Francesca's Story: From Jail Bird to Upscale Coonhound

Hi it's me, Francesca. Cinnamon said that if I was good, I could eventually tell my story. So here it is.

I've been in my forever home since July of this year. That's less than five months. I can still remember what life was like before I came to live with Cinnamon. Life was difficult.

I was a puppy in Yamhill County, Oregon. I was really cute, but I was really bouncy too. (What's new?). I always wanted to bounce myself out of the yard where I lived. So the people put me on a chain. I didn't like that. Sometimes I ran out of water. I didn't like that. So one day, when the door was open, I ran away. I ran really far and then it hit me. I WAS ALONE. NO ONE WOULD FEED ME.

Here's the DOG CONTROL TRUCK
that came to get me and put me in jail.

So I started to hunt rabbits and squirrels. I never was able to catch them. But I hunted. I got my water out of an irrigation ditch. I got really muddy and my beautiful white fur was brown. I was a real mess. I was starting to get sad.

So one day, someone grabbed me and a Yamhill County Animal Control truck came to pick me up and put me in jail. I guess I was in real trouble. But I was surprised. They actually fed me and gave me a bowl of water. Jail wasn't so bad after all.

There were other "women in orange" at the jail. They actually were nice. They took me out walking. They fed me and even gave me a bath. I was feeling much better. But then things took a turn for the worse. I was taken to a clinic. I WAS DRUGGED. AND I HAD SURGERY AGAINST MY WILL. I didn't even sign a release. Imagine!

After the terrifying trip to the clinic, I was brought back to jail to recover. And, I recovered pretty fast. My friends in orange (you know, orange is the new black) petted me and walked me... slowly at first. But it wasn't too long before I got my voice back and my bounce.

Here's the picture they took when they
put me up for adoption.
I looked so sad no one wanted me!

The next week a lady came and took my picture. I looked kind of sad. They said I was going to be put up for adoption. I guess I should have smiled in my picture because no one came to adopt me for over a month! I was beginning to think that jail was my new home.

One day, the lady in uniform came to see me in my cell. "Frances (that was my name then) a lady called about you. She's coming to see you tomorrow." I perked up. I was getting excited! Maybe I would get adopted. Maybe I would go to a home where I could run and bounce and eat all I wanted and have a big bowl of fresh water.

I could hardly sleep that night. I was so excited. I woke up early. The morning passed and no one showed up to visit me. I was starting to get sad when a grey car pulled up. The staff at the jail were really excited. Someone actually was interested in seeing me, a hound. I was told hounds were not popular in Yamhill County.

The Animal Control people were so excited
that someone was finally coming to see
Frances the unwanted hound

I was taken out of my cell and got to meet the nice lady. And then there was a BIG SURPRISE. Another coonhound had come to see me too. I was told her name was Cinnamon and that she was a famous blogger looking for an intern. We met and sniffed. Cinnamon was kind of stand-offish. I was my usual bouncy self.

Cinnamon said to me, "Well, Frances, can you write?" Of course I said yes. Cinnamon said she'd give me a chance. We played a little and Cinnamon snapped at me to put me in my place. I guess I was a bit too bouncy.

This is the first time I met Cinnamon.
The ladies in orange supervised us in my
outdoor cell.

After about an hour of getting to know each other, the lady told me to wait while she went into the office to do ADOPTION PAPERWORK! The staff gave me a big bag of toys and some food samples to take with me to MY NEW HOME. And, they let me keep my purple collar from jail. (why it was purple I don't know because everyone else wore orange).

The grey car had an open back door. There was a dog crate in it. I jumped right in! FREEDOM RIDE!

Freedom Ride!
(Notice I'm sticking my tongue out at the jail!)

Cinnamon, because she is a famous blogger and knows her travel manners, rode next to me out in the open. She didn't need the crate. We drove and drove. As we went up a hill, Cinnamon and her owner were talking. It was decided that I needed a more upscale name. After all, I wasn't going to be a country bumpkin any more. So they said my new name would be... FRANCESCA. If that isn't upscale nothing is. I thought to myself. Don't call me Frances. Don't call me Franny. Because, I am Francesca the Upscale Coonhound! I puffed out my chest in pride.

After a long long drive we crossed a huge bridge. Cinnamon said it was a bridge over the Mighty Columbia! And, before I could even see what a Mighty Columbia looked like, we were home.

Cinnamon and I played and then she snapped at me.
(She's moody)

We were sure glad to get out of the car. Cinnamon and I played in the BIG back yard and took out a Hosta plant and a fern. We were pretty wild. But then Cinnamon snapped at me and told me to quiet down. I was learning from her and, believe me, that wasn't the first time she'd snap at me!

I was so tired, I feel asleep on the couch.
This was my first night as an upscale coon hound. I was living in the lap of luxury all right!
Check out the leather couch!

So that's my story. I hope you liked it. Since I've been promoted to Feature Writer, you'll be hearing even more from me.

Love, Francesca, the Upscale Coonie