(AF) Up For Adoption

When you wake up in the morning, sit up in bed, plop those feet down on the floor, and mentally review your schedule for the day, it doesn't always turn out the way you have planned. The day can often bring very unexpected surprises. Today, was just one of those such days.

I spend most weekends working in my two little shops at a near-by flea market. Today I was running late and got there a little later than usual. I stopped to say my 'howdys' to everyone on my way to my space, then went to unlock my door.  But just as I was walking up, there, curled up in the patch of grass in front of my space, was a shabby little black dog.

I asked if the flea market owners had gotten a new dog. Nope, they hadn't. I asked if anyone knew who it belonged to. Nope, no one knew. It had apparently been recently dumped off in the area. They said it had come up there a few days ago, disappeared, then returned last night. His hair is all full of mats and clumps, he is full of fleas & ticks, he is a he but is completely missing his um-hums, and his tail is cropped. He appears well fed but is very cowered down and skittish. He had a big cockle burr stuck tightly where his back leg joins his body and me and another vendor carefully got it cut out. Not so easy, since it was tight against his skin, but he sat so still and patient while we worked on him. Then he went to sleep on my lap, went limp as a dishrag and snuggled right in. He really groaned when I put him down so that I could get back to work. Then next thing I know, every time I sat down, he was back in my lap! I kept trying to find him a home all day, as everyone joked about how the little fur ball had adopted me. NO, NO, NO.... I can't have another dog!

.......And now, he lays curled up next to me, sleeping soundly, as I type on my computer ..... at home. Ugh! I told him to not get comfy, we are finding him a HOME.  So, how did he end up coming home with me? I overheard Mr. Flea Market Owner telling one of the men that he was going to take care of the problem this weekend. He said that he, his 22, and the dog were going to go for a walk in the woods and the dog wasn't coming back!  Noooooooooooo,  that just isn't right! Not even enough time has gone by to find out if it belongs to someone and it just got loose. And, that is just wrong. I asked him about it and he was dead serious. He said he would just go take him out and shoot him and the problem would be over.  So my heart broke, the little dog came home with me, and I am now desperately looking for him a home (plus keeping my eye out to see if anyone claims him, though that isn't likely).

I can't keep him, I am struggling to feed the critters I have now. And I certainly can't afford (time or financially) to keep any more that are simply pets and not earning their keep around here. And having not been raised up from a puppy with my other critters, he is kind of upsetting the Apple Cart around here. So please help me find him a home. After I get him all cleaned up, get the mats out, and get the fleas and ticks off, he should be a beautiful dog. He has a really sweet personality (well, except that he thought my chickens and cats were fun to chase) and is obviously extremely smart. He seems to know several commands. He didn't try to hurt my chickens or cats, he just had fun chasing them. The ones that didn't run, he ignored, lol. I don't know what kind he is so if any of you do, please leave a comment and tell me. But most of all, PLEASE HELP ME FIND HIM A HOME FAST!!! Thank you!!!!!