Missing dog story has happy ending

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Remona Jackson experiences many bad situations in her job as animal control/litter officer for Bland County. She was recently involved in an incident, though, that left her and an Ohio family extremely happy.
It all began around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25, as Robert and Suzanna Degarmo of Courtland, Ohio, were traveling south on Interstate 77 one mile north of State Route 52. Mr. Degarmo was operating a 2006 Saturn Vue and his wife and their dog, Bell, were passengers.
According to Virginia State Trooper J.M. Brickey, another southbound vehicle ran into the path of the Degarmo car. Swerving to avoid a collision, Robert Degarmo lost control of his Saturn, crashed into a guardrail and overturned on the side.
Brickey reported Mrs. Degarmo suffered a shoulder injury and was transported to Wythe County Community Hospital by the Bland County Rescue Squad. Mr. Degarmo, he said, had minor injuries and refused treatment.
The little white Maltese fled the accident scene. It was temporarily forgotten in the confusion.
“I took Mr. Degarmo to the hospital to be with his wife,” Trooper Brickey stated. “The first thing she asked was where was Bell.”
The officer contacted Jackson and gave her information about the dog. He also called the Degarmos’ son who came to Virginia to check on his parents.
“Everybody was real upset over losing the dog,” Brickey commented. “Thanks to the hard effort of the animal control officer there was a happy ending.”
Jackson began her search of the area immediately. She also alerted residents along Route 52 near the accident scene of the missing dog.
“I looked high and low,” Jackson stated. “I went up and down the interstate all day.”
On her way home Monday to feed her own dogs, she saw a little white object atop an embankment north of the accident scene. Jackson first thought it was a plastic bag.
“When I got closer, I saw a little face,” she reported. “Bell was scared and wouldn’t come to me. I got within 20 feet of her but she kept backing off. I couldn’t get to her.”
Jackson pointed out the little dog, weighing 7 or 8 lbs., was not accustomed to being in the woods and the weather was cold that Sunday night. She said Bell was shivering, scared and hungry.
Sheriff Jerry Thompson happened to be in the same area that Monday. He contacted dispatch, which notified the Degarmo son.
“She came right to him,” Jackson said. “He had bought her for his parents.”
According to her, the dog was located near the accident scene. Bell was on the bank behind the motel on Big Walker Mountain.
“I see so much negative,” Jackson stated. “Something like this is the best part of my job.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 1-800-655-1406 or .