Wally and Buddy's Story

The story of Wally and Buddy is a very sad story which may be very hard for some to read.
Please be advised some of the photos may not be appropriate for young children to see.
Parental supervision is advised!

When it all began... Like all the others before him, Buddy was born a cute, fluffy West Highland White Terrier puppy that someone long ago just had to have! Born with an overbite, Buddy eventually sired a litter of pups. From one of those litters came his son Wally and from that point on, they were always together. For one reason or another, the ones that just had to have them decided they didn't want the two grown terriers. So they were placed into the care of a rescue group to find them a new home where they could live forever and be happy. Soon, they were both placed with a lovely woman who had wonderful daughters that simply adored the boys. For nearly a year life seemed enchanting. But soon, trouble brewed between the husband and wife. Fearing the husband might actually harm the two Westies, with heavy hearts and many tears, she and her daughters relinquished them back into the arms of the rescue group. They felt it was the best thing for the two happy-go-lucky Westies. Placing two Westies together may seem impossible, but soon a truck driver from Elko, Nevada applied to adopt the boys. He was given their history and told that under no circumstances should the boys be let off their leads for they would run. After all, they were terriers. He agreed and finally, it appeared that a forever home for Buddy and Wally had at last been found. Or had it . . .

Six weeks later, at the end of June of 2001, around 3:00 a.m., on a Thursday morning, in the Salt Flats of Utah, after promising to love and cherish both dogs, the man from Elko, Nevada stopped the truck he was driving and let them off their leads. Why? We don't know, but what we do know is that Buddy and Wally disappeared into the early morning darkness. Did he call for them? Maybe. Did he bother to search for them? He said he did - but his tracks told a different story. What we do know is that the man from Elko, Nevada simply got back into his truck and drove away, leaving Buddy and Wally alone to fend for themselves. For nearly two days, in the heat of the desert, alone and frightened in a desolate waste land, two little Westies, with their dark shining eyes and happy little faces looked for shelter, for water, for the man from Elko, Nevada, but he was nowhere to be found.

Left To Die - A Rescuer's Story

It's raining here now, and (the original rescuer) was informed it may be too dangerous to get them at this time due to weather. This was her third attempt to drive the 6-7 hrs to get their bodies. I wish they weren't in such an inaccessible place . . . it's supposed rain more and harder tomorrow. I don't think there will ever truly be closure with this, even if we get the bodies, because of the horrible way they died. But with time, there may be some comfort. I'm trying to tell myself that they are nourishing the earth and other wildlife, like we're not allowed to do. I think they are at peace, at least. If I can truly make myself believe that (and I do, in my mind), then I'll eventually be more at peace. Right now it isn't looking very good out there . . . I'm just waiting to see what they decide to do . . .

Those are the words of the rescuer who found them within twenty minutes of her search. Twenty minutes was all it took for her to stumble upon the salt encrusted bodies of Wally and Buddy who layed beneath the scorching desert sun, birds circling above, stuck in one of the deserts many bogs. She will never forget the sight. Here is her story told in the E-Mail Messages following that fateful day:

My friend and I went to the desert today and found them. It was too late, of course. They were caught in a bog, probably the first day. I couldn't get out to them to get their bodies to give them a decent burial. I was sinking and they were out about 50 feet or more. They were covered very thickly with salt. Two little salt Westies out on the Salt Flats. It's so heartbreaking.

I think we were meant to find them. We found them in 20 minutes. We had to go into the area that had a locked gate and a sign warning people not to go in, hazardous waste. We climbed through the gate and got as close to them as we could, but it was no use. We were sinking. If they had been alive, nothing would have kept me from getting them, but they were far beyond our help. If the guy had put out the word the very first day, maybe we could have gotten them. He knew what he was doing. He picked the most godforsaken area he could find. I think he was irritated with them or something. I want to hurt him. The sight of those two little guys out there will haunt me for the rest of my life.

We left a tribute and memorial for them. Hopefully someone will learn from this . . . I tried to climb down from the toxic waste road onto the shore, and I was already sinking. A person would sink faster than a small dog. I think they were possibly looking for him, or smelled water, or were just running in a panic because he was gone. It was dark, so they couldn't see any of it. By the time they realized they were in trouble, it was too late. I think they had salt in their nose, eyes, and mouth and did that thing Westies do - scrubbing their face along the ground, which got more salt on them. That would be very painful and they would panic more. The tracks showed that towards the end they were dragging their feet, so they were probably getting weighted down by the mud. Then they tried to come back, and that's when they got stuck . . .

