Rascal: Racing Against Time. Chris Cooper

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      It wasn’t easy to be cold and alone like this again. The dog had been forced to delay his long journey several weeks earlier, when his back leg had been fractured by a car. Luckily for Rascal, Judy, a volunteer for the local animal shelter and a true dog lover, had taken him in. He had grown accustomed to being warm and well-fed at her house while his leg mended.

      And yet, Rascal hadn’t been able to shake the restless feeling at the back of his mind. Judy was a great owner, but she wasn’t his owner. She was kind and loving to him, but she was that way with all dogs. That’s why Judy volunteered to act as a foster owner for any dogs from the shelter that needed special attention. Every time Rascal found himself relaxing and starting to enjoy life with Judy, an image of his old master, Joel – his true master – would pop into his mind, No, he knew he had to continue on his journey home, just as soon as he could.

      At last, the day came when Rascal was taken to the vet’s and the splint on his leg removed. He touched the floor gingerly with his back paw. It felt good to walk on all fours once again, even if the muscles of the injured leg felt weak through lack of use.

      It was time to move on.

      Judy was sitting in her favourite chair with the newspaper when Rascal came up to her and pawed her knee.

      ‘You’re not looking for more food, are you?’ she asked. ‘I’ve never seen a dog eat as much as you did this morning!’