Ice, Lakota safe and sound

The plight of two lost dogs that survived an automobile accident has ended with the dogs being reunited with their owners -- and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner a week early.

Ice and Lakota were found by owner Mike Dillingham after a week-long search in the Knik area. Both dogs lost a lot of weight, but Dillingham and his wife, Mary, are nursing the dogs back to health.

"Every year I make the dogs a turkey for Thanksgiving, and it is in the oven today for them," Mary Dillingham said Thursday morning. "We have had so many e-mails that we can't even keep up with them. The dogs are home now, though, and we are happy about that."

The dogs were lost following a rollover accident on Knik-Goose Bay Road on Nov. 10. People in the community have been searching for the dogs ever since, and it was a lead from a Knik resident that ultimately led to their being found.

Last Tuesday, Mary Dillingham got a call from Alan Davis that he saw two dogs on the ice pack across from Knik Bar. She saw the dogs there, but they didn't see or hear her, and she couldn't get them. Mary and Mike Dillingham returned that evening and put bowls of food and water out for the dogs. Later that evening, Mike Dillingham returned again, wearing a headlamp. He immediately spotted Ice, and she came up to him.

Lakota was found a short time later at a Knik resident's home. He had a deserted dog house that Lakota was using. The day before, Mary Dillingham had put food and water in the house for the dog.

"They were traumatized and Mike had a hard time getting them in the vehicle to come home," Mary Dillingham said.

Since their return, Ice and Lakota have been under constant supervision. Mary Dillingham said they are recovering through a steady diet of Pedialite, chicken broth and now the turkey.

"The support we received during this was amazing," Dillingham said. "We didn't even know the names of some of the people who were calling from Knik saying they saw them.

"We're so happy Ice and Lakota are safe and sound now," Dillingham said.