Born Free, on a High Plateau

It is easy to see why a lost dog would affect a dog-owner so much: we have gone through the temporary loss of our own dog once or twice.  But I was really affected by two beautiful dogs that were loose on the edge of a high plateau in northern Utah.

 They were fairly friendly, but wouldn't let me come up and read a phone number on their tag or collar.  They didn't really want water from my bottle, but that isn't too surprising considering all the ponds in the area.  They weren't in any immediate danger.  

In fact they were full of youthful vitality.  They were enjoying their romp together.  Their adventure and freedom.  Despite expressing 'danger' in one sense of the word, these two dogs were advertisements for the idea that 'life isn't about Meaning, it is about Desire.' 

I made a call to Animal Control but don't know what happened after that.  I suspect the dogs belonged to a hunter or camper in the area, and that they 'turned themselves in' after being 'Born Free' for a couple hours.

It is difficult to be useful in a situation like this if you don't get cooperation from the dogs themselves or the owner.  And you can't get too involved, lest you are reminded that 'no good deed goes unpunished.'  Still, making a call to Animal Control at least lets the owner know where the dogs have been spotted and that they are sound and healthy.

On an unrelated note I recently had the rare privilege of admiring a body of water, recently.