Partially blind, deaf dog runs away on a walk by the Deschutes River, sparks Bend community search that ends happily
Barney Lerten
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — What began as a peaceful morning walk turned into a 12-hour rescue mission in Bend on Saturday that showed the community coming together to find a partially blind and deaf dog named Buddy.
Buddy bolted from his walker near the Deschutes River trailhead at Meadow Park on Saturday.
Despite being with other dogs and an experienced walker, Buddy took off, eventually disappearing near Widgi Creek Golf Course.
And that launched a massive search effort on Saturday afternoon. Friends, strangers, even kayakers and drone pilots joined in scouring the trails, canvassing neighborhoods and tracking sightings.
At one point, Buddy was seen swimming across the Deschutes River, as daylight faded. Hope dammed until someone spotted him on a small lava rock island in the middle of the river.
With help from local dog searcher Katie Albright and her drone, rescuers crossed slippery rocks and lit their path to reach Buddy.
Twelve hours after it began, he was found – exhausted and thirsty, but safe.
Buddy is now back at home, thanks to a community that dropped everything to bring him back home.
You can read more about how it all happened and the community’s response at this post, “The Lost and Found Gratitude Club,” on Reddit’s Bend subreddit.