We told him that had he stayed he would have found them . . . They were out there for 2 days before he finally tried to call. They were lost at 3 a.m., Thursday morning, he didn't call until Friday night or Saturday! They were in the bog after the toxic waste road. That's why he couldn't see them. But he didn't even go to the toxic waste road to look in the next bog. Sound doesn't carry very well, but if he had gone down there he would have heard them crying. But he didn't even wait for daylight. He just left! By the time he came back to look, they were dead. That first night, he didn't look at all. He called, they didn't come, so he left. He said that he waited for 1 1/2 hours. If that's true, daylight would have come soon, and he could have looked. I don't think he wanted to find them, to tell you the truth, they were probably dead before dark that night. He didn't search at all the night they were lost. He just left them! He said he went back out Thursday morning but couldn't find them. And again on Friday morning, this is when he called rescue and left a message. Rescue called him but he didn't return that call until Saturday morning, by then it was too little, too late. If he had gone straight back out there, he probably could have saved them.

The Burial

We didn't make it out there and we may not. It was declared an emergency area, because of the weather. Now it will be too wet to get them. I'm hoping it got wet enough for them to sink. No animal would be able to get out there to drag them away, other than birds. If they're gone,they're under the ground. They do have the memorial we left for them, if it is still there. I tried to press charges, but there is no way to prove intent to abandon (and it isn't illegal to be so stupid), so he gets off . . . Only he and the Westies know what truly happened out there that fateful night and if he truly did "just leave them there", in the end,he will answer for it . . . I'm sure of it . . .

I wish we could have saved them.

There are times in life when you have to ask yourself how anyone can do such a thing . . . This is one of those times.

Now that you have read the first part of this never ending saga of two little Westies who wanted nothing more out of life than to be loved, you are about to embark on an even more twisted, sadistic road that the rescuers of these dogs NEVER thought in a million years they would ever go down . . . After returning from the desert that day, unable to retrieve the bodies of Buddy and Wally, our rescuer could not rest. Something deep within her gnawed at the very center of her being. "This can’t be all of the story... there has to be more." Something pushed her forward, not to give up, to believe in what she was doing, feeling and hoping. Phone calls were made to individuals that would investigate the man who left them to die. Soon, everything began to change and the twists and turns on the road to get to the bottom of these two lost Westies came to an abrupt and surprising end! One that will make your heart rejoice, as well as, break in half . . .

Part 2 of Buddy and Wally's Story

Back to the Dessert

The bog was dry enough to walk on, so I went out to get the bodies and to my surprise what I thought were the Westies were salt formations! Even upon closer inspection they looked just like Westies. Then I felt myself panic. I knew they had to be there, somewhere. There were some guys out there four wheeling, so I was telling them about Wally and Buddy, when one guy pointed and said, 'There is a dog right over there. Is that one of them?' It was. I must have walked right past him before, twice! He blended in very well. I almost didn't see him. We looked all over and couldn't find the other one. I think it's possible he got saved. In fact, I have this little niggling suspicion that the jerk still has him. After all, he had only wanted one in the first place, but agreed to take both because the rescue wouldn't place them separately . . . It was really hot out there and we had a lot of space to cover . . . I searched until I was sick and had to go back. If I hadn't gotten sick, I would have gone further . . . But I just couldn't do it . . . None of us could.

The memorial had fallen down, so I took it and put it where I found the body. I put your poem there, too. The guys are going to keep a look out for the other one. If they find him, they'll let me know and I'll go get him. The stench was enough to make you throw up. We had to drive all the way back with the windows wide open, and he was secured in a garbage bag. If we find the other one, I'll take extra garbage bags. Now I have to see what the rescue wants to do with the body and figure out which one he is . . . He's wearing a purple collar.

I talked to *R* and she said that the one wearing the purple collar is Buddy . . .

...*R* is on her way to Elko right now. I think the jerk still has Wally, so she's staying there over night and visiting him bright and early tomorrow morning, then we'll meet out in the desert. She wants to see where Buddy died and pay her respects at the memorial, and I want to take more pictures.

