You Boys Like Mexico?!?

The dogs escaped our yard on Thursday. I guess the biggest problem with having dogs the size of rodents is the fact they only need a hole slightly smaller than a rodent to escape.

This wasn't the first time.

About 3 years ago, when I was childless and had significantly more discretionary funds, they escaped. In a panic, I considered calling the police and asking if they'd bust out the reverse 911 system to call all my neighbors and ask if they'd seen my 4 legged children.

I was able to track them down in a shelter 20 miles south. Excited to find them, I didn't blink when they announced the fee to jail break the tiny terrors - $600.

I know hotel rooms in Malibu that cost less than my dog's two night shelter stay but I was getting my babies back and I didn't care.

When I opened my back gate and found them to be missing last Thursday, I tried not to crumble into a ball of tears. Nope. Not because I was worried about the dogs, but because $600 means a whole lot more in my world now than it did then. I called the same shelter and, surprise surprise, they were there again.

I'm annoyed, but not surprised, my dog ran for the Mexican border. He's a Chihuahua. He was probably looking to visit a cousin in Tijuana. My other dog, a boston terrier, likely followed on the promise of cheap margaritas and warm sandy beaches.

I'm guessing the terrier got close to the border, watched the locals make a taco out of a street dog, and turned himself in to the closest US animal shelter.

The shelter quoted me a 'good deal' this time since it took me less than 24 hours to locate them. $300. But, they'd let me out for $175 if I'd let them cut the cajones off the non-neutered terrier.

Looks like Hutch will be walking sideways for a few days because I don't have 300 bucks.