Coincidence or not?

[PeachySunrise]

Yesterday afternoon I went to take my Dad’s dog Rocky out for his walk. He was as energetic as ever pulling on his leash, barking at birds, and doing all of the things he normally does. After about an hour I took him back into the pen and my mother and I went to feed the chickens. After doing so a dog I had never seen until I was walking Rocky and thought must have been a neighbors new dog showed up in our yard. Rocky was barking at him through the pen as he doesn’t like other dogs in his territory. He was very friendly and followed my mom around to the basement and eventually came onto the porch. It was pretty apparent that he must be a stray by the fact of how he acted, had no collar, and was scrawny. I felt sorry for him and wanted to give him some food to eat so he wasn’t so hungry and we could call the dog catcher the next day so he could hopefully find a good home. My mom and sister went to dump some scraps and I to get a cup of dog food for him. As I was walking back I looked into Rocky’s pen and noticed he was laying over on his side in a way he never does. His eyes were partially open but not blinking. His gums were blue and after looking at his chest for a few seconds he appeared to not be breathing. I ran to get my mom and she ran to check him and discovered that he was dead. He had had heart worms and had likely had a heart attack. We were all shocked that he died so suddenly and not even 30 minutes after I had just got done walking him and he was perfectly fine. It is now the next day and the stray dog is still on our porch. We have had stray dogs occasionally show up to our house but I think it is odd for one to show up the day that Rocky passed. I don’t know if we will keep him or not but just out of curiosity do you believe this dog has showed up for a reason or is it just coincidence?

[missmuffet]

10 minutes ago, PeachySunrise said:

Yesterday afternoon I went to take my Dad’s dog Rocky out for his walk. He was as energetic as ever pulling on his leash, barking at birds, and doing all of the things he normally does. After about an hour I took him back into the pen and my mother and I went to feed the chickens. After doing so a dog I had never seen until I was walking Rocky and thought must have been a neighbors new dog showed up in our yard. Rocky was barking at him through the pen as he doesn’t like other dogs in his territory. He was very friendly and followed my mom around to the basement and eventually came onto the porch. It was pretty apparent that he must be a stray by the fact of how he acted, had no collar, and was scrawny. I felt sorry for him and wanted to give him some food to eat so he wasn’t so hungry and we could call the dog catcher the next day so he could hopefully find a good home. My mom and sister went to dump some scraps and I to get a cup of dog food for him. As I was walking back I looked into Rocky’s pen and noticed he was laying over on his side in a way he never does. His eyes were partially open but not blinking. His gums were blue and after looking at his chest for a few seconds he appeared to not be breathing. I ran to get my mom and she ran to check him and discovered that he was dead. He had had heart worms and had likely had a heart attack. We were all shocked that he died so suddenly and not even 30 minutes after I had just got done walking him and he was perfectly fine. It is now the next day and the stray dog is still on our porch. We have had stray dogs occasionally show up to our house but I think it is odd for one to show up the day that Rocky passed. I don’t know if we will keep him or not but just out of curiosity do you believe this dog has showed up for a reason or is it just coincidence?

I don't believe in coincidences. Everything comes from God.

[Neighbor]

On 7/30/2019 at 1:44 PM, PeachySunrise said:

We have had stray dogs occasionally show up to our house

Hi,

And what was happening on these other occasions of dogs showing up at  your home?

Did you also feed and then keep them? Why  or why not?

My point in questioning is to highlight that though there may not be such thing as co-incidence, there are parallels in what happens around us and to us.  Each one does not necessarily affect us in the same way, and so we may react differently  or even not notice at all an event.

I suggest that regardless of your own conclusion on this you now have a new stray on your hands. If you feel led to keep it then please  be prepared to care for it's medical needs including deworming and paying for heart worm treatment and all the other associated costs and responsibility of pet ownership. Otherwise just be kind to it with water and some food and call animal control. Someone may still be looking for this "lost" stray.

To emulate the Good Shepherd Jesus is the good pathway to follow. He feeds us. He prepares a place for us that are given to Him by His Father. In turn we do submit to Him and then do all that we do to the glory of God.  Are you led to care for this animal to the Glory of God? Seems to me if you think it has been brought to you providentially then it's care is upon you personally, and your care of it should be as though you are doing so to God's glory too. If it is a female you might rename her Gloria.

May God bless you in your own conclusion and follow through.

 

[BeauJangles]

A potentially heart-warming story if one takes the advantage of recognizing a gift from God. 

Edited August 4, 2019 by BeauJangles

[Debp]

Seems to be too much of a coincidence to just be a coincidence. 

If the stray doesn't have anyone looking for him, as Neighbor mentioned, please take it to the vet.   As for spaying or neutering, sometimes cities or towns offer to do that for free.   Or animal rescue groups might help with that, too.