A Remarkable Journey Home
A remarkable story of resilience and determination has unfolded as a missing dog, Rusty, was found after traveling an astonishing 1,000 miles from his home. Rusty, an intelligent Australian Shepherd, had gone missing when his owner was sent to prison, leaving him in the care of a friend who later disappeared. The owner, a woman who had been living in Cheyenne, Colorado, was incarcerated, and Rusty was left alone, according to reports.
How Rusty managed to walk 270 miles from Cheyenne to Shoshoni, Wyoming, remains a mystery. However, he was discovered on the side of the road, visibly scared and in need of help. His journey began in May when a friend spotted him in the middle of nowhere, where people had left bowls of food and water for him. Hannah MacGregor, director of Lander Pet Connection, first became aware of Rusty through a Facebook post.
MacGregor explained that although someone had posted about the dog, they couldn’t get close to him and were trying to determine where he belonged. After hours of effort, a friend managed to rescue Rusty with the help of another family, eventually bringing him to the shelter. There, workers found a microchip on the dog, which included two phone numbers and an emergency contact.
Unfortunately, the first two numbers were disconnected, but the emergency number worked. This allowed the shelter to locate the mother of Rusty’s owner in Oklahoma. To plan for Rusty’s care, the shelter needed to speak with his owner, who was still in prison. As part of the arrangements, the shelter neutered Rusty at the request of his owner’s mother.
After discussions with the owner’s mother and son, it became clear that the family members could not pick up Rusty. Therefore, the dog was placed under the care of a foster family in Afton, Wyoming. At the time, it was expected that the owner would be released soon, but this did not happen, and the owner’s incarceration was set to continue until January.
Despite this, Rusty formed a bond with the foster family and remained with them until the owner’s other son became involved and agreed to take the dog. Addison Miller, a member of the foster family, shared that her husband, Allen, and their son, Aiden, will host Allen’s mom when she completes her treatment for addiction issues. They were happy to add Rusty to their family, which already includes two dogs and a puppy, with whom Rusty quickly became friends.
Addison has experience in dog training and described Rusty as a purebred Australian Shepherd with both parents being papered. She noted that Rusty is a beautiful brown dog who is very smart and sweet. To collect Rusty, the family drove from Sapulpa, Oklahoma, to Rock Springs, covering a distance of 1,021 miles.
Rusty has also shown incredible loyalty and intelligence. Just over a year ago, Rusty’s owner passed out in bed from an overdose in a locked room. Rusty somehow knew something was wrong and tried to alert someone. He attempted to chew through the door, and when that didn’t work, he went to the roommate’s door and jumped on it until the roommate opened it. The roommate then discovered the owner, who was blue on the bed, and saved her life.
The owner is currently in recovery from her addiction issues. When she gets out of prison, she will stay with the family, continue her sobriety journey, and be reunited with her “baby.” Miller shared that her husband’s mom calls every day, and when Rusty hears her voice, he becomes excited and wags his little nub tail.
