Yippers the Third

Before I dive into my story, I think I need to give you a little background. Spencer and I live in my MeMa's old house- we completely renovated it before moving in and it looks nothing like it did when she lived here. (That was part of my coping mechanism, it had to look completely different or else I didn't think I would be able to live here without being an emotional wreck.) This is also how I'm able to stay home with Spencer, I have no mortgage or rent. Although this is about to end, as I will be going back to school in January, when she is two and half, and she'll be going to preschool.

It was really important to me to be able to stay home with her for her first two years because I'm her only active parent. I'm always afraid she won't feel loved enough, and I couldn't take the idea of leaving her everyday when I couldn't explain it to her. Luckily I have a family who was/is willing to support me in that decision.

Okay, so we live in my MeMa's old house, which is right next door to my childhood best friend's parents. Got that? My neighbors were like my second set of parents from the age of 0-12yrs old. Our parents are family friends and their two kids called my grandparents MeMa and PaPa. Their daughter, Sarah (different from Sara and Lila) now has a daughter who is 10 months younger than Spencer (which is weird because Sarah is 10 months older than me). Her grandparents (my neighbors) are watching their granddaughter her for the week.

So this morning, Donna (neighbor and grandparent) and I took the girls on a walk around the neighborhood. It's a beautiful day here, sunny and in the 70's, and the girls were having a great time "chatting" to each other from their matching strollers (total coincidence). It's so neat to watch toddlers socialize and learn different things from each other. We were on the tail end of our walk when we pass a house that had a Britney Spaniel lazing in the yard.

As soon as Spencer saw the dog she began screaming Dog, Dog, Dog!! Baby M joined in, and over walked the cutest dog. She was so sweet and gentle with girls- the kind of dog you want to dog nap, you know? After about 5 minutes we needed to go on our way, but the she kept following us. We were scared that she was going to get hit by car, so I walked the dog up the driveway to his house and rang the doorbell.

While I waited, she laid by my feet and rolled on her back, asking me scratch her belly, which I of course obliged in doing! I seriously thought about bringing her home with me, I mean she didn't have a collar on and she wasn't fenced in or anything. But I'd never actually do that, don't worry. Finally a little old man tottered to the front door and looked at me with questioning eyes.

I explained that his dog, who was so sweet to us, kept following us down the road, going out of his yard, and we were afraid something might happen to her. He looked at me like I was a nut, and said "Oh, nothing's gonna happen to Yippers 3."

This is not an actual picture of Yippers 3, but this is what she looks like.

I kinda of cocked my head in silent questioning, and he said "the boys, Yippers 1 and 2, lived to be 13 and 15, she's just a pup." Yippers 3 did not want to go inside, and I don't blame her, it was beautiful outside and he did not seem that thrilled to have the dog back in his house. But her owner got in her, looking at me as if I was the most annoying busybody neighbor ever.

But now I'm really sad. Animals have always had a very strong effect on me, and luckily, I have a way with them. Animals and children like me, it's just always been that way. That's why I've been so fortunate to be able to rescue so many dogs- even the most skittish of them will come to me. I've taken this "gift" very seriously, and I really feel like it's my job to help out when and were I can. Now I don't think that Yippers 3 is being abused or anything, but she needs a collar and she needs to be fenced in, or at the very least, tied to something.

I don't really know how I should handle this, being as he is my sorta neighbor (he's across the street and few houses down). If something were to happen to Yippers 3, I would feel so guilty. But I don't think it's really appropriate to tell an elderly man how to care for his dog- especially since he was able to keep Yippers 1 and 2 alive for their life expected life span. What would you all do? Nothing? I need some guidance, please.