Animal control officials were working Friday to find the owner of one very lucky dog, rescued from the 710 Freeway where she was running loose during rush hour traffic.
Compassionate drivers slowed down for the wayward pitbull mix, a nail biter for Southern Californians watching the rescue Thursday night during rush hour.
Drivers worked together to slow down and help corral the dog off to the side of the roadway, where she was rescued by local resident Andie Valerio, who got out of her car to rescue the exhausted pup.
"Just to save the dog I didn't want her to get hurt," Valerio said of what she was thinking during the rescue caught on camera.
At the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority shelter in Downey, animal control officer Robby Gochicoa said he’s been pamper the pooch that amazed LA drivers.
"This is the superstar, our freeway dog," he said Friday. The as-yet-unnamed dog was still a bit scared and uncomfortable, but very sweet. Gochicoa said her caretakers won't give her a new name quite yet, to avoid confusing her if her owner turns up.
"She is a runner though," Gochicoa said. "I can feel those muscles right here. Yes, she loves to run. I took her for a run this morning."
She was picked up from Valerio’s home last night, and was wearing a purple collar, but no tags or microchip. Gochicoa said she’d had a bath and a few treats.
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Animal control is hoping her owner might have seen the news coverage her freeway run received and come to claim her, but no one had arrived by Friday afternoon.
"Hopefully today we'll get a call of someone who's seen it on the news," he said.
The dog’s owner has three more days to claim her, and after they she'll be put up for adoption.
"It'll be a much happier ending if someone claims this dog, yes," Gochicoa said. "If not, this dog is so sweet we'll for sure find her a home."
