WANTED: Safe Return of Gigi

My friend, Nikki and her fiance, Lou, have the cutest little 5 year-old Westie pooch.
This spoiled canine has the nicest dispositon, rarely barks, never begs for food and is a joy to be around. Nikki allows her to accompany her to work over the river in Ft. Mitchell, where Gigi greets her owner's relexology clients and they adore her (and Nikki, too, for that matter).
Yesterday it was a chilling drizzly day, with the temperature hovering around 45 degrees. Nikki took Gigi on her usual 8 a.m. walk across the street from their 7th floor residence in a high rise facing the river in downtown Cincinnati. They had to cross a very busy road to reach the mile-long park on the river's edge. Nikki let Gigi off the leash to roam a bit when, without notice, she bolted like a rabbit with Nikki in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, the white dog was a blur like she was training for the Flying Westie Marathon.

Well, sadly, after hours of searching, calling Gigi's name, asking joggers and dog walkers for help, no Gigi. Nikki had called Lou and he left work and spent the rest of the day hunting for any trace of the missing pet. After 8 hours, he visited the local SPCA, hoping a kind stranger had turned her in. No luck.

I got a frantic call on my answering machine from Nikki around 3 p.m. I enlisted the help of my friend, Susan, and off we drove to aid in the search. It was miserable outside. Bone-chilling and raining. All we could do was think of this furry little innocent creature shivering cold, hungry, scared and possibly, hurt. We couldn't help but look with trepidation down the embankment toward the river, fearing that she had maybe lost her footing in her excited curiosity to explore. All kinds of maddening scenarios flicker across the mind's movie screen when you're desperately looking for one of God's vulnerable creatures.

It grew dark and we were losing hope. It had been over 10 hours now since Gigi started her exploring journey. We hated leaving the area and as we drove north in silent prayer, we were still looking for the missing "white spot" but feeling our hopes drain.
An hour after we got home we received a hysterically happy call from Nikki. She and Lou had returned from their search and had just entered their building. They were talking with the two front desk attendants when one of them noticed something on their security monitor. "There's a white dog at the front door!" ~ one of them shouted.
They raced to the building's entrance and there was Gigi ~ wagging her tail, dry and looking as good as she had the day before, after she had returned from her monthly grooming.

How did this dog survive 11 hours in the cold and rain and return on the heels of her owners' homecoming? How did she cross that very busy road and remain dry and clean?
Who knows? Gigi isn't talking.
But I DO know that there were a plethora of prayers sent in her name.....and....I'm a believer!
Thank you, Lord!

I think maybe Gigi is sporting a new collar/leash today.