A year ago last Thanksgiving Alisa Holmes had her dog Shadow in the back of her truck. At one point during the ride Shadow escaped from the truck in the North Dallas area and disappeared.
Strangely enough, the dog took up residence in the parking area behind a newspaper building, the one of the reporter who wrote this story.
It’s so unusual to see a dog running loose in downtown Dallas that the black Labrador retriever mix caught everyone’s attention.
But the poor thing was so skittish that you rarely got more than a fleeting glimpse of her as she cowered down and scurried away.
Because no one could get anywhere near her, some kind souls here made do by putting out food and water each day.
But that couldn’t go on forever. Someone remembered a story we had run about Capp Evans, a local fellow who has success catching wary strays when no one else can.
His help was enlisted, and the dog some were calling “Belo” was snared on Saturday.
A wonderful dog sanctuary in East Texas, Straydog Inc., agreed to take the poor old mutt in.
And on Monday, as is routine with all new arrivals there, she was taken to a veterinary clinic in Athens for spaying and medical care.
Bill Arnold, the president of Straydog, said he couldn’t believe his ears when the vet called to say the dog was in good health, was already spayed and … had a microchip implanted!
Using the microchip information a call was placed to James Tubbs, the father of Shadow’s owner.
Alisa Holmes was so excited to find out her beloved Shadow was safe. She had spent many months putting up fliers, searching animal shelters, and looking at lost-pet websites to no avail.
She had gotten Shadow as a newborn pup five years before, his mom was a street dog who had puppies at an abandoned service station.
After the phone call a happy reunion took place. I don’t think Alisa and her Shadow will ever be separated again.
