Woman who worked for years to save stray dog, finally succeeds

This story was shared within the framework of the Fur Fam Storytelling Contest. You can submit your own story through December 5. Voting will take place from December 6 to December 31. The three grand prize winners will receive a $500 prize, plus $2000 cash and supplies for their favorite shelter. Share your story here!

Webster and Bandit are a father and daughter team. Webster is a beautiful border collie, 17 years old and a stray. We live on a golf course in Mesa, Arizona. One day I saw him running on the golf course and tried to invite him to me. I think a dog like this has run away from its owner and someone is looking for it. He avoids me, but I persist.

I continued to see him almost daily and followed him to a house a few blocks away. The owners insisted they didn’t own the dog, he just kept walking around because they had a bitch in their yard that Webster came to see. They wouldn’t feed Webster, so I started bringing him food every morning before going to work. This has been going on for almost two years.

I put up posters and talked to everyone in the area but no one knew what breed he was. One morning, I heard my neighbors screaming. They had a female pit bull, and Webster jumped over their fence to get to her. Needless to say, 11 puppies later, I got Bandit, his daughter. Webster is still on the run, but he’s used to me coming around and feeding him.

One morning when I went to feed it, it was cold and rainy. I see him trying to stay dry under a pile of firewood; he was soaked and shivering. He left me about two feet away from him as he started to take off. I move out, leaving food. Then I told my husband I couldn’t do this anymore, I needed to get this dog. I called every possible resource for help, but they all told me I had to catch him first before they could help me.

We ended up contacting Border Collie Rescue, who contacted Southwest Wildlife. They offered to hire me a trap to catch Webster, so that’s what I did. The next day, we set up a trap and chicken nuggets to lure it in. It only takes 30 minutes.

Webster didn’t seem annoyed and didn’t have to worry either. He just calmly sat in the trap until I brought him home. I have set up an area in my garage where he has plenty of room to move around with a warm clean bed and food/water. I would go out every day to talk to him, hopefully he would come to me. Then after three days, he finally let me touch him… I cried. It took him about three months to get used to my husband. I introduced him to his daughter and I really think he knows who she is. They fit together like two peas in a pod!

I’ve had him for 12 years now and he’s my best friend. I still have his daughter, she protects him now since he is deaf and blind. Both will be with us until the end.

This story was submitted by Dawn Sprout, with support from the AZ Animal Rescue and Education Center. (AZ CARE) To share your own entry for the Fur Fam Story Contest, click here!