Lost in a storm...
tiny dog finds big friend
A lightning storm the previous night had left the Cannon Valley trail refreshed as John Pidd biked along that day. John enjoys riding from his home in Riverside Terrace to the trailhead a couple of miles away and then heading down the trail itself.
It was at the two mile marker that he saw a tiny bedraggled dog running around in circles beside the trail. It seemed to be searching desperately for something.
He slowed down and stopped to check the forlorn little fellow. It appeared to be a Shih Tzu. This is a type of “lap dog” that weighs around ten pounds and is about ten inches tall.
The dog allowed John to pet him and even look at his tags. He could see the words, “St. Cloud”, on one and another tag had the word, “Blessed”. Neither tag was apparently the dog’s name but could mean that he was not local.
John called his wife, Mavis, and they decided that John would put the little dog in the carrier behind his seat and push his bike to the next road which crossed the trail where Mavis could drive to meet him.
Mavis laughingly realized that she would be the one sitting in the back seat!
After checking a house near the trail if they had lost a dog, it was suggested they stop at a nearby campground. They arrived to see flyers had been put up about a lost dog and were told the searchers were presently posting them in Red Wing and Cannon Falls.
The Pidds left their phone number and went home with the dog they now called “Blessed”. About an hour later the owners came to their door. When the tiny dog saw them, the Pidds didn’t know who was more excited, the dog or the owners!
A man and wife, aged 79 and 75 years respectively, explained that the little dog had escaped when they opened the door in their motor home during the lightning storm the day before. The tiny Shih Tzu had been gone since 10:30 a.m. that day until 5 p.m. the next afternoon when John found him.
In the joyful reunion, the owner offered John a reward - but John refused. As the older gentleman kept insisting and appeared to be hurt that John wouldn’t take anything, John found a way. He explained that his two daughters were taking part in a three day 60 mile fundraising walk to fight breast cancer that weekend. It was the Susan B. Konen Minnesota Race for the Cure. He would put the gift of money toward that.
The dog’s owner responded, that’s such a good cause - and he added more money to the amount he had previously offered! Later on John counted it and discovered the total was over $300.
So the little dog, now nicknamed “Blessed”, and his owners... really fulfilled that name.
.
It was at the two mile marker that he saw a tiny bedraggled dog running around in circles beside the trail. It seemed to be searching desperately for something.
He slowed down and stopped to check the forlorn little fellow. It appeared to be a Shih Tzu. This is a type of “lap dog” that weighs around ten pounds and is about ten inches tall.
The dog allowed John to pet him and even look at his tags. He could see the words, “St. Cloud”, on one and another tag had the word, “Blessed”. Neither tag was apparently the dog’s name but could mean that he was not local.
John called his wife, Mavis, and they decided that John would put the little dog in the carrier behind his seat and push his bike to the next road which crossed the trail where Mavis could drive to meet him.
Seeing big tall John walking beside the bike with the tiny dog in the carrier was a picture of tender beauty to Mavis. She smiled as she next recalled how she opened up the back door of the car to let the dog go in. Although he jumped right in, he then hopped over into the front seat and instantly fell asleep!
After checking a house near the trail if they had lost a dog, it was suggested they stop at a nearby campground. They arrived to see flyers had been put up about a lost dog and were told the searchers were presently posting them in Red Wing and Cannon Falls.
The Pidds left their phone number and went home with the dog they now called “Blessed”. About an hour later the owners came to their door. When the tiny dog saw them, the Pidds didn’t know who was more excited, the dog or the owners!
A man and wife, aged 79 and 75 years respectively, explained that the little dog had escaped when they opened the door in their motor home during the lightning storm the day before. The tiny Shih Tzu had been gone since 10:30 a.m. that day until 5 p.m. the next afternoon when John found him.
In the joyful reunion, the owner offered John a reward - but John refused. As the older gentleman kept insisting and appeared to be hurt that John wouldn’t take anything, John found a way. He explained that his two daughters were taking part in a three day 60 mile fundraising walk to fight breast cancer that weekend. It was the Susan B. Konen Minnesota Race for the Cure. He would put the gift of money toward that.
The dog’s owner responded, that’s such a good cause - and he added more money to the amount he had previously offered! Later on John counted it and discovered the total was over $300.
So the little dog, now nicknamed “Blessed”, and his owners... really fulfilled that name.
.
