By Michele Smith

On a sunny day in mid-September, Philip and Analena Jaroslow’s dog Stella went missing from their yard in Renton. Stella is a Rhodesian-Pit bull mix who the Jaroslow’s rescued several years ago, the dog and their 3 year old daughter Layla are incredibly bonded and inseparable, it was very unlike Stella to leave the yard and not come back when called.

Frantic, the Jaroslow’s did what most people do when their beloved pet goes missing, they posted signs in the neighborhood, contacted the local shelters and turned to the Internet, posting on their personal Facebook pages and Craigslist. “We started driving through our neighborhood as well as other neighborhoods to find her and there was no sign of her.  We spent the next week posting signs everywhere, checking in with all local humane societies, posting on Facebook and even Craigslist.” Philip Jaroslow told us.

2 weeks had passed, the Jaroslow’s daughter Layla was despondent, and her parents feared the worst.

A friend happened by Philip’s plea on Facebook to find his dog and suggested he contact Burien C.A.R.E.S. even though he lived in Renton, he had nothing to lose. Philip posted a picture of Stella on the Burien C.A.R.E.S. Facebook page with his contact information and miraculously, the very next day a man we only know as “Jason” who saw the picture called the Jaroslow’s with information about Stella. “My wife and I dropped everything and went to his house in Auburn, 18 miles away from our house!  We arrived and there she was!  It meant everything to us.  While she was gone, our house was not the same. Layla would walk around and call for Stella and ask when she was coming home.”
 
Turns out, Jason had seen the dog running on Central Avenue in Kent with a choke chain collar on that was so tight, he had to use tools to remove it. Jason got Stella in his truck and brought her home to take care of her. “We think she was originally taken by someone, tied up with this collar, but was able to escape. Jason found her, brought her home and saved her from the awful people who took her.”

Unfortunately, the Jaroslow’s story is not uncommon. Holly Eckstrand, Case Manager with Non Profit Rescue - Saving Great Animals told us, “Most dogs are stolen for two reasons: small dogs and cats are used as bait for training Pit bulls to fight and drug addicts steal popular breed dogs and sell them to anyone with cash, usually on Craigslist. Never leave your dog home alone in the yard, and it’s never a good idea to buy or sell pets on Craigslist.”

The Jaroslow’s household is back to normal now and Stella is not let out alone, a happy ending to what could have been very bad for everyone concerned.

To learn more about Burien C.A.R.E.S. please see their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Burien-CARES-241579422536735/timeline/

To learn more about Saving Great Animals see their website: http://www.savinggreatanimals.org/