Today's feel-good story: A runaway dog that swam across the Ohio River in 2020 has been adopted in Indiana by her trainer. Here's the story, reported by Ann W. Schmidt of Fox News:
Allie, a rescue dog, ran away from her owner on Dec. 5, 2020, and swam 3,300 feet across the Ohio River from Evansville, Indiana, to Henderson County, Kentucky, according to news agency SWNS.
After she was rescued one week later, Allie was brought to volunteer trainer Michelle Phillips, 51, from Boonville, Indiana, who recently adopted the pooch.
According to the news agency, when Allie first ran away from her then-owner’s home, she ran to the Ohio River and spent an hour swimming across. While she was in the river, officers with the Evansville Police, Fire and Animal Control departments tried to rescue her, but she refused to get close to them and was almost hit by a barge.
Phillips, who was part of the rescue efforts, told SWNS: "I raced down there and found several people watching her in the water and said she had gone under several times."
Thankfully, Allie made it across to Kentucky, but she immediately ran into the woods. For a week, rescuers tried to coax Allie to safety, but she ran away from anyone who came close to her.
She eventually was caught and placed in Phillips’ care.
"We just brought her home and she went and laid down on our couch," Phillips told SWNS. "I don't think she moved much that first night, we just let her be. She was extremely fearful of people, dog leashes, and just scared."
Though Phillips was only supposed to spend a few months training Allie, she quickly bonded with the pup and formally adopted her earlier in December.
"I really decided quite early on that she wasn't going anywhere," Phillips said. "I believe dogs are family and mine have a good life. Every dog deserves a loving home and a chance. I could not stand to put her through anything more so I really thought, what better time than the year 'anniversary' of finding her?"