knows exactly where he lives, so [breathing],
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah he will. I bet he does.
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack].
[speaker002:] I know, that it's hard on you. I know that I'd be worried, too.
[speaker001:] [Breathing] I know. It's just like, it's, it's just so ironic that this would happen [LAUGHTER] and I would get this, this kind of a call [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah, isn't it, though?
[speaker001:] I know,
[speaker002:] That's,
[speaker001:] it's very strange but,
[speaker002:] You know, I know sometimes our cat will, will stay out all night, [NOISE] and when he's not right at the door in the morning I really worry that something's happened to him, that somebody, he's got in a fight or, you know, somebody's hit him and, and uh, if he doesn't come by mid morning, then I really get scared. But he's always come back eventually so,
[speaker001:] Well, that's good. That's one thing about cats though, they're so small [breathing]
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] and, you know, they can get hurt a lot easier.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] You know, they can get hurt a lot easier,
[speaker002:] Yeah,
[speaker001:] you know,
[speaker002:] they can.
[speaker001:] so that would make you really,
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] tend to worry about them [LAUGHTER], you know, if they're not right there [breathing].
[speaker002:] Yeah. Well, but he's a real feisty guy. He fights with other cats in the neighborhood because he doesn't want them on our property.
[speaker001:] Is that right?
[speaker002:] He's, cats are really almost more territorial than, than dogs are. They just really do not want other animals on their property. They're very, very [breathing], he, he just any cat that comes near, and even a dog he won't, he won't jump at them or anything, but he'll sit and he'll watch, and, I think maybe he would if it came real close, but he's very protective of our property.
[speaker001:] Huh. That's really, I, I guess I really don't know cats that well because my mother never liked them,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] so I never had them growing up,
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] so, you know, I never really had them around me, [breathing] you know, so I've never owned one [LAUGHTER], you know, since I,
[speaker002:] Well, they're really a lot different than dogs because they're not, they're very independent, and they're very, he's very affectionate when he wants to be, but if you want him to be and he doesn't want to be, he'll just, he'll, you know either scratch you or run away.
[speaker001:] Huh.
[speaker002:] But when he wants to be, uh, he's really affectionate. He likes to lay next to you and have you scratch his head and, and, and snuggle up to you, and, but if he's not in the mood, you'd better stay away from him.
[speaker001:] Huh [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] But, dogs seem to be always in the mood. They're always, you know, right there, and like, like you to pet them and loving.
[speaker001:] Yeah, that's true [LAUGHTER]. I, I like the way they come up and they'll, they'll put their head underneath your hand, you know.
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah, oh.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] that, and, uh, most dogs do that. I mean,
[speaker002:] Yeah, they do.
[speaker001:] I don't know any that really don't. I mean, you know, they know exactly how to get that attention, you know,
[speaker002:] They sure do.
[speaker001:] they just, you know, come up, and they put your, you know
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] or they'll rub their, their head against you, you know [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Now, do you keep him indoors most of the time other than to go outs-,
[speaker001:] Well, no. Well, well, he's outside during the day and then we get home at night we do bring him in.
[speaker002:] You have a fenced yard or,
[speaker001:] Uh-huh,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] yeah. The backyard, it's really big, too, for him to run in and stuff. That's why we couldn't understand why he would want to get out [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] you know, because he's had all this room to run in, and, [breathing] but,
[speaker002:] Well, how did he get out?
[speaker001:] He dug a hole under the fence.
[speaker002:] Oh, boy.
[speaker001:] Well, see, he did, he did it a couple weeks ago, dug a hole, and, you know, we, we filled it back up
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] put him back in there. He did it again [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] so we chained him up
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] you know, but we really didn't want to keep him chained up because, you know, we feel like that's just too restricting for him.
[speaker002:] Right, right.
[speaker001:] So, uh, we got, we, we put dirt in the hole and then put some chicken wire around it, you know, so that he couldn't get out.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] Well, he kind of ripped through the chicken wire [breathing].
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] So I can't, I, I, I just have not, I don't understand, you know, because it's, like, he's got a good home, you know, he's got, I mean, we have two kids, you know, that just love him a lot,
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah.
[speaker001:] You know, it's like we can't understand why he kept wanting to get out, you know, we just couldn't,
[speaker002:] Well, you know, that, animals are like that. They like to roam and investigate.
[speaker001:] Yeah [breathing]. I guess that's,
[speaker002:] And see what's going on.
[speaker001:] Yeah, I guess that's probably true. I don't think it's anything we did [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] No.
[speaker001:] Least I hope not [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] No. I'm sure that, yeah,
[speaker001:] No, I, I know, I mean he's always, you know, [lipsmack] he really does have a good home. I think that's what really bothers me the most about it [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] You know, it's like,
[speaker002:] How are your kids handling it?
[speaker001:] Well, [breathing] [lipsmack] I don't know if it's quite hit him, hit them.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] I have two girls,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and they, they just been real, uh, [breathing] I don't know, at first, you know, they seemed to be upset, but now it's like, uh, well if he doesn't come home, can we get another dog [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER] yeah, that sounds like kids.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]. It's like, [LAUGHTER], wait a minute [LAUGHTER], you know, [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER] Oh.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] poor Buddy, you know. [LAUGHTER] I said, he's only been gone a day and you already want to replace him [breathing].
[speaker002:] What's his name, did you call?
[speaker001:] Buddy.
[speaker002:] Buddy?
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] We, that's was our cat's name that, that, that died.
[speaker001:] Is that right [LAUGHTER]?
[speaker002:] Oh, yeah. We named him, uh, we named him Buddy after, uh, Buddy Bell, uh, the Ranger baseball player that used to be here.
[speaker001:] Oh [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] And we used to, we were really into that when we got him going to the Ranger games, and we named him Buddy Beaner for some reason.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] But, Buddy after Buddy Bell, so,
[speaker001:] That's funny.
[speaker002:] But, he was, he was a good cat, too. We miss him a lot,
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and I, I feel real guilty because [breathing] we had him, like, for six years and one year I forgot to get him his leukemia booster and he got it.
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] Oh.
[speaker002:] And I just felt so bad, I, it's real contagious and it's, and the vet [NOISE] said it runs rampant in this area [breathing],
[speaker001:] I didn't know that.
[speaker002:] and if they don't have their booster, [breathing] any kind of saliva or anything from another cat, if they get in a fight it automatically, like, they get it if the other cat has it so,
[speaker001:] I had, I had no idea.
[speaker002:] Oh.
[speaker001:] I did not know that.
[speaker002:] Oh. It was, I just felt terrible. I knew something was wrong with him because his appetite was, he was just getting real skinny. [voices fade out.]