"Her name is Oleander, and her freeway drama gripped the residents of Riverside County like few car chases ever could.
For two months, the golden retriever mix wandered a six-mile stretch of Interstate 10, surviving on little food and water, loping along on a broken leg. Frightened, she evaded the California Highway Patrol officers who tried to rescue her, weaving her way through the median strip's oleanders -- hence the name given by her would-be rescuers.
As officers continued their pursuit -- even shutting down traffic a few times -- drivers, watching helplessly, called in to report sightings. When a patrolman finally coaxed the 3-year-old dog into his car, she was whisked to a Riverside County Department of Animal Services shelter in Banning.
The story was picked up by the local news media, and within two days of the announcement that the dog was up for adoption, the shelter received 90 phone calls from people wanting to adopt Oleander, foster her or give her money. Ten people claimed they were the rightful owners.
Oleander is one of thousands of animals at Southern California shelters, many of which will never be adopted. If she had simply been dropped off at the facility and lined up in a run next to dozens of other unwanted canines, she might be there months from now."
1 comment:
It is amazing how people crave a good story. I hope some of thoe folks who were turned way for Oleander ended up leaving the shelter with an animal.
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