Family dog runs from burning home and ends up lost miles away. Then her luck turned
The flames were hot, bright and loud. Nola bolted.
She ran, the fear and adrenaline keeping her paws moving for miles.
Her humans were back where she came from, but the pup wasn’t looking back. Not yet, at least.
She didn’t stop until her surroundings were totally unfamiliar. Eventually, panting and exhausted, she lay down on the side of a strange road, more than four miles from home.
Nicholas Ridley, an animal law enforcement officer, was in his truck on his way to a call when he noticed a white dog on the side of the road.
Around the same time, two other passersby saw the pup and began approaching her.
The trio got closer. Quickly, they noticed her heavy breathing. Nola’s fatigue was palpable, and even with coaxing, she did not want to move. According to a Facebook post by the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), Ridley was eventually able to put a leash on Nola and load her into his truck.
Ridley scanned Nola for a microchip and found her name and family’s information. She had been adopted from HSPPR in 2020.
Within a short time, Nola was back with her family.
“Nola’s story is not only an example of compassion shown by our community and Officer Ridley, but it also highlights the importance of microchipping your pet,” said Cody Costra, the public relations manager for HSPPR, in an email to McClatchy News.
According to the American Medical Veterinary Association, a microchip is a tiny electric chip the size of “a grain of rice.” The chip is activated only if a scanner hovers over it, when it will transmit the animal’s identification number. It is so small that animals who are “microchipped” will usually receive it during a routine vet visit early in life via a small injection.
The identification number is attached to information about who the animal is — their name and who they belong to. Since animals cannot speak human languages, microchips have many times (like in Nola’s case) helped lost animals get home.
Costra also emphasizes the importance of keeping your pet’s microchip information updated.
“Because Nola’s microchip information was up to date, our Animal Law Enforcement team was able to reunite Nola with her family prior to her coming to the shelter.”
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Family dog runs from burning home and ends up lost miles away. Then her luck turned."