Yesterday I wrote about a sad call from Rusty, the mountain man.
Rusty told me that Timber was lost somewhere around Loa, Utah, in early July. Many of my blog readers love dogs, and the news of Rusty losing his best pal touches them. Sympathetic comments pour in. Some readers put the internet to work looking for Timber.
Reader “cinandjules” writes in the comments section that there’s a dog matching Timber’s description at www.findfido.com. I call the number at the site. A woman named Daisy tells me her father found a husky mix while in Loa. Daisy says that the dog accompanied her father to California, and even Canada, before returning to their home. They named the dog Willy.
I’m almost afraid to ask.
“Where is the dog now?”
“Boulder, Colorado.”
I tell Daisy about my blog and ask her to look at the photo of Timber. “It does look a lot like him,” she reports. “He has that little white line on his forehead. I’ll email you some photos of this dog so you can see if it’s Timber.”
I receive these photos with Daisy’s email.
I call Rusty with the news he’s been praying to hear.
He seems a bit stunned, and because the cell signal is so poor, all I can get through to him is “Timber’s okay! He’s in Boulder, Colorado. Call this number.”
I let Bridget and Spike out of their pen. We climb the hill at the back of the campground to pick up a cellphone signal. I call Rusty again, and he answers by bursting out with his happy news.
“It’s Timber! I just talked with the people!”
I listen as he relays the conversation he just had with Jay, the man who found Timber and has been caring for him. Rusty’s talking fast with excitement. “Timber’s got double shots now. I gave him shots right before I lost him, and Jay gave him shots, too. I told him I’d come and get Timber, but my truck won’t make that trip.” Rusty says that Jay may be able to bring Timber to Flagstaff but it wouldn’t be until sometime in the fall when he might be in the area. He has to check on that.
At one point Rusty interrupts our conversation.
He’s hootin’ and hollerin’ and sending up “Thank you, Lord!” He isn’t aware of all the people who hoped and prayed on his behalf that Timber would be found.
“Well, Rusty. Time for me to go. It’s so good to hear you happy again. Let me know any arrangements you make with Jay.” I don’t think Rusty’s fully listening to me.
He’s giggling with delight.
“I’ve still got all of Timber’s stuff. I even washed his ball for him!”
rvsue
A note of thanks to Daisy in Boulder for caring enough about a stranger to post a notice online, and to Jay for taking Timber on a little vacation trip! Also thanks to her entire family for taking good care of Timber. Here is an excerpt from an email she sent me:
“My dad just spoke to Rusty and they decided it is the same dog. I am so happy that we were able to be a part of this happy story. Reading your blog, I cried, and now have tears as well. Rusty is near Williams, near the Grand Canyon. So, we need to find transportation for Timber/Willy from Boulder Colorado to there.”
rvsue and her canine crew 