Sheltie Reunites with Owner after Car Crash and 53 Days in Nevada Desert

Published March 5, 2012

New York Daily News

Barbara Bagley found her Shetland Sheepdog, Dooley, after losing her husband and her other dog in a car accident in the Nevada desert.

Barbara Bagley was badly injured in a car accident on Dec. 27 outside Reno, Nevada. Her husband, 55-year-old Brad Vom Baur, and her Sheltie, Delaney, were killed.

Her other Sheltie, Dooley, ran from the scene.

Throughout her recovery, Bagley knew he was alive. She had a feeling. She sent out a Facebook plea asking volunteers to search for Dooley, and dozens responded, according to an AP report in the New York Daily News.  

She was right.

After surviving 53 days in the desert on roadkill and scattered water sources, Dooley was cornered only 5 miles from the crash site by a volunteer on horseback named Shannon Sustacha, and a friend of Bagley's in a Jeep.

"Barbara got next to us and said three times, `You think he'll remember me?'" Sustacha told the AP.

Remember her he did. A tearful Bagley sat in her friend’s Jeep with a sleeping Dooley on her lap just a short time later.

Dooley has since spent a lot of time following Bagely around and putting on some weight. He dropped from 44 lbs to only 22 lbs during his time in the wilderness.

"[Finding Dooley] is a message from my husband, who was looking out for him," Bagley told the AP.

Do you think all dogs would be able to remember their owners after such a major trauma? Share your thoughts in a comment.

Learn how to help others find lost pets in our Pet Detective profile.

Author's profile photo
Wendy Toth Wendy Toth is Senior Editor, Lifestyle for Digital Works @ NBCU. She lives in Brooklyn, has two…

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Comments (2)

Norm Starr (Unverified)
There is absolutely no doubt that one's furbaby NEVER forgets. Within our breed and the many dogs I've rescued, every time I see them, they go ballistic and then stand beside their owner. It breaks my heart in a rewarding way knowing I've done a good job and they are happy where they are.
Lavanyas (Unverified)
Such a heartwarming story. This reminds me of a recent movie I saw, Angel Dog.