I have an absolute fear of dogs. When I was younger, while walking home, I was bitten from behind by an unfriendly dog. Since that time, I have experienced anxiety around dogs—small, medium, large, any kind of dog, even ones that are friendly.
This morning, as I was driving home after dropping off my children at school, I saw a loose dog near my house getting into a garbage bag sitting out for trash pick up. The dog looked familiar, possibly our neighbor’s dog. I drove past him, backed into my driveway, and then thought about what I should do. I immediately drove back to the dog thinking at the same time, “I want to help, but I’m afraid of dogs so I don’t want to get out and guide the dog back home. I also do not have the neighbor’s phone number with me. If I went back home to get the number, I may lose the dog”.
As I approached the dog, I rolled down my window and spoke the name I thought may be his to see if the dog would respond. I said, “Hi, Hello!, go home bud, go home” with a soft and gentle voice and tone. He looked up and I knew it was him. Even though I have a fear of dogs up close, I like them from a distance and I was able to speak to him in a kind and friendly way all the while staying inside my car. For several minutes, I encouraged and invited him to go home and he slowly began returning back towards his house at the very time, right behind me, a car pulled up and the neighbor’s wife got out and came over to her dog.
I thought to myself, “How Cool”! It was a tender mercy I was able to help guide their dog back home, even with my fear, without getting out of the car and the timing of the neighbor’s return home was fabulous!
It was also amazing when the neighbor’s husband spoke to their dog, the familiarity—how and what was spoken—was identical to how and what I spoke. In addition, it was a tender mercy I was able to briefly interact with the neighbors when I only see and visit with them from time to time as we infrequently cross paths. Although I was a bit self-conscious because I was still in my pajamas, my hair was a mess, my make up was streaked and my teeth were not yet brushed; nonetheless, I was grateful for the interaction and being able to assist in their dog’s return home despite my fear.
Have you had an experience where you worked through a fear to help with an animal rescue?