RENO, NEV. — It’s been a harrowing time for the Hamilton family since Saturday.
That’s when they went inside their home briefly, leaving their pickup truck with the keys in it and running, and thieves took off with it.
What followed was a high speed chase to southeast Reno, Nevada where pursuing officers lost them.
What mattered most to the family and investigating officers, however, was what was in the truck: the family’s little dog named Albus.
“Certainly the dog was the driving factor in this,” said Sgt. Danny Renfrow of the Truckee Police Department. “We knew he couldn’t survive much longer, so time was of the essence.”
The family searched as well and the story spread through social media. They heard concerns from people as far away as Boston, but days passed with no news.
Tuesday night, as the family was preparing to widen the search, they got a call. The pickup and everything inside was found in a southeast Reno neighborhood.
Renfrow said, “I called her and said ‘We’ve got your dog. He’s alive. He’s drinking water. Can I give him some crackers?’ That’s all I had. She said ‘Yeah go ahead give him anything.'”
Albus had ridden out that high-speed chase and bounced around no doubt in the carrier in which the thieves had placed him. He’d endured three and a half days in that tight space, during cold nights and warm days. He was tired, hungry and dehydrated, but alive.
After spending the night at an emergency animal care center hooked up to an IV, he was ready to be picked up.
“He looks good,” said Carolyn Hamilton, beaming as she picked him up. “Last night he was a livery limp and he usually struts. He was really tired, really hot and I think a little scared. We’re going to take him home and give him water a little at a time. And I’m going to continue to send thank you notes to everyone who helped. We’re very grateful to be a part of making people feel and be happy.”