Part III of Wild Dogs of Martin City: Reunited, or Lizzie’s Story

Wild Dogs of Martin City Part III: Reunited

By Kathy Feist   Photos by Karyn Brooke

When last we left the three wild dogs of Martin City, two were taken to a dog rescue in Iowa after spending a few months at the Kansas City Pet Project. But one dog remained behind.

Lizzie, the smaller black female, evaded the dog catchers in January. (That fact was hidden in our original story by request.) She remained in Martin City, alone and even more frightened of people after the disappearance of her pals. Nevertheless, she still shared a breakfast English muffin with Brad Schafner at George’s Imports every morning. And walked several paces behind Karyn Brooke of Sidelines Custom Floral Designs when visiting the post office. And spotted at 3 a.m. by employees at Martin City Pizza chasing cars.

That’s when Brooke, who was the primary care provider for the roaming dogs, decided it was in Lizzie’s best interest to get her off the streets.

On Wednesday night, as the first raindrops ushered in a full-force thunderstorm, Brooke opened the back door to her floral shop and a frightened Lizzie walked inside. “I knew she was traumatized by thunder,” recalls Brooke.

Lizzie spent the night sleeping safely inside the shop. The next morning, her life changed.

“I scooped her up in her little blanket and put her inside my van,” says Brooke. She loaded up what remained of her home behind the store, picked up a friend and then went for a road trip.

The florist had deduced where the other two dogs had been placed.  Lizzie was headed to the Jasper County Animal Rescue League in Newton, Iowa, to reunite with her old pals. Lizzie, the wild dog, didn’t seem to mind the long trip.

“She was sitting right next to me the entire time,” Brooke says. “She spent an hour on the road on my lap. The rest of the time she sat on the floor and slept.”

Four hours later, with mixed emotions, Brooke handed Lizzie over to the director of the Jasper County Animal Rescue, Rachel Long. See the video below for the awaited moment.

In the video, taken by Brooke, Lizzie remains apprehensive, but her two buddies are happy to see her.

“Jake, John and Sweet Pea [Lizzie] now have a better chance to live life together,” Brooke announced on her Instagram account.