After going missing, Ollie the dog is home

Less than a week after going missing following a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian in Edwardsville, Ollie the miniature goldendoodle has been found.

Found A Hound Rescue owner Lisa Lewis said Ollie was found near the MCT Trails south of Market Basket in Edwardsville. Ollie's owner received a call about 7 p.m. Sunday.

"A couple was riding the trail just south of Market Basket when they heard what sounded like a small dog barking continuously. They knew we had asked the public not to chase or call out to him, so they didn't go into the woods," Lewis said.

"Ollie's owner received a call around 7 p.m. and then contacted us asking what to do. I advised her to get there quickly and quietly make her way through the woods because we suspected that if he was in there, he might be stuck."

Lewis said Ollie was stuck but unharmed, and his owner was able to reach him.

"Within the hour, she messaged us saying she had him, that he was stuck but okay, and they were on their way home," Lewis said. "Thankfully, that couple happened to be in the right place at the right time and heard Ollie barking."

Ollie went missing after his owner was struck by a vehicle while using a crosswalk near the intersection of Hillsboro Avenue and North Buchanan Street.

The woman and Ollie were walking east on the south side of Hillsboro Avenue and were in the crosswalk at North Buchanan Street when a westbound vehicle on Hillsboro Avenue stopped at a stop sign, turned south onto North Buchanan Street and struck the woman. Police said the driver did not see the woman.

Ollie ran from the scene and was later seen running between the Edwardsville Public Library and CVS on Buchanan Street before heading toward Dairy Queen.

"We made a flyer for Ollie and instructed the family to start posting it immediately. As sightings came in, we reacted to those locations," Lewis said.

One of the first reported sightings after Ollie ran away was near the post office on Kansas Street.

"Because the community was so emotionally invested in the case, people kept driving by the trap site. As a result, Ollie never made an appearance there, and we eventually had to remove the trap," Lewis said.

Later sightings placed Ollie near the MCT Trails, where he was eventually found.

"Each day was really a regrouping process. We'd wait for sightings, respond to those locations and post more flyers," Lewis said. "Typically, when sightings become sporadic, it only takes one person seeing or hearing the dog to get the recovery process moving. That's essentially what happened tonight."

Lewis said rescue volunteers celebrated emotionally when they learned Ollie had been found.

"If you could see our group text, you could feel the emotion. We were all screaming, crying and yelling. It was so exciting, not just for us but for the family because they've been devastated since he went missing," Lewis said.

Lewis started Found A Hound Rescue, based in Godfrey, in 2012. The rescue has a strong system of passionate volunteers.

"We've been heavily involved in tracking and trapping lost dogs for probably the last seven or eight years," Lewis said. "I live in Godfrey and run the rescue out of my home. We're foster-based, so we don't have a physical shelter. All of our dogs are placed in foster homes and then put up for adoption once they're fully vetted."

Lewis said the most important thing families can do when a pet goes missing is to remain patient.

"It's a very emotional situation, but staying calm, being patient and trusting the process are extremely important," Lewis said. "A lot of families become overwhelmed by their emotions and get impatient. We often have to remind them to trust the process because it works. We've done this hundreds and hundreds of times, and families are always very happy and appreciative once we find their lost dog."