How a Lost Dog Helped Me Connect With My Dutch Neighbourhood

I was taking Salsa for a short walk when, just while I was stepping out of my door, I happened to see a tiny dog without a collar in the street on its own. The dog was getting closer and closer to Salsa while I was looking around for the owner. I couldn’t see anyone. Absolutely no one. Not even someone to ask. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t leave this tiny thing outside on its own, crossing the road from one side to the other and risk it being hit by a car.

I decided to look for its owner. So, I walked and walked asking people if they knew the dog. Nobody did. Needless to say, I was getting stressed! I came across some people who gave me some great ideas. One of them told me to look for the nearest veterinary because they might be able to recognise the dog (isn’t that a great idea – I would never have thought of that!). Another said that unfortunately my street did not have a neighbourhood WhatsApp group (another great thing to know about – there are neighbourhood WhatsApp groups!). If your neighbourhood has one, make sure you became a member.

I could only find one veterinary in the vicinity, but it was closed. I was getting more and more worried. I did not know what to do with this tiny thing! I could take it home and then what would I do? Finally, while walking back home with Salsa and carrying the lost dog, my son rang me to say, “Mum I´ve just seen the neighbour in front of our house opening the door and looking outside under the cars. Like looking for something small. Maybe she lost something or is looking for her pet”. Immediately I started to walk home. Once in my street I asked my son which neighbour it was, and I knocked at the door. So yes, I had found the home of this small and lovely creature. It was a French dog from Paris, not used to the outside world and with it being so tiny it would go unnoticed if the doors were open and the owners unintentionally distracted.