Car crash leads dog to happy new home

The fact that Sita has a new home shows that some good can come out of a tragic event.

It also shows that folks in a small town such as Wimberley are quick to respond when someone is in need.

Sita — a border collie/blue heeler mix — was a passenger in a Nissan truck on the evening of March 29. The truck was on FM 2325 near Wimberley Ranch Drive when the driver veered off the road. The truck flipped and rolled and the driver, who asked that his name not be used in this story, had to be extracted from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life rescue tool. He suffered numerous fractures and was rushed to the hospital.

Sita, who is named after a Hindu goddess, emerged from the wreck with barely a scratch, but in the dark, rescuers couldn’t locate the dog.

It didn’t take long for the volunteers from Wimberley Adoption Group & Rescue (commonly known as WAG) to spring into action.

WAG has a message line that’s constantly monitored. When a dog is missing — or found — the word quickly goes out over social media.

Cathleen Cranford is WAG’s lost and found co-ordinator. When she was notified of the accident and the missing dog the next morning, she quickly started putting up posts on social-media sites such as Facebook and Nextdoor. Within an hour, the notice had been read and shared dozens of times and Cathleen had fliers printed.

On the scene

She then hopped in her car and drove up 2325 to see if she could find Sita.

Meanwhile, Good Samaritan Gretchen Holtsinger saw that Sita was missing and drove out to see if she could help. She spotted a man and a woman working on a fence close to the accident site. There was a dog nearby.

“I asked them if that was their dog,” says Gretchen. “They said they were going to ask me if it was my dog.”

Gretchen opened the car door and patted the seat. “She obviously wanted to be found,” says Gretchen. “I just opened the door and she hopped in.”

That’s not the end of Sita’s saga, however.

In January of this year, Gretchen’s beloved Clifford — a German shepherd/Rhodesian ridgeback mix — died. Gretchen and Clifford had been together for 11 years.

“I had been mourning and I had decided I wouldn’t get another dog. I wanted to honor Clifford’s memory,” she recalls.

Gretchen was wondering where to take Sita when the driver’s family said it was going to be hard to find her a home. The driver, a former resident of Wimberley who now lives in Blanco, was badly hurt and laid up in the hospital. After that, he would require a lengthy rehabilitation.

Gretchen’s response: “Well, if you don’t want her….”

Gretchen and Sita now walk in the hills every day. “It has been a wonderful week and she has settled in beautifully. She’s a smart girl. She’s a love bug. We’re getting used to each other. It has been so easy connecting and starting a life together.”

Well-oiled machine

Cathleen has been in charge of WAG’s lost and found for about three years. The group gets 8-10 calls a month concerning lost dogs. Cathleen estimates that about 80-85 percent of the time the dogs are successfully reunited with their owners.

Finding dogs in this area sometimes presents a challenge. “You never know what the terrain is going to look like. You know how Wimberley is,” says Cathleen.

Cathleen figures it takes about an hour to get rescue operation in high gear. First, she hits social media. Sita’s post on Facebook had 85 shares. Then fliers are printed and distributed.

When Cathleen, who works from home for an investment company and has flexible hours, goes out looking for a dog she wears a hot-pink WAG T-shirt so she’s easily recognizable.

Says Gretchen: “I feel like the true heroes are the people in this community who have set up this infrastructure. There’s a whole network of people in Wimberley and San Marcos who do this work everyday.”

The family of the injured driver agrees. “I was very appreciative of what everyone did. It was amazing,” says his daughter. “I was so glad I could just focus on my dad.”

WAG Rescue started in 2009 and finds homes for dozens of dogs every year. The group has close relationships with local veterinary clinics and hospitals. There’s currently a campaign under way to “Shrink the Mortgage” on the group’s six-acre facility.

To donate or to see the available dogs, click on www.wimberleywagrescue.org. Also, check the Wimberley View every week for a featured dog up for adoption. This week it’s Bruno, a two-year-old Lab mix, who is looking for a home.

WAG volunteers also operate the upscale Treasures on Twelve thrift store. It’s at 13620 RR 12, Building A in Wimberley and proceeds from sales go back to dogs. For information call 512-847-3858.

Lost dog?

Contact WAG volunteers at 512-847-3200. You can get the latest information on missing pets on the Wimberley Adoption Group & Rescue Facebook page, www.facebook.com/wimberleywagrescue

Pet of the Week

Bruno is a young, sweet boy. He is selective with other dogs, but really and truly loves every person he meets! He loves to be with people and asks for pets whenever he can. Bruno would love a lower activity home with children 10 and up. Bruno, a Lab mix, is two years old and weighs 50 pounds.

If you are interested, fill out a WAG adoption application at www.wimberleywagrescue.org or call 512-847-3200.