Kelly: Dog escapes, travels miles to site of owner's funeral

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

Dogs possess a keen ability to track a scent. But some events are unexplainable — suggesting that what happened was not from a scent, but a sense. A kind of “sixth sense.”

That's what Omaha professionals and others are saying about a 21-pound Schnauzer-Poodle mix named Elvis who ran out of a house and traveled miles on his own — and was spotted days later across the street from the church where his owner's funeral had been held.

How the pooch got to that exact location has amazed everyone who has heard about it.

“Animals have a sense not readily available to us,” said veterinarian Dr. Melissa Garner. “I don't have a scientific explanation. I think it's a sixth or seventh sense. It's something beyond what we can recognize.”

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130106/NEWS/701069923/1685#kelly-dog-escapes-travels-miles-to-site-of-owner-s-funeral

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Photo: http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20130106&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=701069923&Ref=AR&Profile=1685&maxw=598&maxh=400

ALYSSA SCHUKAR/THE WORLD-HERALD
Gayle Johnson holds Elvis, the schnauzer-poodle mix who had belonged to her mother, Judy Gustas. After Judy died, Elvis was taken in by a nurse, but the dog ran away that night. Days later, he was found miles away, near the church where Judy's funeral had been held. Elvis now lives with Gayle and her family.

[Voice for Peace]

1. these critters we love and live with, we know so little about their world.

beautiful & fascinating story, thanks for posting

[zonkers]

2. Dogs are my teachers.

[Voice for Peace]

15. truly

and for me too,
plus cats and chickens and just
about everything

[tabasco]

16. My dogs have taught me so much.

They have made me a better person.

Man and dog have been partners for eons. In prehistory, it was common for dogs to be buried ritually, as a family member. Our fellow sentient creatures can teach us a lot about life - that none of us understands completely. My dogs have taught me that the most important thing in the world is helping and loving each other as we journey through life to whatever might await us afterwards.

[goclark]

17. What a gift Dogs Are!

This was a reply to a DU Post regarding a Dog that visited the sick in hospital and made them feel better ----

***************************************************

My precious Maltese did this without any training
Posted by goclark in General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010)
Mon Aug 10th 2009, 08:20 AM
He was 11 when he died.

1. One evening I was sitting on the couch watching television. All of a sudden I thought I was having a heart attack. Like Superman ~ Muffy jumped in my lap and started licking me all over my face -- I mean frantically!!! He would not stop!!

When he did stop,he was panting he was so exhausted.

When he stopped I realized that the attack had stopped but I still called 911.... They found out that it was a reaction to a Medication I had been taking.

He just sat there looking at me and sitting right at my feet. He would not take his eyes off of me.

2. I had a pet sitter for Muffy and she told me that when her dog had seizures Muffy would put his paw on her 60 pound dog's paw until the seizure was over.It was hard to believe.

Later she told me that she had told Muffy to come and get her whenever "Baby" was having a seizure. Muffy would rush to find her.

3.One night I was doing the Prep for my colon test.I had to run to the bathroom when the medicine started to work.

You know how that goes -- I staggered out of the bathroom and Muffy had mirrored my experience! He has runny bowels like I had never seen him have ever!

4.The sitter told me that one evening Muffy ran up the stairs barking out of control. He kept barking until she followed him down stairs. He led her to the kitchen and somehow gas was escaping. My Little Muffy led her to it.

5.I had some female surgery and was sent home from the hospital with all those wires etc. I was afraid that Muffy would get wrapped up in the wires but he never did. He sat by me and/or followed me night and day.

I was so afraid that while I was sleeping he would accidentally touch me and bother the stitches - he never did. The Dr. said I would be able to go back to work in about 6 weeks. One morning I woke up and Muffy was walking across my stomach! Nothing hurt! I was well almost six weeks to the day.

6.My Mother was called in the middle of the night - her best friend had died. Mom was not crying but she went to bed and I went to bed in my room. I woke up and looked for Muffy in his favorite spot at the foot of my bed. He was not there -- he was with my Mom. Snuggled up close to her. I tried to get him to go with me but he growled at me as if to say " How Dare You!" He slept with her for 4 nights. How did he know that she was grieving?

When the Vet realized that Muffy had only a few days to live, he gently told me that he found it worked best for the owner to be there when the final Medication was given.

I told him I couldn't bear to watch but I found myself holding Muffy in my arms following the Vet. I looked and my 88 yr. Mom was right behind me.

The doctor gave him the Med and Muffy never took his eyes off of me.
He looked directly at me as if only the two of us were present. Helicked my nose and he went softly to sleep.

I can't stop crying now but through my tears I am so moved that so many people will be helped by this finding. This News would make Muffy so happy! He is probably saying, " I tried to tell you we could do it!"

[Voice for Peace]

20. thank you

sunday morning tears...

[Octafish]

24. Amen.

My grandparents had a small terrier mix called "Blacky*"

One day when she was about 10, my aunt was doing some ironing on the porch. Her parent's home in Puerto Rico had several porches. Intricate ironworks provided protection, but the porch was open to the elements and a small puddle of water were on the floor.

Unknown to my aunt, the iron's power cord had become worn and exposed the hot electical wire. When it came in contact with the water in which her bare feet were standing, she started to get electrocuted. Unable to move, she could feel herself starting to fail.

Blacky knew something was wrong. So, he walked on the dry tiles and pulled the power cord from the electrical outlet. Doing so, Blacky saved my aunt who now is a retired California school teacher, the parent of two and the grandmother to four kids.

