Shadow, black lab mix

Missing dog reunited with owner thanks to kindness of strangers
CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh
May 28, 2013

A beloved family pet has been reunited with his owner thanks to the kindness of strangers.

Shadow had been missing for about three weeks, since running into the woods near his home in Caledonia, N.S. on May 6.

“I drove around for two weeks, up and down, trying to find him and then, I just kind of figured the worst, that a bear or something got him,” says owner Lila Westaway. “I kept hoping that somebody would have found him and somebody did finally.”

Shadow was missing for about three weeks before he was found by strangers and reunited with his owner. (CTV Atlantic)

That somebody was Craig Mercer.

He was on a fishing trip with his friends in the Liscomb Game Sanctuary when they found Shadow in the woods - his face peppered with porcupine quills.

He was about 15 kilometres from home.

After several group efforts to catch him, Mercer made a solo try and was able to scoop up the dog and put him in his truck.

“You couldn’t live with yourself if you knew that that dog was out there and we just drove home kind of thing,” says Mercer. “I figured, either we get him now and, or if we didn’t get him we’d have to go home and I know my wife would be out with me and we’d have to go try again.”

Shadow was in rough shape. The quills caused infection and made it nearly impossible for him to eat.

Veterinarian Kathryn Sykes says the dog’s days would have been numbered, if not for Mercer and his friends.

“I don’t think he would have made it too much longer,” says Sykes. “He was in pretty rough shape and I think he was probably getting close to the end of the line, I suspect.”

In addition to rescuing the injured dog, Mercer also stepped up and covered the cost of the vet bills.

“I made that decision when I saw the dog and I don’t want to impart that decision on (Westaway), so, I’ll take care of it,” says Mercer.

Westaway couldn’t be more grateful.

“I’d say’ thank you,’ but I don’t know how to say thank you so much. I’m just so happy,” she says.

Westaway expects she will be able to take Shadow home by the weekend.

Source: http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/missing-dog-reunited-with-owner-thanks-to-kindness-of-strangers-1.1300896

Another version of the story is at: http://www.trurodaily.com/News/Local/2013-05-28/article-3262779/Dog-reunited-with-owner/1

Dog reunited with owner
Shadow was lost for three weeks and was injured by a porcupine before being found by Stellarton’s Craig Mercer near the Liscomb Game Sanctuary. Shadow is pictured here with Kathryn Sykes the veterinarian who has been working to get him back in...
Published on May 28, 2013
The News

NEW GLASGOW – A picture on the front of The News helped reunite a lost dog with its family.

The dog, who we now know as Shadow, was found near the Liscomb Game Sanctuary on Sunday by Craig Mercer and some friends who were out fishing. The dog had porcupine quills in its mouth and was thin.

Mercer caught the dog and brought it to the New Glasgow Vet Clinic where he has been happily cared for since.

After The News ran a story about the dog, a relative of the owner saw the picture and called his daughter to tell her that he thought it looked like her dog that had gone missing. The only problem was the story described a female dog. She called anyway and as it turns out the dog is indeed male. The veterinarians had been busy caring for the dog’s injuries and at first thought the dog was a girl. (Our apologies Shadow).

Mercer said the woman is from Caledonia and as soon as she arrived  the dog happily greeted her.

As it turns out there were actually two dogs that went missing three weeks ago: Shadow, the dog Mercer found, and another husky type dog. After a few days the husky returned home, but Shadow was still missing until this week.

Kathryn Sykes, the veterinarian who cared for Shadow, said the dog instantly recognized his owner.

“He was pretty excited to see her.”

Mercer said he’s glad the dog is back with his family and he was able to play a part in that.

He said numerous people have offered to help cover the vet bills and he’s told the woman who owns the dog not to worry about it, that he’ll take care of it.



Shadow was lost for three weeks and was injured by a porcupine before being found by Stellarton’s Craig Mercer near the Liscomb Game Sanctuary. Shadow is pictured here with Kathryn Sykes the veterinarian who has been working to get him back in shape. ADAM MACINNIS – THE NEWS