The lost pup became the friend of a woman who had just gone for a latte
Kim Delledonne was walking home after grabbing a coffee when she noticed a lost puppy wandering along the sidewalk all alone across the street. Concerned and intrigued, she crossed the street and approached him, and as soon as she said hello, he came bounding over to her. It dawned on Delledonne that this was a potentially lost puppy who needed her help — and, unfortunately, she knew very little about dogs.
Delledonne waited there with the lost puppy for a few minutes, but it was clear his family wasn’t with him. She knew she couldn’t just leave him there and quickly began trying to figure out how to get him home with her when she didn’t have a leash. She scanned her surroundings, looking for anything leash-like, and soon came up with an unorthodox solution.
“I was actually considering carrying him home when I realized my wired headphones might work,” Delledonne said. “And, boy, were those things sturdier than I expected, because he was tugging and running the whole time and they held fast. I did pass several people and they smiled, but whether at the cute puppy or the fact I was using headphones as a leash, I’m not sure. I was too focused on keeping up with the lost dog!”
Once she and the lost puppy were safely inside her house, Delledonne had a new problem. She’d never had a dog before, only cats, and wasn’t entirely sure how to care for her new friend. She did have some cat toys he was very excited to play with, which was a good start, but there were still a lot of things she was unsure about. As she and the lost puppy figured it out together, she posted pictures of him on Facebook pages and Nextdoor, hoping his family would reach out as soon as possible. As much fun as she was having, she was eager to get the pup back where he belonged.
Delledonne and the puppy passed the time by playing together, and she learned a lot about caring for dogs in a very short period.
“We played a LOT of fetch and tug — he was very playful,” Delledonne said. “It was a lot of fun, but wow, puppies have a LOT of energy! It was like a whirlwind — toys and dusty paw prints everywhere — but I didn’t mind. I have a newfound respect for puppy parents.”
Delledonne did have to text some dog parent friends for advice, especially for questions about how often dogs need to be walked and how to know if they need to go to the bathroom. Cats can handle it themselves, so having a dog is a whole other world. They were getting into a pretty good rhythm, though, until his mom finally reached out.
“After about two hours, a woman posted a response to the Nextdoor post that it was her dog,” Delledonne said. “She told me his name was Benji, and I called him by that name and he reacted, so I knew it was his owner. She was so happy — she had been searching her neighborhood for an hour and had been so upset. It was a windy day, and she believes the back gate blew open and he got out. She thanked me for taking care of him.”
Delledonne loaded Benji into the car and drove him home, where he very excitedly greeted his mom, so happy to see her again. Delledonne kissed her new friend goodbye and headed home. Her day as an impromptu puppy parent was over, and she learned a few things. Who knew headphones could work as a dog leash in a pinch? If she ever comes across another lost puppy, she’ll be more than prepared to help.
