An ordinary rush hour commute in Arleta, California took an unexpected turn last week when a terrified dog began dodging traffic, resulting in an improvised rescue mission among drivers.
Video footage captured the dramatic rush hour rescue involving multiple good Samaritans, including the heroic nurse who ended up catching the pup. After being rescued on the freeway, the dog faced another challenge: being reunited with her owner.
Rush Hour Rescue
Footage of the incident shows traffic coming to a halt with people stopping their cars, opening doors, and trying to call the frantic dog from the dangerous road. Finally, the dog jumped into the car of a cardiac nurse, Amber Streid. Streid had just finished a 12-hour shift and was headed home during rush hour.
“I looked to the left of the carpool lane, and I see this little guy running. He’s probably going, like, ten miles an hour. I just opened [the door] and for some reason, he just went right in,” Streid recounts. Her quick instinct and courageous action is being called an act of heroism.
“A couple in a truck started clapping, and some guy in a white van started clapping. Everybody was just happy that someone was able to get the dog,” Streid told reporters.
Upon rescue, Amber Streid noticed the dog was bleeding. Streid and her father, who watched the event unfold on live television, called for assistance. Their mobile veterinarian, Joan Winter, arrived to inspect the pup.
“[The dog] is lucky to be alive, but doesn’t look worse for the wear,” Winter said. After scanning the dog, Winter was unable to find a microchip.
“I do think she has an owner, as she looks pretty well fed. She’s somebody’s pet,” she continued. And she was correct.
A Heartwarming Reunion
The dog who Streid and other good Samaritans helped now has a name: Pretty.
After spending the weekend with Streid and her four other rescue dogs, Pretty was reunited with her incredibly grateful owner. Jay Segura told KCAL News that he had left the pup with his in-laws and suspects that she escaped through a hole in the fence.
Segura recounted watching her run alongside the freeway on the news, “Seeing her look around on the T.V., it looked like she was looking for us still. You know, it was heartbreaking.”
He told reporters that he purchased a GPS collar for Pretty to avoid potentially losing her again. As a reminder, microchipping your dog and keeping that microchip updated with correct information is the best way to ensure your pup’s safe return.
