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Earlier this week in St. Louis, Missouri, a Facebook post from Connor Bailey caught the attention of many. In a local group for lost and found pets, he described a troubling sight along a busy highway: a black dog lying injured on the shoulder, with another dog standing close by. “She has a gray and white pitty friend wearing a collar with no tags,” Bailey wrote, hoping someone would come quickly to help.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis (SRSL) soon came across the post and wasted no time responding. When they arrived at the location, they found exactly what had been described. One dog lay injured on the rumble strip, likely struck by a vehicle. Her loyal companion stood protectively by her side, unwilling to move.
“Her friend … wouldn’t leave her side,” SRSL shared on Facebook.
Though the rescue team encounters many strays in the city, there was something especially moving about this scene. Both dogs looked well cared for, which led rescuers to believe that they likely belonged to someone who was searching for them.
“We could tell the pups were in great shape (other than being hit by a car, of course),” SRSL wrote. “We knew they were loved, we just had to find their people!” The team gently lifted the black dog, Hope, into their vehicle. Her devoted companion, named Diamond, followed behind without hesitation. Back at the rescue’s veterinary clinic, Hope received immediate medical attention. Despite the terrifying incident, the vet team had reassuring news.
“She’s going to be OK!” SRSL later commented. “There’s nothing broken — we’re just stitching up her leg for now.” Although her injuries required treatment, they weren’t as serious as first feared. The shelter staff scanned both dogs for microchips and found that they were chipped. Unfortunately, the contact information tied to the chips was out of date.
That didn’t stop the team from trying to find the dogs’ family. Meanwhile, their worried owners were also actively searching and happened to come across the same Facebook post. That connection led them straight to SRSL, where they were finally reunited with their missing pets.
“They rushed here the moment we got in contact with them,” the rescue wrote. “They’ve been worried sick.” The family was shocked to learn that their two dogs had ended up more than a mile away from home. The reunion was filled with emotion and joy.
“They’re the most loving, kind people,” SRSL said in an update. “It was a wonderful reunion.”
Before sending them home, the rescue helped the family update the dogs’ microchip information to prevent future issues. Diamond was cleared to leave that day, and after resting for a few more hours, Hope was well enough to rejoin her family later that evening.
Once again, they were together. And for the team at Stray Rescue of St. Louis, that was the best outcome they could have hoped for. “We’re so happy to get them back together.”
