http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120804dnmetcarla.165cf.html

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Dog's trip to Texas amazes vets

Pooch winds up in area after leaving yard in Washington state


05:47 PM CST on Wednesday, December 8, 2004


By DAVID FLICK / The Dallas Morning News



Carla has had a hard life, and she has come a long way.

But she still hasn't found her home.

A week ago, a trucker walked into the Westgate Veterinary Hospital in Denton carrying the mixed-breed dog of uncertain age.

"She said she found it in Amarillo at a truck stop and it was covered with ice," said Sandy Spiegel, a veterinary assistant.


JIM MAHONEY/DMN
Carla traveled 1,600 miles with the help of truckers. Her owner, citing difficulty, asked that she be put up for adoption in the area. Employees bathed and groomed the dog, then checked to see whether she might have a microchip implanted in her. She did. The dog was identified as "Carla," registered to an owner in Castle Rock, Wash., a rural community about 90 miles south of Seattle.

On Friday, workers called the owner, Gail Scott, to tell her they had her dog. Her reaction, Ms. Spiegel said, was, "How did my dog get to Texas?"

Ms. Scott said she has since developed a theory about Carla's 1,600-mile odyssey from southwestern Washington to Denton.

"We've got a big fenced-in yard, and there's some place we've never been able to find where she can get out if she gets panicked," she said.

On the day before Thanksgiving, Ms. Scott said, Carla – who is often spooked by loud noises – was apparently frightened by gunshots from nearby hunters.

"There's a truck stop about two miles from here," Ms. Scott said, "and you know how truckers are – they see a stray and feel bad for them, and they pick them up."

How the dog got left behind in Amarillo is anybody's guess, she said.

But much about Carla is unknown.

How to Help

Want to give Carla a home or adopt another pet from the Flower Mound Humane Society? Call toll-free 1-888-738-7864 and press 1 or visit fmhs.org.
When Ms. Scott acquired the dog in 1998, she was told it was about 5 years old. Carla's gene pool is a mysterious mix, but people who have seen her have guessed that a Pomeranian, spaniel or even a Shetland sheep dog may have played a role.

Even her origins are uncertain. Ms. Scott found her at a pound in Washington after Carla had been given away by a woman whose grandson had allergies.

"She's just a happy little dog," she said. "She's just kind of had some hard knocks."

And her journey isn't over.

Ms. Scott, though concerned about Carla's welfare, said she asked the veterinary employees to put the dog up for adoption in Texas.

Returning her to Washington would be difficult, she said. The cargo area of a plane would be dangerously cold for a dog this time of year, and hiring someone to transport the dog by car would be costly. She said she could not in good conscience leave her family a few weeks before Christmas to drive to Texas and back.

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"My dogs are not my children," she said.

Carla is now being taken care of by the Flower Mound Humane Society, which says it has at least one person interested in adopting her.

Ms. Scott said she got reassurance from society officials that, whatever happened, Carla would not be euthanized.

"I have three other dogs and lots of other animals, and I feel bad for her," she said. "That little dog's a long way from home."

E-mail dflick@dallasnews.com

That is a weird dog story. Thanks for posting it. It's pretty crazy that little dog could find herself so far away from home. Hope she finds a new home soon.

I'm always amazed how these dogs get hundreds and hundreds of miles away from home. I think in this case, I am glad the dog is being adopted by someone else, doesn't sound like the owner took care of it or even wanted it. Thanks for sharing this story.