Wednesday, May 16, 2012
My Two Weeks with Monroe - Part III
After a week of hanging around our neighborhood, Monroe had been noticed by a lot of people and the calls at Animal Control for her were really starting to pile up. Grammy called me one day at work to let me know that Animal Control was there and was trying to capture Monroe. While I was nervous for Monroe, I thought Animal Control capturing her wouldn't be such a bad thing. We could just get her from Animal Control and get her into the rescue group.
As soon as I got off the phone with Grammy, I called Animal Control. There was no answer at first, so I left a message. They eventually got back to me and I explained the situation. They seemed happy that we were trying to get her into rescue, but that's where their cooperation seemed to end. If they caught her, they weren't really willing to turn her over to the rescue. Sure, there were 500 hoops that we could jump through to get her, but it just seemed like there were too many points of failure in their red tape laden system.
I kept in close contact with Animal Control and I even called a few people at the local human society, where Monroe would end up if she was captured by Animal Control, but I wasn't comfortable that Monroe wouldn't somehow slip through the cracks.
So, I decided that we needed to get Monroe before Animal Control got her.
Luckily, me neighbors were onboard and they would keep me posted on Monroe sightings and give me insights into what Monroe was doing during the day. They were also keeping a close eye on Animal Control. That way, if Monroe did get picked up by Animal Control we would be able to be ready to spring her from the pound and get her into rescue.
While, I felt like Animal Control was a good plan B, I really wanted to get Monroe in a way that would not be traumatizing to her. After all, we had built a lot of trust with her. I felt like our plan was working. I just need time and now I felt Animal Control breathing down my neck.
With a new sense of urgency, we tried a different approach to our feeding routine that night. We got out rotisserie chicken and sat in our driveway. We tossed pieces of chicken to Monroe and led her close and closer to us. Eventually, we had her eating out of our hands! We also managed to attract a neighborhood cat that wanted in on chicken.
Monroe ate out of our hands time and time again, and one time I reached out and grabbed her pink harness.
I had a good grip on her. She freaked, flipped and was out of her harness in the blink of an eye. She raced off into the woods and I was left standing in my driveway with her harness in my hand and chicken laying at my feet and my heart in my throat.
I was devastated! With Animal Control looming, I rushed things and blew all the trust I had with Monroe. Not to mention the fact that I stripped her of her harness, her only possession. Now, people would just think of her as a stray. They wouldn't see that at one point she was someone's pet. That someone cared enough to put that harness on her.
I totally and completely blew it. In my defeat, I believed there was no way Monroe would ever come near us again.
Please finish the story tomorrow! We are all dying to know! Holy cow! I would’ve done the same thing though. Grabbed her as soon as she got close. The poor dear. I liked Julie’s idea of leading her in somewhere and then closing the door. Or, have you heard of a humane trap? I’m sure you have. Lead her into the trap with food and the door shuts automatically and then you could get her to the rescue. 
Pat
05/16/2012
I felt soo happy that she came to you and ate the chicken from your hand… then… you are left standing there with the harness in your hand…
the suspense is killing me ( awesome story teller by the way!!)
Cannot wait to hear more tomorrow!