The emergency "leashes" came in handy.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I had vowed after the last woodchuck fiasco to keep lengths of cord in the yard so that I could grab two  doodles when need be. I was about to do a poop pickup earlier today when I noticed the doodles had disappeared. Never a good sign.

Calla came when called but no sign of Luca. He was around the other side of the yard with his "prize". A very dead adolescent woodchuck. In the interests of all the delicate folks, and because I threw the body in the woods ASAP, I have no photos. Suffice it to say this one was far less fierce looking than the last one.

Luca dropped the woodchuck when told to but then temptation took over and he ran away with it. I grabbed a length of cord and got it through his collar. Holding him close in, I picked up the woodchuck in my poop bag covered hand. Calla may a few lame attempts to jump up and grab it but she is pretty compliant. Sneaky yes, but outwardly compliant : )

We made it about 200 feet to the gate, where I could get out and throw the poor thing into the woods. The sad part is, I think this was my neighbor's woodchuck. This little one could probably fit under the gate on the far side of the house. So it didn't really reduce my resident woodchuck population at all : (

The moral of the story is leashes. I have real extra ones upstairs in case of disaster. I have real extra cheap ones in the car in case I forget the daily ones. And now I have two double sets of cords hanging in the yard.

As a topper, a truck took off my passenger side mirror tonight. The truck stopped at a light, I beeped and we got out and I yelled at him and told him I needed his information. He went back to his truck and took off when the light changed. I got his license plate but the police couldn't find a record of it. Didn't make sense to me. But I have calmed down since in all this only the woodchuck got hurt.

UPDATE:

I just called the police dept. The dispatcher said that they did trace the license plate but the officer who was working on the case won't be in til Friday so I will call then.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am sorry about your 'hit and run.'  This stuff makes me so mad.  People don't have personal moral codes any more, just whatever they can get away with.

A dead woodchuck in the yard surely beats a dead young opossum in the bedroom!  The real disadvantage of a doggy door.

I keep trying to remember those emergency leashes and the only place I always have them is by the door in the RV.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh no. The dogs once brought a squirrel and a baby bird through the doggie door but only to the porch. The cords are easy, cheap and handy.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Our bedroom is through the house and UP the stairs....  :-\  We have found lots of presents in our bedroom.  Luckily I have always avoided actually stepping on one of the presents - knock on wood.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh, it doesn't bear thinking about.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

that is why I close the doors to all of the bedrooms/office when we aren't home.  I was afraid of them throwing up on our bed or something like that and never thought about them bringing anything in from outside through the doggie door.  Yuck.  Luckily, they have only taken things outside through the doggie door and not brought them em (fingers crossed that they don't figure this out!!)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine are crated when I'm not home. Great for peace of mind, mine, and I think theirs too, and they have lots of room and water. Do you let them use the doggie door when you're not there? I could never be brave enough for that given the troubles they could get into--see above : )

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Wow, what a story. I'm sorry you had such a hard day. I hope someow that guy gets his karmic reward. Tomorrow will be better!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm glad you had those "leashes" handy. Sorry that the dead woodchuck wasn't larger and a native of your property. :)

Really sorry about the hit and run. I had a similar thing happen to me several years back. Guy in a van rear ended me at a light, I followed him, asked for his insurance info, and he took off. Police couldn't find a record of that license plate, either.

My house and yard are very small, so I don't keep a leash out in the yard as I could get one from the mudroom very quickly if need be. I keep an emergency leash in the car always.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I just don't understand how the police can't find a license plate. I was sure I "got" him. It works in the books I read : )

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

A few years ago I got stopped in my Dad's truck for speeding.  When the cop ran the plate it came back to a vehicle other than what I was driving.  Interestingly enough he gave me the speeding ticket but did nothing about the plates not matching the vehicle or name I gave him.  My Mom was with me and we joked about phoning in a stolen truck like my Dad's so the Cop would feel so stupid.  I couldn't believe he just let us drive away without sorting out the issue of the plates.  I was glad he did though!

[F, Calla & Luca]

This is all giving me such confidence in the powers that be : )