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Pawsitive outcome for missing dog search

AMY QUINLIVAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 months AGO
by AMY QUINLIVAN
Mineral Independent | March 12, 2025 12:00 AM

On Monday, March 3, a 2005 Honda Civic was reported stolen in Missoula. After a cross-county and state border hopping chase, the 34-year-old suspect was finally apprehended in Kootenai County, Idaho.

He is currently being held in jail on multiple felony charges. After Idaho police recovered the car, the owner of the vehicle, Kelly Woll, was most concerned about her missing dog. Butters, a 14-year-old miniature schnauzer, was not inside the vehicle. 

Word quickly spread along the communities of I-90, and local citizens set about looking for Butters. By Wednesday morning, the little schnauzer's face had been shared all around Facebook, and towns along the interstate had residents searching near the busy roadway. 

One thoughtful Alberton resident keeping her eyes peeled was Olivia Hoffner. She found Butters Wednesday morning, bringing a happy ending to a nerve-wracking ordeal. 

Hoffner mentioned, "I found the dog this morning when I was taking my daughter to school. He was wandering around the dirt pullout next to Exit 75. There was an empty vehicle and no one around, and I remembered the post I shared. I called his name, and he responded, so my daughter and I caught him." 

Hoffner reached out to the owner and reunited Butters that same day. 

The dog appeared to be unharmed, considering all it had been through. 

Hoffner said, "He was just cold and scared!" 

She then drove Butters to Missoula to get him back to his owner. For such a ruff day - it's great to see a pawsitive outcome.

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