Molly "Houdini" Horn

I can write about this now that there was a happy ending...We had been greatly looking forward to the Friday night after we arrived in California.  Mom had arranged for my sweet cousin Betsy to hang out with the kiddos so that we could go out for dinner and dancing with my aunts and uncles in Alameda. No sooner had we parked the car did Kris' phone began ringing.  It was the pet sitter who was caring for all of our dogs in Indiana.  Molly had gone missing.

She had let the dogs outside around 10:30 pm while she cleaned up their space. When she went back to let them inside, only Darla and PJ came running in.  She searched high and low, inside and outside for our identification tag-less and chip-less little Molly.  She was no where to be found, and there was no way she could be traced back to us.

Kris and JP stepped into high gear making phone calls to alert their amazing neighbors of our predicament.  They all began combing the neighborhood at 11:30 pm searching for our tiny little black dog who is nearly impossible to see five feet in front of you in the dark.  It was literally like looking for a needle in a haystack.  After hours of looking, the search was called off until morning.

I won't describe the feeling of helplessness and devastation that ensued being so far away and unable to shield Molly from all the dangers lurking outside the fence.  I will say that the night has never seemed so long, and that nightmares are so very cruel.

Around 7am California time (10 am Indiana time) Kris checked in with the pet sitter. While they were on the phone, one of Kris' amazing neighbors came knocking on the door with a sign that read "Found Toy Poodle."  I get goosebumps just typing those words.

Molly had traveled at least a mile and a half, most likely down a very busy road, to the home of our guardian angel.  She must've known it was a safe and loving place where she could spend the night. Molly arrived at the same time we learned of her disappearance.  Our angel took her directly to the emergency veterinary clinic who completed a complimentary examination to determine that she was uninjured.  Praise the Lord!  Our angel then put up the signs, which, by the Grace of God, was what ultimately brought her home to us.

There were so many people who had a hand in the happy ending to this story...Kris and JP recruited everyone that they could think of to step in in our absence.  They protected and cared for me as best they could while I was numb with shock over the situation.  The Merrimac neighbors who were so good to answer the midnight call to action, and, of course, our guardian angel who went above and beyond to rescue, care for and return our little Molly.  It's humbling, really, the goodness of people.  It took me a long time to find the right words for our thank you cards because there truly aren't words to adequately describe that kind of gratitude.

 Our furbaby, Molly