![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Louis-261x300.png\")
<\/a>These days it’s easy to believe the worst in people.\u00a0 Every time I turn on the TV there is some new horror.\u00a0 \u00a0I’ve lamented previously that the “neighborhood” feel<\/strong> that I grew up is a thing of the past.\u00a0 But last week my faith was restored – mightily – by a lost dog.\u00a0 Jennifer and Joe Veres took their dog, Louis, to the groomer.\u00a0 A pretty ordinary errand, except that the groomer let Louis loose while taking him out for a potty break.\u00a0 Louis is a small poodle-mix who was on a leash, so it makes one wonder just how attentive<\/strong> the groomer was watching over her charge.\u00a0 A runaway dog is bad enough, but this grooming shop sits at one of the busiest intersections in Scottsdale.\u00a0 The city estimates that 38,700 vehicles per day drive that road.\u00a0 Louis was lost around 4 p.m., a very busy time of day.\u00a0 The grooming shop closes at 5 p.m., but once Jennifer arrived there she told the owner she was going to stay all night if necessary in case Louis found his way back.\u00a0 The owner said he had to go home to feed his animals, but would return to unlock the restroom for her and check on the progress of the search.\u00a0 He never did.<\/p>\nLouis’ body and paws were covered in cacti stickers<\/strong> so the Veres took him immediately to the local emergency vet, where he had to be sedated while they removed all of them.\u00a0 It was truly a miracle that he had survived all.\u00a0 For the record, the groomer did volunteer to pay the emergency vet bill.\u00a0 It was the least they could do, so they did the least.\u00a0 As of last week Louis is still a little traumatized<\/strong> and does not want to be left alone.\u00a0 Luckily, Jennifer works for a great company.\u00a0 They not only helped look for Louis but agreed that he could come in to work with her so she is always in his sight.\u00a0 Jennifer and Joe have finally caught up on sleep and as for me, I am making HARTT Arizona my designated charity on my Amazon Smile Prime<\/strong> purchases.\u00a0 I hope to God that Dash the Wonder Dog never goes missing, but if he does I now know exactly who to call.<\/p>\n So, the next time you think the world has gone to hell in a handbasket, think of the story of Louis. \u00a0 People are really good.\u00a0 Your neighbors are really good.\u00a0 We all want to help each other out.\u00a0 Remember that.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson These days it’s easy to believe the worst in people.\u00a0 Every time I turn on the TV there is some new horror.\u00a0 \u00a0I’ve lamented previously that the “neighborhood” feel that I grew up is a thing … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/nextdoor-300x300.png\")
<\/a>Jennifer immediately took to Nextdoor,<\/strong> an app that is normally used by people to find a plumber or throw shade on a restaurant.\u00a0 But Jennifer knew that it can also be a useful tool to broadcast information about a lost dog.\u00a0 Just that week, another dog had been found through Nextdoor, and that gave her reason to hope.\u00a0 Once she posted about Louis on Nextdoor, including his cute picture,\u00a0 the community stepped up.\u00a0 Literally HUNDREDS of people<\/strong> saw Jennifer’s story and came out to help.\u00a0 Families got in their cars to traverse the area, bicyclists checked all the trails, and businesses pitched in as well.\u00a0 The Off Road Jeep Adventures<\/strong> company is in the same shopping center as the groomer and they looked out for Jennifer as she waited.\u00a0 Not only that, they sent their vehicles out with their high-powered headlights to aid in the search.\u00a0 The valets and patrons at two nearby restaurants heard about Louis and began searching, as did Jennifer’s workmates.\u00a0 Later that day a woman reported seeing Louis<\/strong> on the grounds of a nearby church, but when she tried to catch him, he was frightened and scampered away.\u00a0 After that, the church allowed Jennifer and Joe to place clothing and food on their premises in an effort to lure Louis to the scent of his owners and a good meal.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/HARTT-300x300.jpg\")
<\/a>As nightfall came, the search for Louis became more frantic.\u00a0 The Sonoran desert can be a dangerous place<\/strong>, filled with rattlesnakes, coyotes, bobcats and very sharp cacti.\u00a0 It’s not a great place for anyone at night, much less a poor, defenseless dog with a leash trailing behind him.\u00a0 Jennifer took the advice of several people on Nextdoor and called on HARTT (Humane Animal Rescue and Trapping Team)<\/strong>.\u00a0 HARTT is a volunteer-based nonprofit here is Arizona that helps in capturing lost family pets, and homeless dogs and cats who are severely injured.\u00a0 It’s a very specialized service, staffed with volunteers to understand the behavior of scared pets.\u00a0 HARTT relies on volunteers to immediately begin searching when a lost pet is reported.\u00a0 In Louis’ case, they worked tirelessly to find him, and to instruct everyone looking for him what and what not to do<\/strong> in case they spotted him.\u00a0 According to HARTT, most lost animals do not stray more than a mile from where they were lost, so the fact that Louis had been spotted at the church meant he might still be nearby.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Dad-and-Louie-169x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Jennifer, Joe and hundreds of others stayed out all Thursday night<\/strong> looking for Louis, with no luck.\u00a0 Just as with lost people, time is not a friend.\u00a0 Friday was a very hot day so it became more distressing that Louis had no ready access to water.\u00a0 As the sun set on Friday night and darkness descended, a determined band of neighbors, the Jeep Adventures guys, and HARTT volunteers did not let up the search.\u00a0 The Veres’ neighbor brought their dog, and Louis’ best friend, Teddy, to help find him.\u00a0 And that did the trick!\u00a0 At 8 pm on Friday night, 28 hours after Louis went missing<\/strong>, they spotted him near a playground next to the church.\u00a0 Teddy’s scent must have let Louis know that he was near “safe” people because they were able to keep Louis there until Jennifer and Joe arrived.\u00a0 Once Louis heard and smelled Joe he came out from under the brush and ran into Joe’s arms.\u00a0 The guys from the Jeep company filmed the happy reunion.\u00a0 As you night expect, everyone cried tears of joy<\/strong>.\u00a0 I’m sorry that I can’t load the video here, because to hear Joe exclaim, “Buddy, there’s my best friend and buddy” as Louis jumped into his arms, is beyond heartwarming.<\/p>\n