Dodger is home safe!

Homeless man turns over deaf dog missing from shelter

By Cynthia Hubert

Sac bee

Published 1:23 pm PDT Thursday, July 17, 2008

Dodger, the wayward deaf boxer puppy pilfered from the Placer SPCA this week, is back.

A man who identified himself as homeless phoned the shelter Wednesday afternoon and said he had the dog, which a shelter staffer had claimed as her own before it disappeared.

The man declined the SPCA's $2,000 reward and surrendered Dodger behind a fast food restaurant off of Antelope Road. He told Placer County SPCA executive director Leilani Vierra he got the animal from a friend "in exchange for a bottle of booze," she said.

"He didn't give us his name, and he said he didn't want the police involved," Vierra said.

The man told Vierra that he had seen Dodger's story in the newspaper and was touched by the fact that the dog had been tabbed to work with children as part of the shelter's education program.

Dodger was "dirty and smelly" but otherwise healthy when SPCA staffers arrived at the restaurant. "He had a collar and was tied to the man's shopping cart," she said. The man had a bag of dog food and a bowl of water with him.

Vierra offered the man a $100 bill, which he reluctantly accepted.

"I thanked him for doing the right thing," Vierra said. "We were so excited. It made our day."

Dodger was due to undergo neuter surgery today before going home with the shelter's humane educator, Mary Terrell.

Walt Disney World Honeymoon...maybe

Now this is just me thinking out loud but after lots of talking about where to go on a honeymoon in December we have agreed on Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. It will be nicer in the southern part of the USA than anywhere else we might want to visit. At first I thought it might be too cheesey, but after some online searching I found that a lot of couples choose Disney World. So we are looking into flights and hotels and all that good stuff. We also have a good friend, Kacy, who we went to high school with that now lives in Orlando with her family. So I am going to wait until Sunday before I start to plan the honeymoon, give us a few days to "sleep on it."

Fruitridge Road resurfacing project begins

The city of Sacramento is resurfacing Fruitridge Road from Highway 99 to the Union Pacific railroad tracks near Power Inn Road.

The project will begin Wednesday and is scheduled for completion Aug 12. The 300 feet of Franklin Boulevard north and south of Fruitridge will also be resurfaced.

One lane of traffic will be open on Fruitridge at all times, and most of the work will be come from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., though some delays will occur.

The resurfacing is being paid for through a federally funded maintenance program.

It is like the big fix I-5 project right outside my house. They have been doing construction on fruitridge for the last 3 years!

Deaf Boxer puppy stolen from Placer SPCA

Placer SPCA officials fear deaf dog was stolen from shelter

By Cynthia Hubert

A thief apparently broke into the Placer County SPCA Sunday night and stole a treasured resident: a deaf, white boxer puppy that a shelter worker had already claimed as her own.

Named Dodger, the dog - along with its litter mate, Layla - arrived at the shelter as a stray last week and shelter workers immediately fell in love with him, said executive director Leilani Vierra. A staff member quickly adopted Dodger and he was awaiting neuter surgery.

The staffer, humane educator Mary Terrell, had hoped to use Dodger in children's programs at the shelter.

But when a worker arrived at the SPCA about 7 on Monday, the dog was gone and its litter mate was running loose through the facility. Staffers saw no obvious signs of forced entry, but noticed that the lock on Dodger's kennel had been tossed inside the cage. Locks are left unlatched at night in case workers need to evacuate animals quickly, Vierra said.

Vierra said "no way" could a shelter worker or volunteer have mistakenly allowed the dog to escape.

"This kind of thing has never happened here," she said. "I am sure that someone saw him, wanted him and couldn't get him the traditional way and decided to get him another way." She said the shelter has some security "weaknesses" that could benefit a thief.

The Placer SPCA reported the matter to police and is offering a $4,500 reward for information leading to Dodger's safe return.

Dodger is white, about 40 pounds, with gangly legs and a friendly manner.

"He would stand out," Vierra said. "We're hoping that someone notices him and gives us a call."

To report information about the case, call the SPCA at (916) 782-7722, ext. 105, or the Roseville Police Department at (916) 774-5070, or Roseville Crime Stoppers at (916) 783-7867.

Personal Wine Labels

Photo by Noah Kirchner

Wine by www.jewelwine.com

Saturday off!

YEAH! I took a Saturday off because it is packed full of fun stuff today. My Mom and Stan came up to visit and spent the night and I got to spend the evening with them which was very nice. I am relaxing now, but the night is packed with fun. At 3pm we are going to a purse party at my friend Heidi's house and then we need to swing by Noah's parents because his cousins are in town visiting from out of state. Then after that we are meeting back up with my parents and my sisters for a drink to celebrate my sisters turning 21. I know, wow, my sisters turned 21 on July 3rd. WOO HOO!

And then tomorrow we are driving to Merced to meet with the florist for our ceremony. Then a quick trip to Yosemite :)

Shark Week

Set your DVR for July 27, it is SHARK WEEK!

Mamma Mia!

I never did go see the musical, but always wanted to. Now that the movie is coming out July 18 I can't wait to go see it. Somehow I don't think Noah is going to go with me so I am going to have to either find another girl to go with or just go by myself. I actually go to the movies by myself more than most people. I go see all the movies I think no one else will want to see. Like the year I went to see Duma on my birthday by myself because no one else even knew what the movie was about. I am most excited about the mamma mia movie because of Christine Baranski one of my favorite actresses. It is going to be a good good movie, and I should know :)