Photo: CBS News
The saga began one evening this summer when Wilkes-Myers was driving home from work in central Tennessee. On a rural stretch of highway, she spotted a rottweiler along the side of the road. Always on the lookout for dogs in need of help, she stopped the car and approached the black and brown pup.
"I called her, and to my amazement she crawled toward me and tucked her little head under my arm," Wilkes-Myers tells Paw Nation. Emaciated but friendly, it was immediately clear to Wilkes-Myers that this sweet, trusting dog had come from a loving home.
Near the spot where she found the dog, Wilkes-Myers noticed broken glass and skid marks. As she walked the dog back toward her car, she spotted something else -- a pile of personal items, seemingly gathered up by the dog. "I saw this scratched out nest, and all this stuff in the nest," she says -- a toothbrush, a comb, a single shoe.
On the drive back to her house, Wilkes-Myers remembered a terrible car crash she'd driven past at almost that very spot nearly two weeks earlier. She guessed that the dog survived that accident and had gathered up her family's belongings left over from the crash. "I guess that helped give her some comfort," Wilkes-Myers tells Paw Nation.
Using the clues she discovered along the side of the road, Wilkes-Myers began the hunt for the dog's family. She called the highway patrol and an insurance company whose number she found written on a water-soaked notepad at the crash site. Eventually she learned the name of the family who had been involved in the crash.
Miraculously, the entire family of five had survived the rollover accident. They had told rescue crews about the dog, but Ella had been lost in the aftermath of the crash. As the family recovered from serious injuries sustained in the accident, they assumed their pet had been killed, so when Wilkes-Myers contacted the father, Joe Kelly, and told him his dog was alive, he was understandably shocked. Shortly after learning the truth, the Kelly family was reunited with Ella. "We were all in tears. It just gave me chills," Wilkes-Myers says.
Sadly, due to medical expenses resulting from the crash, the Kelly family has been forced to relocate to a home that doesn't allow dogs, CBS news reports. But luckily, Wilkes-Myers is happy to hang onto Ella until the family can take her back. Her 320 acre farm has lots of fenced areas for romping and plenty of other rescue dogs for playmates. "Maybe she thinks she's at camp," says Wilkes-Myers. "She's in dog heaven, and she's doing great.
"I don't think they ever forget their family, but dogs live in the moment," she adds. "Right now, her moment is at Love Me Tender, and she's just as happy as can be."
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God Bless you Kathy Wilkes-Myers. The world needs more people like you.
I aqm in pet rescue, also. This story is amazing but I am not surprised. Dogs attach to their humans. Mine even know the sound of my car from any other car. I can tell whenever one of my dogs isn't feeling well because he or she will get something of mine out of the laundry basket and curl up with it. And all three of my dogs "go on guard duty" (get in front of me) whenever someone comes into the yard or to the door. Even one of my foster dogs has now assumed guard duty roles. It is amazing how quickly a dog gives his complete, unadulterated love and devotion to a human.
WHO CARES! Pet lovers do NOT care about that stuff! Go to another site to write your garbage!
i hope u go to animal hell when u die. hater
you are a jerk and YOU need to go to another site, are you here just to hate on animal lovers because you have nothing better to do with your life?
Some of you have misinterpreted my response. I, too, am in pet rescue and I was responding to the guy who's comment on this heartwarming story was a referral to a site for nude pictures!
I currently have foster dogs and horses at my place and am an active animal advocate.
Gale ! people Like You may NOt CARE that accidents like this Happen and Have Nice ending BUT YOUR COMMENT Tells Me and Others that YOUR Just NOT a CARING PERSON and If it was Your PET MAYBE YOU MAY NOT CARE BUT !!!!! DO NOT SAY OTHER PET OWNER's DON'T CARE !!!!!! JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T CARE YOU Sound HEARTLESS !!!!!!!
So glad the dog found his family. So sad they can't live with her. Dogs do remember for a long time who they belong to. My son was forced to give up his dog and we were happy to keep her. We've had her for over 4 years and although he can only visit twice a year, that dog knows who her daddy is. She even is divided about whose bed she should sleep in when he comes to visit. Hope this family will be able to visit the dog frequently.
I hope the dog gets back with the familyy also. how sad to lose your home due to an acident. animals are so much more loyal and loving than people. That lady that helped and cared enough to find the family is absolutely WONDERFUL
OH WOW!! I MYSELF HAVE RECENTLY BEEN IN A CAR WRECK WITH MY DOG WITH ME. THIS HAPPENED 09/09/09 ON I-95 SB IN GEORGIA. I HAVE PUT UP POSTERS , LISTED ON CRAIGS LIST, ALSO HAVE THE HELP OF AN ANIMAL RESCUE GROUP HERE IN POOLER GA. AND TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVE NOT FOUND SKIP.i HAVE HAD CALLS OF HIM BEING SEEN, BUTWHEN I GO BACK HE IS GONE. YOUR STORY FILLS ME WITH HOPE THAT MAYBE HE IS STILL OUT THERE WAITING FOR ME TO COME AND BRING HIM HOME.( I GUESS THAT WE KEEP MISSING EACH OTHER).
What a beautiful story. As both a dog owner and lover I would have done the same thing and also made sure to find the owner. I know even when my LilBit goes to the groomer he is so happy to be back home with his mama and daddy. Keep up the good work
Your friend and dog lover forever
Come on, people! What do these two comments have to do
with the story?! NOTHING sheeeeesh
Now my comment:
Decades ago (say 1963?), there was a movie with a similar
story line. At the start, there's a major auto accident. The dog
in the car gets loose, the responders shoo him away thinking
it's some stray, and then the rest of the film chronicles the dog's
often-treacherous journey to find his family (especially the little boy).
Have no idea what the film's title was. Anyway, this story reminded
me of that movie.
big deal, your comments are not even interesting especially since you can't remember the name of the movie and you have the nerve to trash someone's real story or comments
I love this amazing story. That is a wonderful dog to stay that long at that crash site with it's families belongings gathered up. I'm so glad I clicked on this story. The tears were well worth it! I forwarded it on to everyone I know! I'm happy for that whole family!
Logan - you are a moron!
Emma - enjoy every moment!
why does this person always have to put this add for old tape of someone,kids will read this and can get to BAD web site,WILL YOU STOP PUTTING ON SO MANY!!! i read a lot of the comments on story and you alway show up
What a wonderful story! God bless you, Kathy Wilkes-Myers, for being loving and caring enough to make this precious girl your responsibility, and for doing the detective work to reunite her with her family! You're a special lady! My best wishes to the Kelly family--I hope they can bring Ella home soon.
I remember at the age of 6 years, my dad took our dog ( Jigs ) to a relatives house around 30 miles away because there was no one to care of her at that time. The very next morning she was on the front porch waiting for us.
aww thats so sweet. i could never ever live with out my puppy. i am only 13 but i love my new puppy more than anything even though he eats everything
I am very happy you are able to help this dog find its family but I must disagree that dogs live "for the moment." I have had three Rottweilers and now I have a Czechoslovakian border patrol shepherd. Fortunately, none of these dogs have ever been lost however because they are constantly by my side, I can not imagine one of my dogs not finding his or her way home should he or she ever get lost. Dogs have a sense of where they belong and will travel long distances to find their home and their family. Hopefully they would be reunited soon. Thank you for your good works.