Clay County Coonhound

Some 52 pounds of lap dog

Mrs. Miller did some Googling today. Now she is convinced that Opal is mostly black and tan coonhound. What we have seen of her temperament and personality so far certainly checks out with the general expectations for the breed: She's a triple handful of cheerful, affectionate, docile, prone to nap, drooling lap dog in a queen sized package.

To be sure, there's something or things in the mix besides coonhound, but we haven't quite figured out the candidate breeds just yet.

Next to nothing is known of her origin. She showed up at a private residence in rural Clay County, Texas, one day. Several days were spent trying to locate her family or anyone else who might know where she belonged. When that effort failed, she was taken to the animal impound lockup.

Her stay at the pound was extended beyond the typical period a couple of times. Clearly, staff members recognized a potentially fine and valuable creature in this abandoned (most likely) dog. Still, no one came forward to claim her nor to adopt. Further extensions to delay her execution were denied.

In a last ditch, eleventh hour act to save this dog, folks at the Clay County Animal Shelter called on my friend to intervene. A quickie adoption was arranged and the dog was brought to the Humane Society Wichita County shelter where she was registered as "Opal Hound."