Cal and Debbie Brooke, who live south of Strathmore, are finally a whole family again after their dog, Angie has returned home.
Angie, a border collie, who had been on her own since the car she was riding in was in a collision on Highway 21 near Highway 575 on December 23, 2016. Angie bolted from the scene of the crash. The Brookes were transported to the hospital with minor injuries and later released but still without their dog. After many sightings, the RCMP requested the public’s help in locating her.
"We would really like to make Christmas for these folks and help them get their dog back," said Sgt. Glen Demmon, detachment commander for Beiseker RCMP.
Though they spent Christmas without Angie, they didn’t lose hope in finding her. The evening of January 18, Cal and Debbie received a phone call saying that Angie had been caught. Later that evening Angie was back in their arms.
"A friend of the family had the idea of putting a kennel out in the area with a blanket and some things from Angie's family, " said Sgt. Demmon. "It worked and the next morning, Angie was curled up on the blanket. She is a little bit thinner, but she is home now."
“There were lots of people in the community that spent time looking, the Linden Citizens on Patrol (COPS) group, Howdy Robinson, Sherri Trithart, Flo Robinson, and Carrie Penner especially. The Carbon Fire Department had members out just about every day searching. Sgt. Demmon was an absolute godsend. He refused to give up and was contacting media, going door to door for us, and never gave up. Darlene Burt spent more nights and days staked out than I can tell you.” Cal and Debbie’s daughter, Sheri White told The Mail. “We aren't sure how she stayed warm. We found tracks near a coyote den that looked like she may have been curling up in it. We found lots of dead cow and deer carcasses that she was munching on in the coulees.”
“I am just so happy to have her home,” Debbie said. “She is very skinny but seems to be in good health.”