The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

To the Editor:

Last night, Monday, March 2, I came home from the movies to find my daughter upset. It seems like through a Facebook post she found out my dog was missing. It turned out alright, someone down the street found her and brought her home.

Now the rest of the story: It seems the gate in the corner facing St. Helens was open and neither of us had opened it. Noel didn’t have a collar or tags on when she was brought home. I found the collar the next morning about 40 feet from the open gate, unhooked. There was no way she could have got it open or off by herself.

I have been a responsible pet-owner, my dogs go to the vet on a regular basis and I had a fence built to keep them out of the street. They have a doggie door to get in and out and the yard is theirs. Both my dogs run out and mostly greet everyone who walks past.

My greatest fear is someone opened the gate and took her. Did she get away from you when you stopped to take off her collar? It was right in the driveway behind my car. Did you think she was just so cute you had to have her? Did you think you could love her more than I do? She was my Christmas present in 2017 to replace a dog that I had for over 18 years. I got her through potty training and broke her of shoe-chewing and dragging any article of clothing she found out the doggy door and into the yard. She has been my companion and best friend for over 2 years, and if I had not got her back this would be such a different letter.

So, if the one who tried to take her reads this, know she is chipped, and the vet knows her. And also know that I am putting locks on my gates to keep her safe. A six-foot chain length fence should have discouraged you; it didn’t, but locks on all the gates should. It really bothers me that I should have to do that in Sisters to keep her safe. But I will. She is part of my family.

Shirley Miller