Dateline: 4th of July, 2005.
Joan Callander • Spot Magazine
The cul-de-sac was filled with neighbors and friends. Kids were running around, and small fireworks were being set off. Robyn Martin’s four-year-old son Jake careened with the rest, running through the area where smoke bombs were being lit. But instead of moving on quickly like the others, he stopped and inhaled deeply. Only a few feet away, Robyn didn’t realize Jake was in serious trouble. “Luckily my oldest daughter, McKenna, pushed him away, because he was paralyzed to the spot and not moving on his own. He came out of it walking silly, then he just dropped and his head bounced off the pavement. His mouth was filled with blood and I ran forward, grabbing him.” A fire truck and an ambulance were called, but since the paramedics said his injuries were not life-threatening, Martin drove him to the emergency room herself. Neighbors cleaned up the fireworks and locked up her home.
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In the midst of the melee, Roxy, the family’s three-year-old boxer/Rhodesian Ridgeback, became frightened by all the noise and confusion and bolted. In the flurry of activity and upset, the family didn’t realize Roxy was gone until the next day.
“We were devastated; we’ve had Roxy since she was an eight-week-old puppy, and she’s an integrated family member,” said Martin. “We couldn’t replace her. She’s one of those dogs that family and friends adore.” Roxy is very much a family dog and had never before disappeared. “In fact,” says Martin, “in the summer she often lays on the back of the couch, with the door open, and just watches people go by outside.” Upon realizing Roxy was gone, the Martins immediately canvassed the neighborhood. “I was very sad and kind of panicky,” says 11year-old McKenna.
They put up posters and then Martin started working the phones. “It’s not like there is a class called ‘What to do if you lose your dog,’” she says. Martin spent hours phoning the police, Humane Society and animal control agencies in their community. After getting several recordings — one of which had a wrong number in its referral information — Martin made the 45minute trek to the Bonnie Hays Small Animal Shelter in Hillsboro. “The 5th of July is our busiest day of the year,” says Susan Field, media spokesperson for the shelter. “Dogs are scared by fireworks, and frantic dogs — even in a locked house — can manage to escape and start running, putting themselves at great risk of being hit by a car.” Three days passed. “All the way out to the shelter I kept thinking, ‘Okay. Roxy is going to be there, she’s going to be there,’” remembers a still emotional Martin. “After waiting in a long line, I looked at the sheet describing dogs they had taken in and
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July 2006 • Spot Magazine