Second missing champion show dog found safe
Io was found at a home near U.S. 12 Wednesday afternoon about 1/2 mile from where she ran away on Sunday. It's the fruitful end of a massive search effort led by the dogs' owners, Bill Martin and Cynthia Guinn of Eugene, Oregon.
"I was sitting at my camp waiting for my dog to show up and a fellow calls me up on my cell phone and says, 'your dog is sitting in my front yard,' " Martin said.
He rushed right over, and there she was.
"I pulled up and she was sitting right there," Martin said. "She was happy to see me; she came right up to me and hopped right into the car."
She had little tears on her foot and a small scratch on her leg, and had lost a little weight, but was otherwise doing well.
"She looks remarkably good, considering how cold it's been and all that they've been through," Martin said.
Io and her mother Luna escaped from the backyard of a home on Sunday and had been on the run ever since. Luna was found on Tuesday night, also in good condition.
The owners were staying with friends in Ethel while they attended a Lure Coursing event being held over the weekend at the Argus Ranch in Auburn.
"I got up in the morning and let them out in the yard to run around before we were going to take off to go to this dog event," Martin said. "I wasn't paying attention and after I had done a couple of things, I looked up and the gate was open."
Two of his four prized Pharaoh Hounds had run off.
Volunteers canvassed the area around Lewis County, and two pilots volunteered their time and plane to search through the air.
Martin is taking both dogs to the veterinarian to be checked out and get de-wormed.
"It's been a nightmare up until a few minutes ago," Martin said shortly after Io was located. "Now, it's just awesome."