A father and son in North Carolina are relying on a local Maryland community to help them find their two lost dogs.
Brian Shelton, a firefighter, was driving northbound on I-270 near the Comus Road overpass in Montgomery County when he was involved in a crash.
As he tried to get out of his mangled truck, passersby showed up to help.
"Somebody pulled the passenger door open to check on me and [the dogs] went bolting out the door, running down the highway," Shelton said.
Despite being hurt in the crash, Shelton went running after the dogs, named Ena and Caleb. But they were gone.
The rescue dogs have been missing since Saturday night.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Shelton was one his way to visit his parents in New York at the time of the crash.
He had to call his son Kyle to tell him the bad news.
"Not only telling him I had the crash, but then tell him the dogs were missing. The little pit bull Caleb is basically his dog. So, he was quite upset," Shelton said.
Shelton took to social media for help and Lost Animal Resource Group volunteered to take up the search for Ena and Caleb.
Volunteers have set traps baited with food and Shelton's clothing as well as placing motion-activated cameras in the woods near the highway.
"Its very very scary because when any pet is lost, they're scared, they run, and hopefully they won't run into traffic,"
Jill Barsky, with Lost Animal Resource Group.
Shelton and his son are holding onto the hope that someone in the region will see their dogs.
"I thought that they were just gone, but then I learned that people are looking for them. I have a little higher hopes," Kyle Shelton said.
"It's incredible. I’m blown away how amazing people are around there," Brian Shelton said.
Lost Animal Resource Group says it has received calls of sightings and urges people not to chase Ena or Caleb because that could scare them off. Anyone who sees the dogs should call 704-936-6442 or 301-651-7785.
