Where should Bullet live?

Let me tell you a little of Bullet’s situation. He wandered into our family about eight to ten years ago. He was a nice little stray and FIL let him stay. The little valley where my in-laws lived it a pretty place. There are other houses within sight of their house, but too far away to shout a greeting. Their church is across one field beside their house, the cemetery across the field in the back.

Not our mountains, but this gives you the feel.

Bullet is an outside dog – won’t come in even if we try to entice him. If you sit on the porch he’ll come sit on your lap and let you pet him. But he only stays there for a bit and then he’s off again. He has a nice doghouse on the back porch, deep with straw very warm. They house is on a dirt road with little traffic and across this dirt road is a bubbling creek. 

 

Bullet owns this valley. We think he eats at several of the houses, because, while he loves a treat, he pays little attention to his food when we feed him. He heads to the church every Sunday morning where most of those in the congregation bring him a treat. He's always so happy to see the family come on Sunday, running to greet us each separately. But just greeting us then running off again. He’s just a happy little dog.

 

But what now?

 

I’m not happy about the few homes that have been mentioned. One of Nick’s sisters would like to have him. But she’s an accountant and during tax season she’s gone from 7:00AM until 9:PM and while she has a fenced yard, it’s about the size of a postage stamp. I don’t want him there. One of the ladies who helped FIL would give Bullet a home, but she lives on a busy road. That doesn’t seem safe. Bullet has never been tied or fenced in any way. None of the five kids really has a good place for him.

My choice is, leave him right there in his valley. Let him stay there and play in the creek and chase rabbits and visit the church and the cemetery and make the rounds of all the places that feed him. I know for a fact there will be someone from the family up there at least twice every week. SIL play the piano for the church on Sunday and has choir practice on Wednesdays. I know she would be more than willing to feed him on those days. I’d be happy to go up and feed him once or twice a week. I don’t anticipate this home place being sold right away and I feel there will be people in and out frequently.

 

With the family still around to check on him several times a week and everyone in the valley knowing they could call any of us if they think he needs anything, am I crazy to vote to leave him right where he is? I really feel that Bullet would be happier there than anywhere else.