Man misses his close companion
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on August 6, 2004 1:57 PM
DUDLEY -- Donald Moore gets along all right living alone in his wheelchair. Lately, though, he has been crushed by depression. Somebody stole his dog.
The dog, Todd, was a big part of Moore's life. Moore has been paralyzed on the left side since Dec. 31, 1991. He said his marriage failed shortly after a stroke confined him to a wheelchair, and Todd, a blond and brindle cocker spaniel, provided the only love left in his home.
A bag of dog food and a bowl sit waiting for his return in Moore's kitchen on Moore Allen Street in Dudley.
Moore, who is 63, has been having some heart trouble.
"This past Saturday I went to get a Pacemaker," said Moore. "My doctor said the dog had a lot to do with it. I haven't slept six hours since he's been gone, I bet. He'd sleep with me on the bed. He'd start out at the foot and in the morning, he would ease up where I was ..."
Todd disappeared before dawn on the morning of Sunday, July 18. Moore had let him out for his morning run and was following along behind him in the wheelchair.
"I saw a car down the street. It had stopped, and it went out the other way instead of coming past my house. I didn't know if they saw me or not ... It was too dark to see what kind of car it was or who was in the car."
Todd is the second dog Moore has lost since his stroke. The other one, a bulldog named Duchess, had to be euthanized last October, suffering from cancer. "I wouldn't have taken $10,000 for her."
In December, a woman at his bank had learned about Duchess and gave him Todd. Todd was about a year old then and had already been house trained.
"My daughter offered me a puppy, but I don't want to house train a puppy," he said.
He said his wife called this past Sunday night and asked how he was doing. "She said she was worried about me," said Moore. He said he's independent, does his own cooking.
But he said he hasn't rested since his dog's been gone. If you have seen a cocker spaniel fitting Todd's description, call Moore at 580-0521.
"He's such a friendly little dog," Moore said. "If anybody asked him to go for a ride he's go with them."
Moore said he would pay a reward to anyone who returned Todd, no questions asked.