KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — A Hernshaw family was reunited with their dog after it was found with its back legs tied to a cinderblock in a creek near Rutledge Road, according to the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association (KCHA).

On Sunday morning, Amber Browning was traveling home when her daughter called and said their dog Dasher got off the leash.

Browning’s daughter thought Dasher ran toward Marmet along the bed of Lens Creek. The family searched nearby at Marmet and Kanawha State Forest, but they never imagined Dasher would end up about 17 miles away.

(Photo courtesy of Amber Browning)

That is until Browning got home from the search for Dasher and saw the KCHA’s post about her dog.

“I saw my dog’s picture, and it said that someone had tied him to a cinderblock,” Browning said. “I immediately got on there and was like ‘This is my dog!'”

Browning, who lives over 20 minutes away from Rutledge Road, believes Dasher was taken to the area he was found.

The 17 miles between Browning’s home and Rutledge Road is a journey across an interstate, a bridge and several roads. Rutledge Road is off Greenbrier Street near GoMart and Capital High School.

“You have to go all the way through Hernshaw Holler, and then, the only way to get onto that road to even take you towards Capital High School would be to get onto a highway, go all the way down that highway, take the exits, take the bridges,” Browning said. “You know, I really can’t imagine how he got there all by himself.”

Browning and her family do not know anyone who lives in the area Dasher was found.

Browning asked neighbors if they saw anything suspicious, but no one did. Her husband’s boss, who knows more people in and around Hernshaw, asked around also.

“All of our neighbors up and down this road know our pet, so I highly doubt that any of them did it,” Browning said.

Browning has also been speaking with the head of a Facebook page devoted to local animal rescue, PigPig of St. Albans. She has not gone to law enforcement yet due to the whirlwind of events.

(Photo courtesy of Amber Browning)

“I was just so frantic to get my dog back I didn’t even think about talking to them about anything,” Browning said.

The situation has left Browning’s family angry, scared and wondering who would try to harm their Dasher.

“It’s worse than having your home broken into, and say, having your property taken because that was like having a child kidnapped,” Browning said. “Then to find out that a part of your family was tortured is not only heartbreaking and scary, but it’s disgusting. It makes me absolutely furious.”

Faced with the scary situation, Browning still wanted to express thanks. She is grateful for the KCHA, the man who rescued Dasher and people who shared the KCHA’s post or have reached out in support since.

According to the KCHA, Dasher was just as thankful as his family was to be reunited. The KCHA later wrote a Facebook update expressing thanks to all who helped Dasher get home.

“We found his original owner!” the KCHA said. “Sounds like Dasher was stolen from them. He was so, so happy to see his mom. Thank you all for helping us find his mom!”