FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (July 12, 2012) -- While driving to work July 5, Carroll Hogan spotted a large German shepherd/Labrador mix roaming the shoulder of Route 295.
The Sykesville resident stopped her vehicle and helped the lost dog into the car.
Roughly an hour later, Bo the Fort Meade firedog returned to his home at the firehouse after more than 12 hours on the run.
Spooked by the installation's Fourth of July fireworks show, Bo took off and was missing until the following afternoon when Hogan dropped him off with a Maryland state trooper.
"It was a great ending," Hogan said.
Prior to the fireworks on McGlachlin Parade Field, firefighters had locked Bo in the firehouse because the 18-month old pooch is easily frightened by loud noises such as thunder.
During the fireworks, which began just after 9:30 p.m., a firefighter walked back into the firehouse for a drink. But when he exited, Bo bolted out the door and down Mapes Road toward the Route 32 gate.
Firefighers chased the dog toward the Defense Information School with no success.
"He was last seen booking it down the fence line," recalled firefighter Stu Hurlburt. "When we realized he wasn't anywhere close, I got in one of the chief's vehicles and in hot pursuit headed down Mapes. And we just started checking everywhere -- [National Security Agency], 32."
The group searched for Bo until around 2 a.m. and resumed the search later that morning. Both the Fort Meade Police and NSA Police assisted in the dog hunt and sent bulletins to other off-post departments to help track Bo down.
"I don't think most of us expected to see him back," Hurlburt said. "It wasn't fun."
As Hogan headed to Annapolis on Route 295, she noticed vehicles in front of her slowing down, then saw Bo walking around the shoulder of the highway just south of Route 32.
An owner of four large dogs, Hogan said she would have been "mortified and sleepless" if any of her dogs were on the loose. With dog leashes in the back of her car, Hogan stopped to help the lost animal.
She pulled over and approached Beau with a leash, hoping the dog wouldn't jump the Jersey barrier and run out of reach.
"When dogs are stressed, you don't know how they're going to react," said Hogan, an auto-damage appraiser.
But the friendly dog didn't have a problem with the leash and jumped into Hogan's car. Since Bo was wearing a collar, Hogan knew the dog belonged to someone and began searching for an animal shelter.
While driving down Route 32, Hogan spotted a Maryland state trooper on the side of the road and stopped to ask for help.
With the bulletins out for Bo, the trooper thought he may be the Fort Meade firedog and called the NSA Police, who then called the fire department to pick up the dog.
"Everyone was really happy to have him back," Hogan said.
After a quick visit to the Fort Meade Veterinary Office to be checked out, Bo returned to duty healthy, tired and hungry, Hurlburt said.
Hurlburt, who spends the most time with Bo, said it was exciting to have Bo back home.
"It was a good feeling," he said.
Social Sharing