The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Animal lover felt compelled to help runaway dog By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Oakville & Milton Humane Society said they are thankful for a Good Samaritan who located a missing dog that escaped a house sitter on Friday. Local resident Michaela Piccioni was driving in the Neyagawa Boulevard and River Glenn Boulevard area when she saw the dog, which she said appeared scared and disoriented. "The dog (described as a golden-doodle) was just running around the street. It was going around constantly trying to get away from people and from the cars," said Piccioni. "I'm not sure how long she was out there." At one point, the dog actually tried to make its way out onto busy Neyagawa Boulevard but was blocked by a fence. Concerned the dog was going to be struck by a car, Piccioni stopped her vehicle and approached it only to have the dog flee down Eden Valley Drive. After driving her boyfriend to work and returning home, Piccioni discovered the dog was still in the area and was hiding under a tree. Determined to help, Piccioni purchased some dog treats at a nearby convenience store and then jumped a fence to get to the yard the dog was in. Piccioni, a former veterinary assistant, said there were signs the dog had recently had puppies. "She wouldn't move or anything so I just called the humane society and stayed with her there for about an hour," she said. "She looked very beat up While Dushko said Piccioni did a great thing by alerting them to the lost dog, Piccioni explained her love of animals made it impossible for her not to help. "I've always had a huge heart for pets and it would have bothered me if I had not gone back to try to find her," she said. "I couldn't leave her out 7 · Thursday, August 23, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com there alone." Piccioni said she doesn't see herself becoming a veterinarian anytime soon. During her time as a veterinary assistant, she found herself taking far too many needy animals into her own home. "I have too big a heart," she said. UPSTAIRS Windstar Cruises has announced an exclusive Grand Prix package for its Yachting the Riviera voyage. Guests onboard the 21MAY13 voyage of Wind Surf, the largest of Windstar's three sailing yachts, will have the opportunity to experience the world's most legendary auto racing event while enjoying the unique Windstar experience. The package features preferred seating for Saturday's preliminaries and Sunday's race, as well as other exciting events both on shore and on board. Wind Surf will sail into the glamorous port of Monaco and the exhilarating world of Formula One on Saturday. Guests will attend the preliminaries, getting a glimpse at all the preparation that goes into the famous race. The evening will flow into dinner at the renowned Café de Paris, an intimate French bistro in the heart of Monaco, followed by a gala event at Monte Carlo's Grand Casino. On Sunday, guests will enjoy reserved seats in Section K, overlooking Tabac Corner, one of the most challenging sections of the race. Other highlights of the package include an exclusive cocktail reception and Grand Prix dinner aboard the yacht in Cannes, a special Sunday brunch the day of the race and a gift package including high definition binoculars. The 312-passenger Wind Surf will sail through the glittering Italian and French Rivieras, starting in Nice, sailing immediately to Monte Carlo, Monaco where it will dock overnight. Wind Surf will visit two ports in France: Cannes and Calvi, a French port city on the island of Corsica. As the yacht sails through Italy, guests will visit Portofino; Portovenere, with an optional visit to Cinque Terre and Portoferreiro before disembarking in Rome. The optional Grand Prix Package is USD2,299 per person, a USD300 saving if booked by 27OCT12. Call us for Windstar Cruise reservations. www.windstarcruises.com WE'VE MOVED MONACO GRAND PRIX doodle, missing after it escaped a house sitter, was found Friday morning by a Good Samaritan. FOund and RESCUED: This golden- SUBMITTED PHOTO and whatnot." The humane society took custody of the dog, which they say is doing fine. Brenda Dushko of the Oakville & Milton Humane Society said the dog was underweight, but also pointed out this could just be the result of her nursing her puppies. "Usually, when a dog has had puppies, they just look awful. It is really not their best look," said Dushko. "We will follow up with the owners when they return." In the meantime, the dog has been returned to the house sitter. Hopedale Mall, 1515 Rebecca St., Oakville t ravel@mctavishtravel.com OR visit www.mctavishtravel.com McTavish Travel · 905.827.1100 *** SPECIAL - Swimming Pools - Hot Tubs - Patio Furniture - SPECIAL*** INGROUND POOLS FACTORY DIRECT FACTORY DIRECT HELD ! OVER FREE INSTALLATION ON ABOVE GROUND POOLS FACTORY DIRECT VINYL LINER SALE! HELD OVER ! 12'X24' $999 18'X36' $1,499 14'X28' $1,099 20'X40' $1,799 16'X32' $1,299 ORY SAVE BIG! BUY FACTT! DIREC REPLACE YOUR LINER THIS FALL AND $24,995 Vinyl & Fibreglass available SAMPLE SPECIALS 15 Ft. Round $2299 installed 21 Ft. Round $2999 installed 18 Ft. Round $2499 installed 15' x 25' Oval $3999 installed INSTALLED FROM · 4 Person Spa · Plug N' PLay 11V · Just Plug It In! $ 1,999 Huge selection of Cast Aluminum and Wicker Patio Furniture. FACTORY DIRECT Plus: FREE STEREO A $995 Value 250,000 BTU HEATER · 20 Hydro Therapy Jets · L.E.D. Lighting · Most energy efficient Hot Tub on the Market · Estimated Monthly Electric Cost $10.33/mth · 40 Hydro Therapy Jets O · L.E.D. Lighting N L Waterfall Y O N L Y $2999 LED Waterfall Big 6 Person Hot Tub THE SPIRIT 6-7 Person All at factory direct prices. $5999 $1295 *Limited Time Offer, No Dealers Please, Quantities Limited. *Not applicable on prior sales orders FACTORY DIRECT 504 IROQUOIS SHORE ROAD, UNIT #1 OAKVILLE, ONTARIO L6H 3K4 www.leisureindustries.ca 905.815.5252 Ont Reg No 1437985 Call us for reservations!