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Dog Reunited With Owner After 53 Days in Wild

Barbara Bagley overjoyed to have Dooley back

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 5, 2012 11:43 AM CST

(Newser) – If you just can't take any more of this today, here's a bittersweet story to warm your heart: After surviving for 53 days in the Nevada desert, a Shetland sheepdog named Dooley was reunited with his loving owner last month. Dooley ran from a Dec. 27 car accident that severely injured owner Barbara Bagley and her husband and killed the couple's other dog. A search was organized, but called off Jan. 6—the same day Bagley's husband died from his injuries—when remains, thought to be Dooley's, were found near the interstate.

Even so, Bagley believed Dooley was still alive; he was spotted near the accident scene more than three weeks later, then again in mid-February. Finally, searchers were able to corner a skittish Dooley, who had dropped from 44 pounds to 20 pounds. "When Barbara opened the door and looked at him, she said, 'My beautiful boy, my beautiful boy, you're home,'" says one of the rescuers. "Oh, boy, all of us cried." Says Bagley, "It's a message from my husband who was looking out for him. … He's the physical and mental affection that I need to recover." Click for more on the reunion.

This Feb. 18, 2012 photo provided by Shannon Sustacha shows Barbara Bagley and her Shetland sheepdog Dooley after the two were reunited, east of Battle Mountain, Nev.
This Feb. 18, 2012 photo provided by Shannon Sustacha shows Barbara Bagley and her Shetland sheepdog Dooley after the two were reunited, east of Battle Mountain, Nev.   (AP Photo/Shannon Sustacha)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
SPHeroid
Mar 5, 2012 6:38 PM CST
I'll bet Dooley has some great stories for his buddies at the bar....
finkster
Mar 5, 2012 4:23 PM CST
All right Dooley....no longer do you need to: Hang down your head, Tom Dooley Hang down your head and cry Hang down your head, Tom Dooley Poor boy, you're bound to die..........:-)
BoRainier
Mar 5, 2012 1:45 PM CST
If you're a pet owner, you understand how it feels losing it, I'm glad Dooley is back home in a moment when his owner needed comfort on the lost of her husbad and her other dog.
 

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