Firefighter will get back dog after it escaped, got adopted while he was fighting wildfire

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A firefighter who left his dog with friends as he battled wildfires in Washington state will get back his dog weeks after the animal ran away and got adopted by another family.

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington says the family decided over the weekend to return Hunter the dog to William Jones. They initially declined, saying they had bonded with the animal.

After Jones left, the black Labrador retriever jumped a fence, got picked up by animal control and was brought to a shelter earlier this month. Hunter was adopted 10 days later.



Jones told KOIN-TV in Portland that he called the Humane Society when he returned but was told nothing could be done because the adoption was legal.

The group says staff had tried to look for the owner, but the dog didn't have a microchip.