Rain was already falling over towards Kaneohe when we got down to the beach yesterday morning, and heavy clouds blocked most of the light of the rising sun. The rain looked like it was slowly drifting in our direction, but we managed to get all the way to the far end of the beach and back home through the back roads of Kaaawa before it started raining here. It seemed like the start of an unremarkable day.

Then I had to rescue Ms. Harriet from Wally’s pestering out on the front deck, signaled by hissing and growling. When I picked Harry up, I immediately felt a big lump on her chest and it was back to the phone to make an appointment at VCA in Kaneohe. Our favorite vet had no openings in her schedule, so I took a 3:30 p.m. “first available doctor” appointment, and we got ready to head out for a Costco run for staples like dog biscuits and coffee.

A bit later in the morning we were coming down Likelike just before the big School Street intersection when I noticed one of the newspaper hawkers waving his arms, and then saw two black dogs skittering through the rows of traffic, which luckily at that point was stopped by the traffic lights ahead. The smaller dog, which looked like a cocker spaniel, was following the lead of the bigger dog, which appeared very tired and spooked by the traffic. Every time they would get over close to the side of the road and safety, something would set them off and they would stagger back into the traffic. They had just passed our car heading up into the oncoming traffic when the lights changed and cars started to move.

It’s been four years since the last time we were in such a situation, and that time it didn’t end well and one of the dogs was hit. I wanted to avoid that outcome this time around. So I pulled over to onto the shoulder on the right as soon as traffic allowed, left Meda in the car, and started running after the dogs, alternately going out into the three lanes of oncoming traffic, waving my arms and trying get drivers to slow down and avoid the dogs, and then trying to herd the two runaways off the road.

They ran on. Drivers slowed, then stopped. People shouted encouragement and you could see then going through the mental calculus. Should I help? Should I drive on? What can I do? One driver offered me a banana to give the dogs. Another got out with a bowl of something and tried to lure them to the side. Meanwhile, I’m was trying to keep up with the dogs and keep traffic slowed long enough to keep them from becoming road kill when I saw a man running down Likelike towards us to help, and was surprised when he called out a a friendly hello.

It took me several long seconds, in between the dog herding and traffic slowing, to realize that it was Advertiser reporter Rick Daysog, a former colleague at the Star-Bulletin. What a coincidence that Rick, another real animal person, happened past at the same time. Meda also arrived on the scene after realizing more help was needed. The three of us tried to keep the dogs in check, although they were still out among the cars, and Rick was able to get ahold of the collar of the big dog just as a car pulled up and stopped in the middle lane with Rick’s friend driving. A door flew open, and they got the dog to jump up into the back seat. We then spent several anxious moments trying to get the skittery spaniel to follow. Close, but no luck. By this time we were around that bend in the highway, and a new wave of traffic was surging towards us, and then suddenly the spaniel got over on the side of the road, picked up what must have been a familiar scent, and took off at a trot, with us panting in pursuit.

By this time a police officer arrived, blue light flashing, and joined the chase. By the time we got up to the corner of Gulick, another HPD car was there at the corner, a truck was stopped in the middle of Gulick, and two women were standing on the sidewalk in front of an open iron gate. The little spaniel had found its way home, as its owner tried to explain that the dogs had escaped but wouldn’t bite, and we tried to say we weren’t worried about getting bitten, we were worried about the dogs being killed.

Anyway, we dropped Rick off to connect with his friend and deliver big dog back home, and continued on our way to Costco. Whew.

Later in the day I made the run to VCA with Harry, and we were able to get one of our favorite vets after all due to a cancellation in her schedule. She is “pretty confident” that Harry’s lump is related to an abcess, but she said was a little unusual and will need further attention if it doesn’t respond to this round of antibiotics.

What a way to start the week.