After owners get in car crash, smart dog runs for help and finds state trooper

Dogs have amazing instincts for when people are in trouble. Just like in Lassie, dogs will run to get help when someone is in danger.

That was the case recently, after one dog ran to get help after his owner was in a car wreck and led a trooper to the crash site.

On July 10, Trooper Chris Pina of the Maine State Police was on duty when a dog ran in front of his vehicle. Not wanting the dog to get hit by traffic, he took the dog into his car, according a Facebook post by the department.

The dog was covered in mud and scratches, and the trooper thought that he might be lost or missing. But it turned out, this dog was actually on a mission.

While notifying the dispatch about the dog, Trooper Pina noticed a man on the interstate yelling for help.

He went to investigate, and found a two-vehicle crash. An investigation later found that the driver of a green Rav 4 fell asleep at the wheel, drifting into another lane and rear-ending a maroon SUV.

Both cars rolled over, and two dogs belonging to the owners of the maroon SUV went missing during the crash. One of those dogs apparently ran off to get help and alert someone, and found Trooper Pina. The Maine State Police credited him with leading the trooper to the crash.

According to a GoFundMe page, the dog who ran for help is named Willow. “Thankfully my girl Willow ran to the lovely people who stopped to help,” wrote owner Sarah White.

The couple’s other dog, a Doberman named Bentley, was originally reported to still be missing, but was later found by Kathy Winslow of Lost Dog Recovery.

What a smart dog — he knew to run for help, and knew just who to go to. Thank you to Trooper Pina for helping this dog and responding to the crash.

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