It was raining cats and dogs overnight at Boulder Creek Ranch. Literally.

Loose dogs – stray? lost? who knew – were the topic of conversation at brunch Sunday at the Oxbow, up the river from our place. We didn’t think much of it until that night, when we let the dogs out. Counting noses, we realized there were four, not three, roughhousing on the porch. The newcomer was a sweet male cattle dog, definitely not an indoor dog, which is fine. We’re up to our limit on those.

Then this morning a friend downriver called to say another stray was hanging around his place in Galena. He, the friend not the dog, was headed back to Redmond, though so we became the temporary holding station for Dog #5, a border collie.

Enough is enough, though. Enough was enough at three. Who’s dumping these dogs in our neighborhood? Or are they truly strays off some nearby ranch? Nobody seems to know.

Anyway, check in if you’re missing a dog. You can call me at the Eagle, 575-0710.