Yo, pack leader! Nellie here. Just a quick bark to let you know your top dog turned detective and cleared her name in the Pawsburgh Pet-ty Theft Fiasco. Outsmarted the clink, sniffed out the Siamese swindler, and saved the day. Paws out, heroes in! Tails high, head higher. 🐾🕵️‍♀️ #FreeBird #TopDogNellie

Oh, honeys and hounds of Pawsburgh, gather round. Nellie here, your favorite Blue Merle Border Collie with a tale that’ll get your tails wagging with more excitement than when the dinner bell rings at Mastiff’s Meals!

Let me set the scene. It was a day like any other in Pawsburgh, with me chasing my scrappy rope toy, when out of nowhere, I was collared for a crime I didn’t commit — supposedly, I “borrowed” Freddie the Beagle’s treasured collection of rabbit footies. Picture this: me, a dog of honor, with my half midnight ink, half painter’s dream face, accused of petty theft!

Before I could say ‘Who, me?’ my paws were clicked into those horrendous human bracelets, and off I was dragged to the local animal shelter—a place as dreary as a bone without any marrow left. I know, it totally harshed my mellow.

The heavy doors clanked shut behind me, echoing like the distant howls of injustice. There I was, paw-printed and put in the not-so-sparky confines of a kennel. But an innocent pup like me? I’ve got more escape plans than Luna has napping spots.

The modest accommodations did not cater to my discerning palate – not a carrot in sight! And the nerve, serving fish on the first night. My nose turned up so fast I almost gave myself a whiplash. I whispered to the moon, “When you see my kindly human, tell them Nellie’s in the clink.”

My heart ached for the grassy meadows of Earth and the savory chunks of lamb waiting in my bowl. I needed a plan, a masterful escape to clear my good name and sniff out the real culprit.

Enter: my brain, as active as a litter of pups after their first taste of peanut butter. I devised a tactical maneuver worthy of my herding heritage. I called it “Operation: Border Break.” Catchy, right?

First, I used my charm, batting my uneven chocolate eyes at the new Rottweiler guard, Duke. Let’s just say he wasn’t the sharpest claw on the paw. While Duke was lost in my eyes, I stealthily nudged my rope toy beneath the fence—it was frayed, sure, but strong enough for what I had in mind.

Using my agility and cleverness, I rallied my kennel mates: a dizzy Dalmatian and a snoozing Schnauzer who claimed he was once a stunt double for some Hollywood pooch. Yeah, as believable as Freddie being the next Dog Vinci.

Once everything was in place, I gave my signal: a howl melodious enough to be mistaken for the nightly choir over at Spaniel Springs. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

The dogs erupted into a distraction of barks and jumps, turning the shelter upside down. In the chaos, I nudged the fence with my nose, pulling the rope with practiced precision. And just like that, freedom was one leap away.

I bolted from that joint faster than Luna on the racetrack, leaving Duke with a spun head and a tail between his legs. Hitting the streets of Pawsburgh, I was a dog with a mission, cutting through Whippet Way, past Barker’s Bakery—the smell almost stopped me, but I was a dog on the lam!

Long tail short, I cleared my name by revealing the true thief: a sly Siamese from two towns over, with a penchant for hoarding. Classic cat move.

And now, here I am, Nellie, free as the birds that I, very respectfully, do not chase. So the next time you’re savoring a biscuit at the Golden Grub or shopping for a new collar at The Tail Wagger’s Tailor, remember the tale of the Border Collie who turned Pawsburgh upside down—all with wit, cunning, and a heart as loyal as the day is long.

The End.