Snohomish County Dog Rescuers Reunite Lost Dog with Its Military Family – in Hawaii

KHON in Honolulu reported that a group of Snohomish County dog rescuers found a lost dog named Pudgy and reunited him with his military family who recently moved from Montana to Hawaii.

About a month ago the Cannon family left Montana to ship their car to Hawaii. Before leaving they stopped in Seattle to visit friends. On August 12, 3 days before the Cannon’s had to fly to Hawaii, Pudgy ran off.

Here’s the description by Maureen Bentley of how a network of Snohomish County volunteers reunited with Pudgy . She fostered Pudgy after his rescue and flew with him to Hawaii.

“How did we find Pudgy?” – first getting the word out.

When the dog went lost the family contacted the facebook group Lost Dogs of Snohomish County #1, they helped with putting up signs, sent out a drone with camera to look for him and searched the woods for him where the tracker dog indicated might be good spots. The family had hired a dog tracker the group recommended. They were doing everything they could.

I saw the info on the 13th. From past experience I know it can take a few days to find a dog. Since this one was in the wilderness so I expected it to take longer. I realized he might be found after they had to leave.

Because of the military connection, I had told my husband we would foster him until he left for Hawaii if he needed one. Normally we do not take male dogs, no terriers and not when timing is bad for the family and we were in the middle of a major project plus prepping for back to school, so bad timing for us, but again he was military family so we would do it anyway.

With school starting we actually did not even follow the story for a week while we were doing projects and back to school shopping.

After 10 days (Aug 23rd), a neighbor knocked on the friend’s door they had been visiting that they thought he was under another neighbor’s dock. Somehow he got under there and they had to remove boards to get him out. He yelped in pain and had some trouble walking.

Pudgy was taken to the friend’s house, got a bath. She noticed he was not walking well with two legs and  though he might have an injury needing medical care.

I was on the facebook group that night. They had to work in the morning and asked for a foster that could get him to the vet to check him out and handle any medical care. I volunteered. Then we worked out the details. It was already after 10 pm so I got him early on the morning of the 24th. He was at the vet within 30 minutes.

Why me? – We had previously fostered 3 other dogs that appeared on “Lost Dogs” page I have done some nursing of family members after multiple leg surgeries so when a previous dog needing medical care came to the group I fostered her for a very large bladder stone removal and post surgery care. I am not squeamish. Plus this was a potential leg injury, right up my alley.

With Pudgy I knew I could handle the medical and again we had told ourselves we would take in this one as our family has many military members. It was the least we could do for them in return for all they do for us.

Thankfully, compared to what I was expecting – a dog possibly needing surgery, the injuries were only dehydration, lost weight, wounds, an infection, and sore muscles.

The vet treated him with wound care, antibiotics pain killers. He also said to give Pudgy time to rest and plenty of food and water plus some tlc..

Pudgy had cuts on his elbows and ankles on 3 of the four legs plus a few larger wounds. He also had swelling indicating infection on the last leg.

To be reunited with is family he had to pass a new health check and get a new health certificate to travel.”

Alaska Airlines also contributed to the Cannon’s reunion with Pudgy by giving a free ticket to Ms. Bentley to fly with him to Honolulu. 

Pudgy’s story is a textbook example of the importance of using social media to find a lost dog.

Thanks to everyone who helped reunite Pudgy with his family. Here’s the video of their happy reunion.