I picked up this little rescue boy from a woman in SLC. The timing is perfect to when Wally and Buddy 'disappeared', but I dunno. He doesn't look at all like Wally, to me, but he has birthmarks in the same places, and she said Wally has a very different bark, kind of a half bark. Last night when I got home, he barked a bit. It was more like a squeaky bark. I think I'll be taking him tomorrow to see if he is Wally, just in case. He'll stay in the air conditioned truck with her dogs. There aren't many Westies here, and he was found shortly after they were abandoned. The man from Elko could have gotten tired of him and abandoned him here off I-80. He was found very near there. If this is him, the man from Elko took his collar off and cut down his coat so there would be no way to identify him. Of course, he wouldn't think anyone who knew what happened would ever find him. I'm trying not to think it's him, though, it's such a long shot . . . It's very hot here today. That could be good out there in the desert, if it keeps the earth dry enough to walk on. I hope we find him tomorrow, one way or another. If we don't, I think it's time to give up the search. This will be my third time out and it's a 6-7 hour for *R* . . . I'm tired and it's very disappointing each time, and we've covered the whole area. Not to mention, heartbreaking all over again, thinking what they went through out there.

Before I forget, did I tell you that I now have the man from Elko's full name, social security number, place of work, the fact that he filed for bankruptcy in '99, and where he lived before this address? How's that for investigating? Well, I'd better get offline, *R*'s supposed to call when she gets to Elko to let me know what time to meet her, then I can ask her if she thinks my little rescue dog is Wally. He has a bit of an underbite, and I don't think Wally did. Buddy had an overbite, and *R* mentioned that, but not an underbite.

BUDDY'S ALIVE!! BUDDY'S ALIVE!! BUDDY'S ALIVE!!

We had quite an adventure today, and I just got home. The dog is Buddy! Can you believe it? What are the chances? The girls are coming to *R*'s tomorrow night to see him. They will be the final ones to say it's really him. *R* is 99% sure, but she's not absolutely sure which one he is. Well, everything points to his being Buddy. I just knew that if I followed my feelings we'd find him. What a bizarre story this has turned out to be. I can hardly wait to tell people. The whole Westie world will rejoice, although sad for Wally. Very sad. This means he died alone out there. Buddy kept pulling me to the spot where Wally died and this just broke my heart all over again. He knew *R* and her dogs immediately, but he kept coming back to sit by me (at a fenced park we went to). He knows I love him. The girls are absolutely thrilled. We stopped at Arby's so that *R* could call them. They had no idea I even had a rescue dog here because I didn't want to get their hopes up, so it was a complete surprise. They all screamed, and *R* cried. I had a few tears a couple of times, myself, especially when I had to say goodbye to him.

We followed *R* to Elko and confronted the POS (piece of s**t). My friend had to hold us down. A few times she thought we would rip his throat out. At one point, *R* asked him if he wanted to change his story (we hadn't told him about finding Buddy) and he said no (we had made him tell us the whole story because there were 3 of us as witnesses). Then *R* said, 'We found Buddy.' The blood drained from his face. He just said 'did you'. Well, he thought there was no way in hell we could have, so I don't think he really believed us at that point. Then I said, 'He's alive.' My friend said she had to look at me because it wasn't me saying it. I sounded so sinister and dramatic, like it came all the way from my gut, and my hands even came up like I was ready to kill. I didn't even realize what I was doing. So, then I said 'He's alive and I have him in my van'. Then *R* lost it and went for him, calling him a f*****g liar, excuse the language, then I jumped in calling him names, and he screamed at us to get off his property. We did, but we told him we were going to go press charges right now . . . he's shaking in his boots, I hope.

As far as we can figure out, he dumped Buddy in SLC, he didn't tell us he had a son and Buddy probably bit him. He hacked at his beautiful haircut so no one would recognize him, took off his collar and dumped him. Back on the road Wally probably was crying, whining, and barking. So the jerk stops to go pee (yeah, right) and Wally jumps out looking for Buddy, his lifelong companion, after all, he just witnessed his father being dumped and disappearing behind the truck. He could have just gotten tired of Wally's crying so he decided to put him out. Either way he drove off and left the dog in the desert to die. He didn't think we would have ever looked for them, let alone find them! Especially so far away in SLC. Buddy is one traumatized little boy. The thing is, the jerk realizes now that we know he's a lying sack of s**t ('scuse the language). He doesn't know the laws on abandonment and he doesn't know if we can really get him. He's worried - and he should be. He has a tattoo of a gang member on his hand, so I'm guessing that's part of his past. Who knows what else he's done that he might be worried about. We wouldn't be at all surprised if he ran now. We caught him in several lies, and he knows it. Maybe he did hang around for 45 minutes, but it doesn't matter, because the minute he left, he signed Wally's death warrant. He said he went back in the morning and searched for 4 hours. We know that isn't true, because he would have found Wally. Wally would have still been alive, and if he'd called, he would have come. He was not stuck in the bog as I first thought. No, the tracks I saw were Wally's searching for something, maybe the jerk, Buddy, scratching for water, shelter, but he was searching until his tracks came to rest where we found him lying. As for the jerk, his footprints showed just how hard and far he searched...the POS stayed 'maybe' 10 minutes, 20 tops. He didn't go very far at all. (I've marked up a picture to show how far he went.) I'm still just sick over this. It was so hard giving Buddy back, and we are grieving over Wally. I'll really miss Buddy. I feel like we have been together for sometime now . . . it was premeditated abandonment with Buddy, but maybe not Wally.

