Dougal and Del, westies

Found! Dog lovers reunited with stolen 'westies'
TWO dog-lovers whose west highland terriers were stolen from outside McDonald's in Stratford-upon-Avon were reunited with their pets today (Thursday) thanks to the police, and the Herald.
By Matt Wilson
May 30, 2013

Joseph Steen, aged 72, and his wife Pat, 75, haven’t been able to sleep all week, left distraught after ten-year-old Dougal and 13-year-old Del were taken on Sunday.

“The response has been amazing,” said Joseph. “Before 8am a woman phoned us up and said ‘I believe I know where your dogs are’.”

Today, police confirmed that a 27-year-old Stratford woman has been arrested on suspicion of theft and is now being questioned.

Officers found Dougal “tied up in a house”, according to Pat, and then took him round to the couple’s home.

But 13-year-old Del had escaped and was found by a member of the public on the Birmingham Road.

He was taken to a dog warden and thanks to a microchip in the back of his neck, identified, and handed over to the couple this morning, at the Royal British Legion in Bull Street. “We are ecstatic,” said Pat.

Joseph thanked everyone that helped, including the police, and the numerous Herald readers who rang him after reading this article.

“It has put us through hell," he said. "But the response was brilliant.”
But after a remarkable response from Herald readers to their story in today’s paper, the couple are now over the moon after getting their beloved dogs back.

Source: http://www.stratford-herald.com/local-news/6734-found-dog-lovers-reunited-with-stolen-westies.html

Abby, black lab

Missing dog found alive after accident near busy interstate
by Chris Minor
May 28, 2013

A dog missing for more than 24 hours near busy Interstate 80 near Annawan has been found alive and well after surviving a car crash that killed another dog, and injured two people.

Abby, a black lab from Chillicothe, Illinois took off running after the Memorial Day car accident. Her worried owners, Steve and Jodie Kemp, couldn’t help try to find her because both were taken to a hospital in Davenport.

“That’s Steve’s baby. He’s in serious condition, and that’s the only thing he asked, is please bring Abby home!” said Jen Anderson, Kemp’s sister-in-law.

Anderson, other family members, and Annawan volunteers who heard about the missing animal searched Monday night and Tuesday morning for the dog.

At one point, she was seen in the median of the interstate. Remarkably, she made her way about a mile and a half from the crash site, across Route 6, and ended up in a muddy creek bed, away from traffic.

Around 11 a.m Tuesday, May 28, rescuers were able to get close enough to the frightened lab and coax her to safety, putting her on a leash and placing her on an ATV.

One of the rescuers, Will Addis of Annawan, said Abby calmed down when she heard her mom’s voice on a cellphone.

“It was awesome. The owner was calling her, the lady got on the phone and started calling for the dog on speakerphone, and the dog just laid down,” Addis said.

“The whole town of Annawan has been great. Everyone’s looked for her since yesterday afternoon. Some people traveled two hours. I’m just glad we got her. Hopefully Steve can start healing now, he’s going to have a long, long recovery,” Anderson said.

Sadly, the couple’s other dog was killed in the accident, which relatives say happened after a red car with Texas plates cut off the Kemps, causing their car and camper to go into a ditch.

“Please tell everyone how much we appreciated their help”, Anderson said. “We couldn’t have gotten Abby back without them!”

Source: http://wqad.com/2013/05/28/missing-dog-found-alive-after-accident-near-busy-interstate/

Benji, kelpie-border collie mix

A man has walked over 300km to be reunited with his best friend, a kelpie-border collie cross
by:Stephanie Masters
May 28, 2013

Logan City man Brian Railton, who walked almost 300km over eight weeks searching for his lost dog Benji, has been reunited with his companion.

The kelpie-border collie cross escaped his yard at Kingston, south of Brisbane, when he was spooked by a storm on March 24.

Every day since then, Mr Railton, 70, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, walked from his home to the council's animal management centre in the hope of finding his best mate, who would usually be walking by his side.

With the help of his son Malcolm, Mr Railton hung posters and searched high and low until receiving the call he had been waiting for last Friday.

"We were nearly at the point of giving up, we were talking about getting another dog because it was very stressful for dad," Malcolm Railton said.

"I got the call from the pound and dad could hear me on the phone and was so excited to bring him home.

"We had a celebration and took him to McDonald's for an ice-cream and he stole half of dad's as well."

Mr Railton said Benji was found at a Waterford nursing home where he had been going for regular dinners for the past three weeks. He thanked Logan City Council staff for their help.

Benji was bought as an eight-week-old pup and was registered and microchipped

Mr Railton says walking up to 12km a day with Benji relieves shaking from Parkinson's disease

Benji waits by the bus stop for Mr Railton when he takes trips to the shops.

Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/a-man-has-walked-over-300km-to-be-reunited-with-his-best-friend-a/story-fn8m0u8i-1226651549771

Susie, schipperke-border collie mix

Oklahoma Sheriff's Department officer helps lost dog, now reunited with owner
Elisa Black-Taylor
May 28, 2013

An Oklahoma Sheriff's Department officer is credited with helping a lost dog find it's way to the shelter in the aftermath of last weeks tornadoes in Moore. Thanks to the photo of the dog going viral, this sweet little dog has been reunited with her owner.

The story began last week as officers and rescue crews were looking for survivors and came across a small black dog sitting on top of a pile of rubble. This rubble had been a home until a killer tornado ripped it apart. The officers weren't only surprised to find the dog alive, they were touched to learn the reason the dog was guarding the pile.

There was a man buried under the rubble, and it was believed to be that of her owner. Unfortunately, this victim didn't survive, and the little dog was taken to the emergency tornado animal shelter. The deputy who helped fell in love with her and was planning to adopt, should no one come forward. Which was unlikely, since everyone believed the owner had been killed by the tornado.

The photo went viral after being posted on the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, and on May 21 the pieces began to fall into place.

The lost dog was named Susie, and her owner wasn't dead. Susie, a 12-year old Schipperke-Border Collie mix had an owner named Curtis Collins who had been searching for her.

The night after Susie was found, Curtis' sister, Sheila Collins, posted on the OCSD Facebook page that the dog belonged to Curtis. She begged the department to please not adopt Susie out, as her brother was torn apart emotionally with his beloved dog missing. The deputy who found Susie then contacted Sheila and a reunion took place.

Susie and Curtis lived about half a mile from where she was found. No one knows how or why she was standing guard over a man in a house that was not her home. Perhaps Susie was saved by the man whose body she was guarding on the day she was found. We'll never know.

Curtis is overjoyed to have his dog back, and he and his other dog Max are planning to leave town. Curtis has asked that anyone touched by their story to make a donation to the Central Oklahoma Humane Society to assist with animals affected by last weeks storm.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/oklahoma-sheriff-s-department-officer-helps-lost-dog-now-reunited-with-owner