07/04/2025
The dog on I-64/ mm 89 is safe!! This situation has made me feel like quitting trapping.
That being said, I've pondered posting some of the details of what occurred while trying to trap this dog. I debated, but I also wanted people to be aware of what we went through and had to deal with while trying to trap her. A dog that had been running along Interstate 64 for at least 3 weeks. A dog that doesn’t appear to have an owner or a home. A dog that no one else was trying to trap.
So here goes: a community member who reached out to me for help, she, her husband , and I were parked alongside 64 settting up the trap, cameras, and a feeding station. I had parked in the median to make it easier and safer for us to carry the 75 pound trap up the hill where it needed to be set up. I was worried about the 3 of us having to carry it across 2 lanes of interstate traffic. Myself, as well as the two Awesome volunteers (Autumn and Luke) who stepped up to help out of concern for this dog , we're about finished setting up, when a Virginia State Trooper pulled over to see what we were doing. After telling him the story, we were all given a ticket by the State Trooper for “pedestrian in the highway”. Yes, you read that correctly. We were all given a ticket by State Police.
We were also told to remove all of our gear, which meant this dog was no longer going to be trapped. This also meant this dog was still running along 64, putting her safety at risk, as well as that of the drivers in that area in the case where she might try to run across the road.
After packing up, signing my ticket, and arriving home (30 minutes away) .... I was called by a County AC animal control officer and asked to return to help trap this dog. We used my trap, my cameras, and my food
To be honest, I was very bitter and angry (and a few other descriptive words) to be asked to return to the scene to help a dog that I had already spent a week (or more) trying to keep safe and in the same area so it could be trapped.
I also could not believe we were given a ticket for trying to prevent an accident, saving a dog, AND trying to do goodness in our community as I had been contacted by many community members to help this dog as it seemed that no one else was physically trying to capture/ trap this dog. (And hadn’t been for the 21 days this dog was running loose). We trapped the Dog in 4 days.
I do what I do “for the dogs”. I am a volunteer trapper and just want dogs to be safe. So I did return (30 minutes away) to finish the job with my trapping gear. But it had to be placed on the AC's vehicle which meant that everything I had already loaded, had to be unloaded and then loaded onto his truck.
About 2 hours after I set up the trap, we caught her!!!
I still have lots of emotions regarding this situation, (and some very descriptive and colorful words), but the most important thing is that she is safe, is currently at the shelter, and will be going to a foster home soon- which happens to be the home of the amazing volunteer who stepped up to help trap her- the same one who was also given a ticket😳. All 3 of us got tickets
Bottom line- my heart is happy. This is the outcome we always want. We love happy endings. And sometimes those happy endings are very difficult to get- like in this case.
I know this is a long post, and the crazy thing is that this isn’t even half the story. I’m sure the rest of the story will come out soon. But for now, this is all I can share. I gotta go prepare for my court date😳🙃
