Busted

Greg was arrested on Wednesday and spent a day and a half in prison. He went out on the sidewalk for his morning constitutional and never came back. I thought he might have gone on his own walk about although that would be most unusual for him. By noon I was worried and retraced our usual route without seeing any sign. I then got serious and began to look for the SPCA. When I finally found their offices they were closed for the day but a sign in their window said that it was not the SPCA but the Department of Ecology and Tourism (interesting name) that picked up dogs on the street. Their offices were closed as well of course.

I enquired of my neighbors what might have happened and they agreed it might have been the Department of Ecology. The neighbors were most sympathetic and offered to take me to the SPCA. I was pretty sure it was Ecology that would have picked him up however, and went to see them at ten the next day. Indeed they had picked up a dog meeting the Gregster’s description. The bemused and friendly gentleman in charge handed me a 25-page document in English, which was a translation of the current laws regarding domestic animals, and counseled me to read it carefully. I was then conducted to an adjoining office where there was a discussion of the amount of the fine Greg should be charged for this, his first offence - $22 it was decided – almost 3 times what it costs for a parking ticket! I was then instructed to go up to the central City government offices next to el Jardin to pay the fine and told that they would release the dog when I returned with the receipt.

So Greg spent a night in jail. When I returned from paying the fine he was entertaining the staff at the Department of Ecology. He had a large yellow rope around his neck with an old cowboy at the other end. I asked how they had caught him and it seems this gentleman lassoed him. There is work for retired cowboys! Greg seemed reasonably pleased to see me although he was clearly having some fun with the staff. He had a mighty thirst when we got back to the house and spent the day sleeping, but seemed otherwise in good shape. On balance I think he quite enjoyed his experience. He must have overnighted with 20 or 30 other dogs and that is certainly much more interesting than watching paint dry with me.