You couldn't tell there was a dog in the pen.

Everything was quiet in the side yard. The dogs that were barking inside the house were loud and ferocious sounding.

Nothing moved in the small, filth strewn enclosure before us.

I jumped down into the lower level of the neighboring lot and made my way along the fence toward what appeared to be a makeshift shelter. As I walked toward the ramshackle structure, a big shaggy head with clumps of hair and mats emerged from inside. The dog didn't move, bark or retreat. He just looked back and forth between my partner, Clynt and I.

One of us said something to the dog and he started to move. He placed himself between the two of us. Clynt had stayed on the higher ground of the dog owner's property, I was ten feet down the outside of the dogs pen. I put my hand over the fence tentatively. He gave a half hearted grumble. I asked Clynt if he would run back to the van and get us some dog treats. While he was gone I noticed the smell.

Feces covered the ground, almost eight inches up the fence boards, The dog smelled so bad his aroma permeated the still air. When Clynt returned he tossed me a cookie and I asked him if he could be quick and touch the dogs back to see how his weight was. He would do this while I distracted the dog with the treat…It worked and Clynt said the dog was "Nothing but bones."

I had only seen one long haired German Shepherd in the area, and this scrawny, matted specimen was nothing like that magnificent beast.

I had worked with that dog a couple of years ago, after its owner became convinced the dog was a dangerous menace… The dog was a playful pup. It turned out to be a communication problem and the dog and owner went on their ways.

This dog was old, moving like it was half crippled and grumpy. I couldn't leave this dog where he was, I pulled out my badge, warning book and pen as I made my way to the front door of the house.

We removed the dog from his pen - the gate had been nailed shut. From the instant the gate opened the dog changed into an excited bundle of canine joy. He didn't give his owner a glance as we led him to our waiting van. The man willingly signed the dog over once I explained the situation he was in.

He said he had been given the dog two years ago, yet he didn't know if the dog was neutered or not!

It turned out the dog had been neutered. And by tracing his tattoo I became a blubbering fool when it turned out that this was the same beautiful dog I had worked with two years ago…his original owner had given him up when they experienced a family emergency.

Ronald, had about five pounds of mats and dried fecal matter removed from his coat. He was severely under weight and suffering from a large hotspot near the base of his tail - caused by the pain of a mat pulling the hair.

He is very confused about other dogs - he wants to play but he comes on too strong and loud. He's getting better, over time he will be fine.

Sometimes you just can't walk away.

UPDATE!! October 17th, 2003: Ronald has been successfully rehomed, with another longhaired German Shepherd. They get along famously and this time it's a happy ending for the boy!