Wandering dog reunited with hopsitalized owner [Nice to see the pros screw up too]

By Associated Press, 8/25/2002 20:25

LEBANON, N.H. (AP) A can of dog food, some hot dogs, a sausage and her master's dirty shorts helped collar a dog that eluded searchers for 13 days after a highway crash.

Nyshka, a 4-year-old Australian shepherd, ran into the woods following the Aug. 11 crash on Interstate 93 that seriously injured her owner, Randy Carford of Norwalk, Conn.

The accident happened when an empty milk tanker truck crossed the centerline and hit the RV Carford was driving with his wife. The tanker driver was killed, as was another of the Carford's dogs that was in the RV.

Randy Carford's leg was crushed and he has been at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon since the accident.

Tilton residents had spotted Nyshka around town after the accident, but she wouldn't allow anyone to get close.

Animal activist Melissa Dudley of Canterbury helped look for Nyshka and the Concord Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Wildlife Services of New Hampshire donated animal traps. Dudley and Mike Farrington, the town's animal control officer baited the traps with food and clothing that had her owners' scent. The traps were left in areas where Nyshka had been spotted.

Nyshka finally took the bait early Saturday at a trap positioned close to the highway where the accident happened.

A veterinarian gave her a clean bill of health and she was reunited with Randy Carford later that day in his hospital room.

The dog barked loudly and ran to her owner, who buried his face into the dog's chest and repeated her name over and over.

''We're so relieved that she's back. It's just what we needed,'' he said. ''My wife hasn't been sleeping well at night and is having nightmares. I think a lot of it has do with our dog not being here and being so worried about her out there. They're our children,'' he said.

''I'll be out of the hospital next week, and there's no way we could've left without Nyshka. We so grateful to everyone,'' Carford said.

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2002