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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 13, 2015 | 4 Remember to help if you see an `Alfie' in trouble Editor's Note: The following letter was filed with the Oakville Beaver in connection to the story below. I arrived home (Monday) afternoon from work as I usually do and parked the car in the garage. I was unlocking the door into the house and felt it strange that Alfie was not on the other side (as he is every day), scratching at the door, eager to greet his `daddy.' Still, I got into the house and thought he had just locked himself in a room as he sometimes does. A quick glance to a broken door in the house told me all I needed to know. The house had been broken into. There was no Alfie to be found. My wife arrived and we were both in a state of disbelief and desperation. The police came and went and we started searching, but where to start? It is now dark and we are losing hope. We stop perfect strangers in the street, showing them photos of Alfie and asking them to tell their friends. Eventually we get a call around midnight that Alfie has been found and is at the Oakville & Milton Humane Society. In his escape, Alfie had sustained injuries to two of his paws and had surgery (Tuesday), but will be fine. One of the worst days of our lives ended up being arguably the best day of our lives. You often see the worst of human behaviour daily, but then you also see the best. Alfie, my wife and I would like to sincerely thank all the people who helped with Alfie's rescue and bringing our boy home to us. From the Halton Regional Police Service police officers Anderson, Civiero and Freitas, who attended the scene and put the word out to all their patrols, to the wonderful people including two cyclists (from a yacht club) who were shielding Alfie from traffic as he ran scared in the streets around our home, to Tina the dog walker and other neighbours on Balsam Drive who joined the efforts to catch Alfie. Thank you to the perfect strangers my wife and I stopped in the streets (Monday) night, who offered to pass Alfie's details to their friends; to Joan from Dog Rescuers Inc., who offered to come to our house and join the search; to our friend John who came to man the house while we were out searching; to the staff at the Oakville & Milton Humane Society, who work day and night to look after these precious animals; and, to the staff at Foxcreek Animal Hospital who did Alfie's surgery. Thank you to all of you. In a world full of indifference, there was true community spirit (Monday)night for us to see firsthand. May we all , including my wife and I , learn from this story and step up to help when we see another soul (be it an animal or human) in need of help. As a Persian poet once said: "If you stand back and I stand back, who will step up? If you step up, and I step up, all will step up" Alfie was running and you stepped up to help. Please remember to step up and help next time you see an Alfie in need. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Alfie, Kourosh and Samira Sabri, Oakville Alfie Police seeking witnesses to break-in that led to dog's disappearance by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff A small Havanese dog named Alfie found his way home after going missing during a break-in to that home Monday on Balsam Drive. Sometime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., someone forced open the rear door to the home, said Halton police. The intruder stole jewelry and fled. Upon returning home, the residents were more than dismayed to find that not only had their home been broken into and items stolen, but that Alfie had also gotten out of the house, apparently through the damaged door. Good Samaritans later discovered the four-and-a-half-year-old pooch wandering around injured Monday night and called the Oakville & Mil- ton Humane Society (OMHS). The dog's owners were reunited with their pet.The canine received foot injuries during his ordeal and had surgery to repair the damage. Alfie's owners said they would like to thank the people who came to their beloved pet's rescue. Anyone with information about this break-in is asked to contact the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747, ext. 2216 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Voted the Best in Oakville We Invite you to find out why! Call today for your personal tour. We'd love to have you join us! Retirement Living 380 Sherin Drive, Oakville, Ontario (905) 847-1413 www.vistamere.ca At Its Best