(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -Having already experienced enough tragedy this week, a Post Falls woman avoided some more when her beloved dog was found Thursday.
Pamela Luton has had an unimaginably difficult week, having lost her husband Michael Arnold in a motorcycle-semi crash near Trent and Evergreen on Tuesday. Arnold had been on his way to see Pamela as she was recovering from hip surgery.
Michael wasn't the only one involved in the crash, as their English Bulldog Pearl was riding on the back of the motorcycle. Following the crash, Pearl unfortunately disappeared, and Pamela reached out to KHQ to try and track her down.
Thursday morning, a Washington State Patrol Trooper was doing a follow-up investigation on the crash scene when he spotted a dog. He recognized it was Pearl from KHQ's story Wednesday night.
An Animal Protection Officer reunited Pearl with Pamela Thursday at SCRAPS. Veterinarians said Pearl's leg was severely fractured and will need to be amputated, but she is expected to recover.
Pamela tells KHQ's Patrick Erickson thanks to our story and the response from the community, she now has a part of her family back where she belongs.
"It meant everything to me, I'm speechless still," Pamela said. "I honestly feel like right now that we've got each other and we're both going to be able to grieve right now and mourn Michael and now take care of him. He took care of us by giving us Pearl back, he guided her back I think, and now it's our turn to take care of him."
While it will still be a long road to recovery for Pearl, Pamela says at least they'll be able to do it together.