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NEWPORT NEWS, VA (USA) — With maybe the exception of King Solomon,
the best authority to rule in any civil dispute has got to be a
dog. Here's an example:
Yesterday, Virginia's Daily
Press printed the story of "Maxi" the Shetland
Sheepdog who left her Kiln Creek home in late December of last
year. Maxi had been mistakenly let outside without her electronic
fence collar and ended up straying a bit too far.
The dog's family, Anna Rhodes and her
sons Andrew and Patrick, through painstakingly thorough investigation
and door-to-door inquiries, eventually located Maxi several months later
at a home on Langley Air Force Base about 10 miles away. The only
problem was that her new family didn't want to give her up.
Although the Sheltie reportedly
recognized her old "mom" Anna and showered her with tail swats
and doggie kisses the minute she came to the door, the new family was
not quite convinced to part with the little, tri-colored bundle of
dog. They requested more proof.
Ms. Rhodes produced one of the many
missing flyers that she had distributed (along with newspaper ads and reward
posters), describing the dog thus:
"a tri-color (mostly sable and
white), petite (12"-15" from shoulders to floor & 14
lbs.) female sheltie. She has not been neutered nor had her dew claws
removed. Her white fur collar does not go all the way around her neck.
She is also very sociable and well trained."
Everyone eventually agreed that the
description was accurate and that the lost date coincided with the date
the dog was found (wandering around a Sam's Club on Jefferson Ave. two
months prior), but still the new family resisted. They requested
more proof.
Ok, Maxi. Enough is
enough. Time to do your thing... |
"I rule in favor of whomever has
the most treats!" Tyke the 12-year-old, 22-lb. Sheltie exhibits the untold wisdom
of the canine world (Tyke can be adopted from Central
Illinois Sheltie Rescue.
(Click on his picture to meet him.)
There, in front of the new family and in
front of several officers who witnessed as well, Ms. Rhodes addressed
Maxi:
"Maxi, sit."
The dog sat.
"Lie down."
The dog laid down.
"Stay."
The dog stayed.
Then Ms. Rhodes placed a biscuit on top
of the dog's paw, right under her nose.
The dog stayed.
The dog stayed.
The dog stayed.
"Ok!" said Ms. Rhodes.
Gulp. The biscuit vanished.
All agreed, no contest—"Maxi
Rhodes" had provided all the proof they needed.
Just to show that she was a good sport
and that there were no hard feelings, Ms. Rhodes gave the advertised
reward money to the other family and donated some more to the Langley
Air Force military police charity fund.
Maxi went back home to Kiln Creek under
full celebratory honors, where she now resides once again, doing her
famous biscuit-disappearing act for anyone who wants to see a good
trick.
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