Were it not for the family dog, she would not be here. I'm starting to tear up.

* No bigotry intended -- the dog was black and little, so that's what they named him. FTR: My grandfather -- born of a Puerto Rican mother and a father from Wisconsin -- was a lifetime member of the NAACP and did not tolerate racists, crooks or others of low character.

My aunt came to visit me in Detroit when the new Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History opened in 1997. She asked a friend from college who lives in a nearby suburb if she wanted to attend, but the friend said she didn't want to go "down there." My aunt said "to hell with her and that attitude," so she and I went.

[ReRe]

3. If I was Gayle...

...when that dog dies, I would ask to be allowed to have the dog buried at the foot of it's master's grave. And if that is against all rules of the cemetery assoc, then I would have the dog cremated and scatter its ashes on the grave of its master, maybe on a rainy day. How eerie is it that that dog found it's way to it's masters grave site? That is just telepathic...

[goclark]

25. I agree with you K and R

[xchrom]

4. Du rec. Nt

[defacto7]

5. Dogs are such wonderful people!

I have had dogs all my life and I find them to be as mystifying as they are faithful and fun .

[amandabeech]

6. Elvis doesn't look very happy.

I hope that he will gradually accept his master's disappearance (or death, if he understands), and learn to love the members of his new family.

It looks like Ms. Johnson is cuddling him up. It was very good of her to take him home.

May Elvis have several more good years before he travels over the rainbow bridge to meet his former master.

[dipsydoodle]

7. Maybe just that camera shot.

He' doesn't as though he's about to leap free.

His eyes seem to be saying "who you looking at"

[Coyotl]

8. Not only is this coincience, but that dog could not find it's owner's home.

The dog was totally lost! The people seem to be too.

[dotymed]

9. What about the elephants from an African rescue center?

The elephants that had been saved, rehabilitated and released by the center's manager. Those elephants grouped together and walked hundreds of miles when the man died. They arrived at his grave together. Coincidence? I don't think so.
Humans think they have a pretty solid grasp on reality. When strange occurrences like this happen, most people write it off as coincidence or tripe. I am not a "ghost-buster" or even a metaphysical guy. I think (by observation) that there are many things, especially in the animal world, that we do not comprehend.

[PSPS]

10. Greyfriars Bobby

[KurtNYC]

11. maybe the nurse did it ?

She decides she can't handle the dog and takes it to a site, the funeral home, where it can be reconnected with other family (?)

[steve2470]

12. this story makes me want to cry

I don't have a dog but wow, just such loyalty it makes me emotional.

eta: Ok it did make me cry. Just so awesome.

[steve2470]

13. k&r nt

[smirkymonkey]

14. Awww...what a sweet loyal doggie!

I just love dogs more than anything.

[indypaul]

18. They show us

the meaning of unrestricted love and loyalty.
Will humans ever learn?

[Submariner]

19. Cat visits owners grave

This behavior is not exclusive to dogs.

Loyal Italian Cat, Toldo, Brings Gifts To Owner's Grave

A loyal cat has been bringing his owner small gifts everyday in a show of affection. The catch? The cat's owner has been dead for over a year.

Meet Toldo -- a cute, 3-year-old black and white cat living in Montagnana, northern Italy. According to the Corriere Fiorentino, Toldo has been visiting his owner -- Iozzelli Renzo, who died on September 22, 2011, aged 71 -- everyday for the past year and leaving small presents at the grave.

The gifts usually consist of leaves, sticks, twigs, plastic cups or paper towels.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/04/loyal-italian-cat-todo-br_n_2406479.html

[Arugula Latte]

22. Aww.

Kitties are the best.

[nolabear]

21. Here's a personal one that's pretty remarkable.

Hubby had a dog when we met, a Shepherd Malamute Wolf named Bruno. He was a big, smart, affable guy who was very much his own dog, not given to gushing over strangers. He also went to work with Hubby daily on Duke U.'s campus. If let outside he stayed with the car, on grass nearby.

One day somehow the two got separated and Bruno got lost. We seArched for days, hubby near crazy, until the pound called us saying he'd been picked up barking wildly at the door of a house that I, not my husband, had lived at years before and where they had visited me. It was at least five miles from where they'd gotten separated. Who knows what got him there...even if it was random wandering his memory was astounding. And the woman who lived there was certainly glad there was some explanation for the wolf, literally, being at her door!

[KatyaR]

23. My 3-year-old Boston hates it when I cry.

Basie will crawl up in my lap and love on me until I stop crying. He's amazing, and it's so comforting.

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. kick

[goclark]

27. Here is another " Muffy Really Did This" Story

In my post above I explained how my precious Muffy did amazing things.

I had been divorced about 5 months and had moved to my new
Condo.

One day I had a few friends over and we were at the dinner table laughing and joking.

The door bell rang. Usually Muffy would run and bark to alert me to answer the bell.

This time when the bell rang Muffy quietly walked to the door. He started sniffing at the bottom of the door and quietly ran back and sat by my chair.

When I attempted to get up, he blocked me!
I kept telling him softly to move so I could know who was at the door.

I kept asking him nicely to clear the way -
He finally went back to the door and stiffed.

Then he came back to get me ----

I opened the door and no one was there -- I could see an envelope sticking out from under the door mat -- I opened the envelope and it was a note from my Hateful Ex husband!

Muffy was able to pick up his scent and smart enough to know that I didn't need to have any drama that day. : )