Lost dog collects clues which lead rescuers to her family

[Are_grits_groceries]

We all know that a dog can teach us a lot about friendship and unconditional love but in Tennessee, one family's Rottweiler is offering an astonishing lesson in patience and loyalty. Sitting on the front porch of Kathy Wilkes-Myers' house, Ella is happy but not at home. Ms. Wilkes-Myers says “if her eyes could talk, speak words I mean they'd speak volumes."

Most humans would say that Ella is lost, but she'll tell you it's the other way around. Her family has been missing ever since a serious accident in which Ella’s human mum Michelle Kelley flipped her car on July 1st. Husband Joe Kelley described the accident saying “she slammed on the breaks and we went into a spin."

Michelle Kelley also remembers the crash "I just remember slamming right into the mountain.” A frightened Ella watched as the medics took Joe, Michelle and their three children away to the hospital. Mr Kelley said “the last thing I’ve seen was her looking straight in the eyes before she ran up into the woods.”

From then on Ella was alone but she waited for her family to return for 13 days. Ms Wilkes-Myers drove by the accident the day it happened and two weeks later she spotted a dog near the same spot. “I saw a beautiful Rottweiler drinking water out of a ditch. She was starved and covered in ticks."

Ms Wilkes-Myers brought Ella back to her rescue ranch where the two became friends. She also brought back a plastic bag full of clues hoping they could lead her to Ella's owners. It's a pretty normal list of things - until you realise where Ms Wilkes-Myers discovered them. "I found another little nest ... where she had put all these personal items."

Since Ella couldn't find her family at the crash site, she decided to find everything that belonged to them. Wilkes-Myers said “it just blew my mind ... this dog was just trying to find some comfort.” While searching the area, Kathy also found a notepad that led her to insurance agent April Bowers. Ms Bowers said when she got the phone call “I knew exactly who it was, whose dog it was...what was going on.” And just like that the pieces came together and Ella was reunited with her family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VTF6yXxoHI

http://arbroath.blogspot.com/#top_of_page

Home again........

[Richardo]

1. Dogs are the best

What a story... K&R

[Chemisse]

2. That is so sweet.

Poor little Ella, collecting all the special little items belonging to her family. She must have been so confused.

She is so lucky someone took her in like that, and tracked down her family. I would've been nervous because she is a Rottweiler.

[Double T]

5. Rottweilers and Pit Bulls get a lot of undeserved bad press.

Both breeds are very intelligent and loving. Glad this dog was returned to his family.

[Chemisse]

28. I know - and I knew somebody would comment

But I still have a long-standing fear of those breeds and I would be fearful about approaching one.

I'm very glad that someone rescued the poor thing.

[Sukie]

3. Well........

I just had my first happy cry of the day. Pretty early too. What a precious story. What a precious dog. I hope they realize how special she is.

[theHandpuppet]

7. And bless Ms Wilkes-Myers...

She's certainly reminded this old cynic that there are truly good people out there, millions upon millions of them, who are kind and compassionate and loving. Ella, you are one lucky dog.

[Are_grits_groceries]

19. Sometimes I think that people like Ms. Wilke-Myers

are the only reason the sun doesn't go out.

[reflection]

4. What a great story! Thanks for sharing that.

[Botany]

6. Who is a good dog? Who is a good dog?

[elehhhhna]

9. dood puppers! vewy dood puppers!

babytalk to pets? SURE!!!!

[Botany]

15. My lab got hit by a car in June but he lived with a broken leg ....

.... I have been nursing him back to health all summer. I read this story and had to go
rub his belly and put him up on the bed with his boy aka my son.

[elehhhhna]

16. awww. Our blabby is th best puppers ever. Budward

says Hi!

[Chemisse]

29. Ewww - I never baby talk

I very clearly call my Mastiff my little, little baby and the sweetest girl in the whole world.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. What a great story! n/t

[malaise]

10. Dogs are the best

Lovely story

[Hepburn]

18. Yes, they most certainly are....

...and dog lovers are very special people! :hi:

[Shagbark Hickory]

11. A tag/collar/microchip would have saved a lot of trouble. n/t

[a la izquierda]

14. THat's not the point.

The point of the story is what the dog did to comfort itself while it was gone.

Always has to be a contrarian on DU.

[HamdenRice]

12. I can definitely see this happening. My dog does this all the time.

When someone is gone from the house over an extended period, he will find that person's clothes and make a little nest of lay on them.

Dogs are so loving, and have such beautiful souls.

[berni_mccoy]

13. Good thing the cops didn't find the dog or they would have tasered it like this dog:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x347224

[lukasahero]

22. Is it possible to hide a post?

I hid the original thread to which you are referring. Too bad I can't hide your post in what is an otherwise touching and uplifting thread.

[RebelOne]

17. That story just made me choke up.

I have a Rottweiler and I know what wonderful, loyal and intelligent dogs they are.

[PassingFair]

30. Waaaahhhhhh!

Did you watch the video?

:cry:

[KittyWampus]

20. Oh, what a great story.

[sinkingfeeling]

21. I'm sitting here crying my eyes out. I have buried something of mine with each of my dogs and keep a

paw print and lock of their hair so we're forever linked.

[mnhtnbb]

23. "major financial setbacks since the accident".. Hmm. were they uninsured for

all the medical care?

What a sweet story.

[tblue37]

27. It is possible that this sweet story will lead some viewers to

offer donations. I'd hate to see them have to give up their dog beause they can't afford her, as often happens to people in tough situations.

[ceile]

24. That just made my day!

What a great story.....

[BanzaiBonnie]

25. That's why we love our dogs

and the story was so sweet made me cry.

[ColbertWatcher]

31. Yup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Graham_Vest#Old_Drum

[shireen]

26. such beautiful little souls, dogs ....

One more thing: people, if you have pets at home, write down their names, your address, and the contact info of someone who has the key to your home. Put a sentence that says, "in the event of an emergency, please call _contact_ to care for my pets."

If something happened to you, the ER staff will look in your wallet/purse and see this, and call your contact ... you'll have peace of mind knowing that your pet(s) are being cared for while you are recuperating.

You also need to prepare for the worst; if you were very seriously injured or killed, make sure you have designated someone to look after them, like a pet godfather or godmother. If you don't have such backup plans, your pets will end up in a shelter and who knows what will happen to them. I don't have dogs but if something ever happened to a friend who has a dog, and there is no family to care for it, I will take the dog and make sure it has a good life with me. (I wish i could do the same for cats, but i'm allergic to their dander.)

[NashVegas]

32. Horrible Case of Plagiarism/Copyright Violation on That Blog

Cool story - Original link here:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Lost-dog-collects-clues-which-lead-rescuers-to-her-family/tabid/420/articleID/114643/cat/41/Default.aspx