A Different Kind of Bobcat
Sheldon the Dog shares his story of the day he attended Byron Nelson High School
By Cindy Chapman, interview with SRO Watkins and Sargeant Otero
Photos courtesy of Roanoke Police and NISD.
On the morning of May 23, I found myself exploring the Country Acres neighborhood in Roanoke. My name is Sheldon, and I am a dog. This is the story of the time I ran into a “ruff” patch, but thanks to the kindness of many, my life changed for the better.
I spotted a couple of girls who were walking to school and decided to tag along. There were so many smells, sounds and things to see that I got pretty distracted and ended up at Marshall Creek Road along with a lot of paw-rents driving their kids to school that morning.
I asked a couple of other dogs in cars if they wanted to play - they didn’t - so I headed toward Medlin Middle School to catch up with some more kids. Everyone seemed excited to see me, but I didn’t have an ID and wasn’t allowed inside with them, so I decided to explore some more. After a hair-raising experience crossing a busy road, a certain “cat” caught my eye.
It was a bobcat, but not the kind I could chase. It was a Byron Nelson Bobcat.
The Student Resource Officer (SRO) Watkins spotted me and invited me into the school’s vestibule to keep me safe and cool. SRO Watkins asked around, but nobody had seen me before.
Even though I didn’t have any identification, SRO Watkins and Sargeant Otero could sense that I was a smart dog, so they nicknamed me Sheldon, one of the characters from the TV show Big Bang Theory, and handed me over to Trophy Club Animal Control Officer Brian Hall.
I was sad to leave my new Bobcat friends. Then, the very next day SRO Watkins took me back to BNHS so I could show everyone just how smart I am.
My first stop was the office to receive my name badge, and then I was off to get my high school education. What a day it was!
I was a little timid at first but everyone was so nice - especially the girls. SRO Watkins and Sargeant Otero gave me a tour of the gym, cafeteria and even a history class. I loved walking around the school, but sometimes the tile floor was cold and scary so SRO Watkins was kind enough to carry me around. I was one pampered pup!
Afterwards, Officer Hall made sure I had a full belly and a comfortable place to lay down while I waited for someone to claim me. Meanwhile, Sergeant Otero put my photos on social media to find my owner, and suddenly I became what they call “internet famous.” Must have been my fur. . .
Folks from as far away as Pittsburg were learning about me and my high school experience. I’m told that a lot of people were interested in giving me a forever home, but after waiting the required time, a nice local family showed up to adopt me.
These days I’m living a quiet life in Justin. I’m loving my new family and their great big backyard to run around in. I definitely got a new leash on life!
You’re probably wondering how a dog like me came to have such a paw-some story. It wouldn’t have happened without special people watching out for me. Thank you to SRO Watkins, Sergeant Otero and Officer Brian Hall for taking excellent care of me and making sure I had a fun-filled day at Byron Nelson High School.
I am Sheldon the Dog and will forever be a Bobcat!