[nagdu] Guide Dog Goes Missing During Storm

[Ginger Kutsch]

Guide Dog Goes Missing During Storm

Neighbor Rescues 'Gwen' And Pays Vet Bills

Jaclyn Allen, 7NEWS Reporter

July 13, 2011

URL: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28540024/detail.html

 

DENVER -- A Guide Dog for the Blind, frightened by Tuesday night's storms,
escapes from her home, leaving her legally blind owner desperate to find
her.

 

"I thought I closed the front door," said Denver resident Michael Thorpe.

 

During the downpour Tuesday night, his front door blew open, and his seeing
eye dog, Gwen, disappeared. 

 

"She means the world to me. She's my eyes. She's my friend," said Thorpe.

 

So for hours, in the middle of the storm, Thorpe walked his neighborhood,
calling for Gwen, but there was no sign of her.

 

"I've already lost a pair of eyes. To lose another pair of eyes would be
devastating," he said.

 

While he was waiting on his front porch all night, hoping the storm would
pass, Anette Anderson was looking for him.

 

She found Gwen late Tuesday night, and called the number on the tags, an
800-number for Guide Dogs For the Blind.

 

"We live just around the corner, actually," said Anderson. "When I saw that
she was a guide dog, I thought, I've got to find this guide dog's home."

 

7NEWS Cameras were there as she brought Gwen home for the emotional reunion.

 

"Is that her?" said Thorpe. "Gwen! Come here girl! Come here! I was so
worried about you."

 

If every storm cloud has a silver lining, here it is: Anderson not only paid
to have Gwen microchipped, but she put her credit card on file at the
veterinarian's office and offered to pay for any vet work in the future.

 

"I just thought it would be nice to do something for another living animal,"
said Anderson. "That's enough of a reward for me. That's all I really
needed."

 

Thorpe said he also now has all he really needed; his best friend, come rain
or shine.

 

"I think she's glad she's back," he said as she curled up on the front
porch.