|
Women reunite lost dog, owner |
|
|
Friday, 01 May 2009 |
An Arkansas man who lost his dog in Arizona was reunited with his pet this week thanks to the compassion and generosity of two Benton women.
Bonnie Nicely, who operates Helping Hands and Caring Hearts in Benton, and her sister, Janet Wilson, paid to have Jake, a pit bull terrier, flown to Little Rock to be able to go home with his owner, Cleve Bolgrien of Booneville.
Bolgrien had lost the dog about three weeks ago in Phoenix. While he was putting gas in his truck at a service station, Jake jumped out a window and ran from the area.
Bolgrien tried to locate Jake, but failed. Heartsick, he left the city and returned to Arkansas.
Jake ended up at an animal control facility where he was about to be euthanized when animal rescue workers found him and saved him.
When a volunteer from the Yavapai Humane Society in Prescott examined Jake, a microchip was found in the dog and that provided all the information needed to locate his family.
This information was included in a television account seen by Wilson and Nicely. In the account, it was reported that Bolgrien could not afford to pay for Jake’s flight to Little Rock.
That caught Nicely’s attention.
“We help people all the time by selling items for $1 each at this thrift store, and we decided this was something we needed to do,” Nicely said.
This incident was one in which their assistance provided help for the dog as well as his owner.
The two women were present at Little Rock National Airport when Jake arrived Monday night for the reunion of Bolgrien and his “best friend.”
Losing his canine friend was a painful experience, Bolgrien, 70, told Nicely and Wilson.
He expressed gratitude to the women for making it possible to have his best friend again.
He said he was thrilled when he found out someone was helping him get his dog back.
“I was elated to the point of tears to learn I was getting Jake back,” he told television reporters.
“This has restored my faith in mankind,” Bolgrien told Nicely.
He recalled the painful search for Jake.
“I searched for him for about two hours,” Bolgrien said. “Little did I know he ran into a K-Mart.”
Unable to find the dog, he reluctantly resumed his trip east.
“I thought I would never see Jake again, which was just awful because he is a great dog and a good traveler,” Bolgrien said.
The Yavapai Humane Society in Prescott prepared Jake for his trip home.
Duane Adams of the Yavapai Humane Society said Jake’s story reinforces that pit bulls can be wonderful companions who are cherished by their families. He says it also was rewarding to know that a pet was going home at a time when, because of the lagging economy, many pets are being abandoned or relinquished to shelters.
“For us to be part of reuniting him with his owner is just huge,” Adams said.
The society’s Web site and telephone number were posted for donations.
Though Bolgrien could not afford to pay for Jake’s flight, Nicely said he told her he planned to make a donation to the Helping Hands ministry, which helps raise money for people in need.
|
Razorbacks
