Dog that survived S. Oregon wildfire found in Bend, leading to donated flight, tail-wagging reunion

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Betty, a 6-year-old Newfoundland-Shepherd mix, was found hunkered down at a home in Bend last month. City of Bend Animal Control officers caught Betty and brought her to the Humane Society of Central Oregon. A microchip ID led to a phone call to a tearful and shocked Tammie Broggin, Betty’s owner, and a happy reunion Wednesday.

Betty was left behind during the Bootleg Fire near Klamath Falls last July, some 150 miles from Bend.

On a frigid Wednesday morning, Betty boarded a private plane in Bend for an emotional reunion with her owner in California in the afternoon.

Anji Garcia, who flew Betty back to her family, said, “The pictures don’t reflect the change we saw, and I wish I had a way for you to know the miracle that we witnessed. A joy and honor for us. . . because you tried so hard” to reunite Betty with Broggin. “Her tail is wagging and she is playing with toys…just wow!”

Over the past eight seven months, Broggin had come to terms that her beloved Betty died in the Bootleg Fire. She was initially not allowed to enter the area where she last saw Betty. Three months after the fire, she was allowed back into the burn area. No sign of her, and no reports of seeing her.

Broggin was camping at a friend’s cabin in Beatty, near the start of the Bootleg Fire. As the fire closed in on her and her seven dogs, authorities told her she had to evacuate. She loaded her six dogs, but Betty would not get into the car. Distressed and tearful, she had to save her other dogs and evacuate with Betty left behind.

The evacuation took Broggin to Northern California, until the Monument Fire loomed near her new location. She headed to the coast, and then was making her way to Oklahoma when the Humane Society of Central Oregon called to tell her Betty was found.

Betty flew on a private flight from Bend to Blythe, Calif., and was reunited with her family and the life she knows best.

The no-cost flight arrangement was led by Nelson Carrick, regional manager with Leading Edge Skyservice. The plane is owned and flown by Kale and Anji Garcia of Bend.

The Garcias are year-round pilots for Wings of Rescue, and were happy to assist in the reunion. Broggin desperately wanted Betty back, but did not have the finances for transportation.

"The HSCO team is grateful that this reunion flight is being made possible through generous support," Community Outreach Manager Lynne Ouchida said.