So there you have it - Buddy is alive, not Wally. It just breaks our hearts . . . and you just can't stop wondering why he even tried to adopt them? Why didn't he just call and give them back? . . . Why? Why, why, WHY!

I guess the jerk is the only one who knows the answers to those questions - and to think he's raising a child . . . Lord help us all.

*R* writes regarding Buddy: August 6, 2001

Buddy is doing great!!! More "alive" everyday and has even started playing with my two other dogs. He's a total cuddle bun!!! Loves to be right next to me and have tummy rubs. It's so cute they way he goes about getting your attention. Let me try and explain....

Buddy comes up and sits next to me on the couch, then he leans on me, tilts back a bit, then throws his head back and Voila! he's sitting up, back against the couch back, with paws thrown up in the air, big brown eyes staring at you longingly... "Rub my belly!!"..and of course many Westie kisses..... It's just adorable. VBG

Wally

Rescue was told immediately about the discovery of Wally's body. Without hesitation, Rescue advised that Wally’s body be cremated in order to give him a proper burial - one of love. SF Westie Rescue stepped in to cover the expense for a private cremation. A fellow rescuer in Arkansas offered to design a hand-made urn for Wally. Wally’s remains are currently in the hands of Westie Rescue of N. Nevada until further notification of the urn’s arrival. Then, Wally will have made his last and final journey.

** On August 9, 2001 the handmade Westie urn designed by our Arkansas rescuer, arrived safely at *R*’s home. Wally's remains will be lovingly placed within this urn, a touching tribute to a little dog that never knew just how much he was truly loved.

*** We feel that the woman who found Buddy should be given honorary mention. She went beyond the call of duty when she spotted a little white stray . . . Around June 25 - 27, 2001 this kind Samaritan found a little white stray within a half block from the I-80 exit, where he was probably dropped off. His paws were pretty torn up and infected, and his head felt hot like he had a fever, so she took him to the vet. She was also hoping to find out if he had a microchip, but he didn't. The vet said nothing was wrong with him, so the kind Samaritan took care of his tender paws, and soon Buddy became a wonderful part of her growing family over the next three weeks. She put ads in the paper and flyers around, but no one claimed him. Her own dog was jealous and stopped eating. She was pregnant with her first child, and as much as she wanted to keep him, she knew she couldn’t. Then one day I noticed the ad - I answered it as a Westie rescue person, and told her I could find him a good home, so she agreed to let me take him. Later that night, she called and said there was a woman who wanted him, as a playmate for her 2 year old son. I explained to her how we do not place rescue Westies in homes with small children and that is this woman took him, she should watch him carefully, and to call if there were any problems. After I hung up, I just had a feeling that the woman shouldn't take the dog, because it was either Buddy or Wally (thinking it would be Wally). I called back and asked for the woman's phone number so that I could at least look at the dog and see if he could be one of them, knowing it was a long shot, but I had to make sure. The lady said she still had the dog, because when the woman came to see him the dog had growled at the little boy. Had she taken Buddy with her, we never would have know that Buddy was alive. That was all I needed to hear. I went the next morning and picked him up. After I saw him, I didn't think he was either Buddy or Wally, but what really bothered me was that this little dog had the same birthmarks as Buddy. The next night when he barked, he had that weird little bark, the one *R* had told me about.

After speaking with *R*, we pretty much knew . . . Buddy was alive.

We would like to thank everyone who assisted in our search for the 'Two Lost Westies'. Whether your assistance was physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, your kindness through this heart wrenching ordeal will never be forgotten and impossible to repay. It is with great pride and honor to have come to know each and every one of you, perhaps not by name or face, but by heart and action . . .
From our hearts to yours,
Thank You