It's incredible that a group of total strangers went out of the way to help her,'' said truck driver Tim Riddle.
Posted by The Pantagraph on Friday, September 23, 2016
When Tim Riddle set the air brakes on his semitrailer truck at the Pilot Truck Stop recently, his partner was ready to go, literally.
The Independence, Missouri, man travels with Karma, the family's miniature pinscher. When he opened the door, Karma took off, chasing a rabbit under a fence at the neighboring impound lot at Brown's Wrecker Service.
''I looked as long as I could,'' said Riddle, but his schedule as a driver for Knight Transportation forced him to leave his dog behind.
Knight ranks No. 29 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
Riddle contacted McLean County Animal Control officials, who suggested he work with a volunteer group, Lost and Found Pets of McLean County. The group also runs a Facebook page, Lost-Found Pets in Bloomington-Normal, as a place for people to share information.
In the days after her escape, Karma had been seen crossing West Market Street and running into a motel parking lot in search of food, or perhaps a rabbit.
Her four days on the loose ended Sept. 15, when about seven volunteers finally cornered Karma. She had been spotted in the impound lot, and volunteers blocked holes in the bottom of a chain link fence to keep her in until Browns Wrecker Service employee Jake Erdman finally made the collar.
Karen Smith of Bloomington, Illinois, a member of the group, kept Karma overnight until Riddle could make it back the next day. ''She's been great,'' said Smith of her unexpected guest.
Back at Pilot to wait for Riddle, Karma pulled at her two leashes as each truck pulled in or out of the lot, expecting it to be Riddle's.
When Riddle finally showed up, Karma leaped into his arms and after a few moments was laying on her back in his arms.
''I cannot thank you guys enough. It's incredible that a group of total strangers went out of the way to help her,'' said Riddle, whose 6-year-old daughter Kendall and 10-year-old son Blaine were on the phone with him after the reunion.
"This is wonderful,'' said Angel Rosecrans, a dog owner from Danvers and member of the group.
Six of the volunteers gathered to watch Karma reunite with her owner and head for her 18-wheel home.
"You guys have no idea how much this means to us,'' said Riddle as he showed a cellphone photo of a lost-dog notice made by his son. "It makes you realize how good people can be.''
