Smash, the Pit Bull, was involved in a car crash alongside his mother, Tabitha Leslie, nine months ago. Unfortunately, Tabitha did not survive, but Smash did. He must have fled in fear after the tragedy and it is likely that he was in shock. When officers and other bystanders arrived on the scene, there was no trace of Smash to be found. There was little hope of him being reunited with his owner’s family.
Leslie’s family members were well aware of how closely attachedĀ Smash was to Tabitha. As a result, they began searching for the dog right away. They drove around the crash site several times, determined to find the missing puppy and bring him to safety. They could not bear the thought of the little dog that Tabitha so dearly loved being injured, afraid, and all alone. Thinking of him in a strange place just made it worse.
Will the search for this beloved puppy end up with him being reunited with his owner’s family?
Tabitha’s sister, Jennifer Burkart, spent a lot of time looking for Smash. She lived in Tulare County, California, nearly two hours away from the scene. Despite this, she continued to drive back and forth in her pursuit for Smash. She also shared photos of Smash on local Facebook groups, where she received a lot of support.
It was unknown whether Smash had suffered any injuries as a result of the crash. Burkart hoped he was safe and well, and she never lost up hope that he would return. She couldn’t give up since she knew her sister would want her to find the puppy.
How Smash was finally found
An animal control officer finally found Smash roughly nine months after the deadly accident. He was discovered tied to another dog and a cowbell.
When they took them in, Tulare County Animal Services examined the dogs for microchips. Smash’s microchip was still linked to Tabitha’s data. Fortunately, the staff remembered seeing posts about Smash and called one of the phone numbers listed on the lost dog poster.
Because of Smash’s microchip and all of the online posts, a connection was quickly established. Burkart did an excellent job of getting the word out about Smash. Without another day’s delay, Tabitha’s family flew to Tulare to pick up the dog.
Burkart disseminated the excellent news among several Facebook groups. She also posted a photo of Smash being reunited with them and another one of him on his way home. He seemed to be delighted to see familiar faces.
Nobody knows where Smash was for those nine months, but what matters is that he is finally safe and well. Although he could not be reunited with his mother, he is fortunate enough to have other family members to care for him. And, they are happy to have Smash, the puppy so dearly loved by the family member no longer with them.
Here is another story of a unique reunion between a dog and his human. https://happymutt.org/man-reunited-with-his-dog-in-a-pet-store/
All photos courtesy of @FriendsofTAS/Facebook