A couple in South Carolina received a surprise of a lifetime when they saw their lost dog ringing their doorbell in the middle of the night.
Rajah, a Lab-Catahoula Leopard Dog mix, returned to her house after escaping during loud fireworks.
Lost Dog, Worried Parents
In the week leading up to July 4, Rajah’s neighborhood began nightly firework explosions. Rajah was cowering in her house when she saw the door open — along with her chance to escape. She shot out of the house and disappeared down the street before parents Mary Lynn Whitacre and Ryan Washick could jump in the car to go after her.
“We searched for Rajah for hours,” said Mary Lynn. “We posted it on Facebook and asked people for help in case they found her.”
Rajah was microchipped and her tag had phone numbers, so Mary Lynn and Ryan were hopeful that once Rajah calmed down, people would be able to approach the dog and call her humans.
Sadly, they returned home long after dark and without seeing any signs of their beloved pup. They knew Rajah was scared and alone, and they resolved to get up early to continue the search.
They did not expect to get up as early as 3:00 AM however, but that was when their doorbell began to ring.
Startled and worried, Mary Lynn and Ryan were shocked when they checked their Ring camera and witnessed Rajah pressing the doorbell with her nose!
The couple recently moved into the house and rarely used the doorbell. Needless to say, they were both puzzled and proud of Rajah’s ingenuity.
What You Can Do
Nothing upsets a dog like fireworks. Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve, and Gender Reveal Parties all generate lost dogs. To a dog’s sensitive ears, events celebrated with fireworks are loud, terrifying, and disorienting.
More dogs go missing on the 4th of July than any other day of the year. If you know your dog will be in the vicinity of fireworks, plan ahead. Create a quiet, calm environment at home. You an also talk with your vet about using a thunder shirt or even anxiety medication. Most important, make sure your dog is microchipped and wearing identification. You want to be able to reconnect if your dog panics and gets away from you because honestly, your dog will probably not calmly return home and ring your doorbell!
