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Dog hero rewarded with vet treatment for heartworms
by Cathy Benson

Rudyard Kipling, author of the "Jungle Book", referred to “Dog as Man’s First Friend” as he wrote that none other than Woman domesticated wild animals along with wild Man. Certainly at the Ashley household near New Castle, Pepper, the family’s small, black mixed-breed dog is true to the legend.

“She is a really good dog,” said Mike Ashley, whose 3-year-old son wandered away from home in December and Pepper stayed by the boy's side.

She is indeed first friend of Hunter who got lost Dec. 7 while helping his dad gather firewood. Now Pepper is getting some help, also. Botetourt veterinarian Dr. Dick Bailey and co-workers Drs. Porter and Dr. Muse donated half the cost of expensive heartworm treatment for Pepper.

For a small dog, Pepper is a heroine of large proportion. She and the family’s basset hound went with Hunter while he was looking for firewood.  No one knows what was in the boy’s mind, but perhaps he thought, “You go into the woods to get wood.” Mike and Joyce Ashley had never taken Hunter or his sister, Courtney, into the woods surrounding their home, they said.

Hunter told his mother he was going to help get wood. A little while later she asked his dad about Hunter, and they began searching their property for him. With no luck, they contacted the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, that called in the Virginia State Police.

Meanwhile, the basset came back without Hunter and Pepper.

Pepper had been with the family since she was a puppy, so she was most likely to stay with the boy, his parents said. His father said the family got the dog before Hunter was born from a woman who used to work with him, and her dog had puppies.

Rescue personnel and media surrounded the Ashleys. With darkness falling, State Police called in Med Flight, the rescue search helicopter team. The ridges were soon filled with people calling Hunter’s name but no little boy appeared. Though it was a cold night, it wasn’t frigid and Hunter's family and the searchers hoped for the best.

Later in the evening the helicopter team, using an infrared camera, spotted the youngster and the dog. Hunter, with one boot missing, was sitting on a rock. Pepper lay near him doing what dogs do best – accompanying her master on an adventure, even one that had gone awry.

After the harrowing event, coworkers of Hunter's mom offered to get Pepper, who is an outdoor dog, a nice grooming at PetsMart, and the family agreed.

Even better, PetsMart offered free grooming for the wonder dog on the condition she was up-to-date on all her shots. Mike Ashley traveled over the mountain to Botetourt Veterinary Hospital near Fincastle to get Pepper's inoculations. Dr. Porter did some blood work and later a phone call came. Bad news. Pepper had the beginnings of heartworms. Heartworms in advanced stages ultimately can kill a dog.

The treatment is expensive. After Porter conferred with Bailey, the veterinarians offered a half-price deal to the young family.

Pepper is a lively dog and a match in energy to Hunter, a bright little boy with a happy smile and inquisitive nature. Pepper is protective of her family but friendly, sniffing out the various animal smells on the interviewer and offering her head for a quick pat.

She had her first heartworm treatments this week. A shaved patch on her back lets everyone know where she received it on her body.

“It is a rough treatment,” said Joyce Ashley, “but Pepper did well.”

Pepper posed for The New Castle Record as Courtney and Hunter crouched beside her. The ebullience between the three was soon apparent as Pepper swiped a dog kiss right across Courtney’s face. Both children and parents erupted in giggles.
Pepper will have another treatment and then will go on preventative heartworm meds.

So far, so good, and that is all the family can hope for a dog that stayed with a lost little boy in the dark, cold woods in December.

Source: OurValley.org - Community News for the Roanoke Valley and the New River Valley -
http://ourvalley.org/news.php?viewStory=888