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A Rescue Chain: Animal lovers pitch in to reunite Marine's family with their dog
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Published: August 24, 2008
Updated: 08/24/2008 09:00 pm
"It's going to be great, especially since my son and Summer are very close." -Brandon Wells, a Marine separated from his dog
When Brandon Wells dropped his dog Summer off at an animal-rescue shelter in California, he knew she would be taken care of.
But the United States Marine Corps sergeant never expected the pet, who was too lame to travel with his family after he was transferred from a base in San Diego to Jacksonville, to find her way back to him.
Today, after being shuttled across the country in a sort of relay by people associated with the rescue group, Double S Animal Rescue & Sanctuary Inc., in Warner Springs, Calif., Summer will be reunited with Wells' family in Eastern North Carolina.
He was looking forward to having her back
"It's going to be great, especially since my son and Summer are very close," he said. "It's just really good that everyone took care of her the way they did."
Wells said that he had hated having to leave Summer behind. However, because she broke her leg shortly before he was scheduled to move, Wells was left with few options. He knew his injured dog simply wasn't in good enough shape to make the cross-country trip.
However, once the dog was well enough to travel, folks linked to the animal-rescue group made sure she got a lift, said Stacie Stephens, who helped organize the cross-country trip.
A family drove the dog from California to Tennessee, where another family took over and drove her to the North Carolina line. From there she was picked up by someone else and driven to Hickory, where Jim and Marsha Ferris of Winston-Salem were waiting. The couple will drive the dog to Benson to meet Wells this morning.
They said they felt that reuniting Summer with her family was their way of showing respect to someone who has been protecting America.
"This guy is a Marine, and he's been serving our country," Jim Ferris said. "When you think about all these guys are doing, it's the least we can do to give some of our time. Whether you agree with the war or not, you have to support the troops."
Ferris said that the effort to get Summer across the country was proof of the American spirit and that he planned to call and thank those who had helped.
He also said that getting their dog back would be a good thing for a military family looking to regain a sense of normalcy after a long, tough move.
"Dogs have a stabilizing effect on your life," Ferris said.
■ Erik Spencer can be reached at 727-7284 or at ehill@wsjournal.com .
■ For more information about the Double S Animal Rescue, contact Stacie Stephens at 951-767-4510.
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