On the way home from our day in Tecate, on highway 94, about three miles from the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, I slowed down for a little white Chihuahua in the road. Highway 94 in that part of the county is a rural, windy, one-lane road on which people drive far too fast. Without thinking, I veered off to the shoulder. In the rearview mirror, I saw him running up to the car.

I got out and tried coaxing him to me. He clearly wanted help, but was too scared to approach closer than six feet or so. Car after car sped by without even slowing down. About to give up, Rich gave it a try. He sat down on the curb, and the dog approached, but was still too frightened to come close. Rich signaled to me to cut the engine. The fan kept coming on periodically and it was making the dog nervous.

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Head down, ears back, he cautiously came to Rich. Several minutes of petting followed. Then the dog climbed into Rich’s lap.

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Now the question was, what to do with him? We have a cat at home, after all. Stopped at the nearest market to ask if anyone had been looking for him. No luck. Got some water for him which he didn’t drink. Stopped at another store and got some dog food. After a while, he laid down on Rich’s lap and almost slept. Poor thing was skinny and exhausted. Apparently Campo is an area where a lot of people take animals to abandon, perhaps thinking they’ll somehow survive in the wild. I have to believe there’s a special circle of hell waiting for people who abandon pets.

Especially sweethearts like this one. We decided to bring him home.

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It took about 6 months of daily gentle scrubbing with a Q-tip and a special solution to get all of the dried matted tears out of his fur.

Kept him in the bedroom and away from Gracie last night. She’s okay, but in hiding. Apparently Chi’s frequently get on well with cats. Their small size helps. A friend of mine is involved in the Chihuahua Rescue Society, and she tells me that Chi’s and Pit Bulls have the highest kill rate at shelters. Don’t know why.

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Once we got him in the house and laid out some food and water for him, he went to town eating and drinking.

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He seems healthy. No fleas or ticks, paw pads in good shape. Some tear stains under his eyes, and skinny. He’s a complete and total lap dog. Wants constant contact or at least nearness.

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Oh, and just like dachshunds, they LOVE burrowing under blankets. This was the first real rest he’d probably had in several days.

Last night, it rained and howled all night long. If he’d been out in this storm, he’d have been a goner for sure. It’s a miracle he didn’t become coyote food.

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So this morning we went to the vet’s office to have him checked out and see if he’s microchipped. He’s not chipped, and he’s not neutered, either. He’s around 3-4 years old. Weighs 9.5 pounds; it should be more like 12. He got all his shots boosted today, if he ever had them in the first place. We’ll wait on neutering until the shots have taken effect and he’s gained a bit of weight and settled in.

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Now for a name: we like Cisco.