Stray Dog Chronicles: One That Got Away

It’s been awhile since I had a stray animal encounter as intense and involved as this one — the last being the relatively desperate one with Acorn the Jindo by the Galen Center at USC back in July of last year. That one had a far more satisfying ending than this morning’s, but this one takes the prize for uniqueness when you consider that a fellow concerned citizen who stopped to help the poor runaway dog and introduced herself as Melanie with the Animal Services turned out to be Melanie Ramsayer, the President of the L.A. Animal Services Commission.

So without further adieu, here’s the 12 minutes of me and eventually Melanie the most awesome city commissioner (and even a parking enforcement officer at one point) doing our damnedest to corral this uncatchable critter — who we think hope and pray actually made it back home.

Notes: Just after the one-minute mark when the dog charges into busy Olympic Boulevard about a block east of La Brea, you’re going to see me just look straight up into the sky. I did that not only because I couldn’t bear to look at what I fully expected to come, but also for another reason. Though I’m not one to trouble god with things that are probably pretty trivial as far as he’s concerned, I troubled him about that dog’s life right then and hard and as directly as I could. You can argue whether my prayer was answered, but that little dog made it across unscathed.

Other notes: You’ll hear me call the dog “Charlie” throughout the chase. I did this because he seemed to react to it when I randomly called him by the name.

The Saga Of The Stray Dog And The LA Animal Services Commissioner from Will Campbell on Vimeo.

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Will

Will Campbell arrived in town via the maternity ward at Good Sam Hospital way back in OneNineSixFour and has never stopped calling Los Angeles home. Presently he lives in Silver Lake with his wife Susan, their cat Rocky, dogs Terra and Hazel, and a red-eared slider turtle named Mater. Blogging since 2001, Will's web endeavors extend back to 1995 with laonstage.com, a comprehensive theater site that was well received but ever-short on capital (or a business model). The pinnacle of his online success (which speaks volumes) arrived in 1997, when much to his surprise, a hobby site he'd built called VisuaL.A. was named "best website" in Los Angeles magazine's annual "Best of L.A." issue. He enjoys experiencing (and writing about) pretty much anything creative, explorational and/or adventurous, loves his ebike, is a better tennis player than he is horr golfer, and a lover of all creatures great and small -- emphasis on "all."