Ada Stray Dog Escapes Dog Catchers, Captures Hearts

Jamie Oberg, News 9

ADA, Oklahoma -- One ornery stray dog appears to have been adopted by the town of Ada, Oklahoma. The red heeler named "Arlington" even has her own Facebook fan page.

Arlington road in Ada is where the dog is usually laying in the sun by the local bank, so the name "Arlington" one of the main drags, just seemed to fit.

This is one smart stray. PAWS shelter workers said she has been able to escape the local dog catchers for weeks. But Arlington has captured the hearts of everyone in town for sure.

"She's very good at getting away from people," dog lover Donna Leddy said.

Leddy has been trying desperately for weeks to help catch Arlington so she doesn't get hurt or hit by a motorcycle or truck -- the dog's two favorite things to chase.

"Yes, I have even tried to stop and feed her but she won't get close, but she's sort of become the town…'hope,'", said Sue Thompson, Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society Board Member.

If dog lovers Leddy and Thompson can't catch her, animal control, police and even firefighters never had a chance.

"She escaped the fire department," Leddy said. "I think she's eluded everyone that's tried to keep up with her."

Ask anyone in town, Arlington is making quite the name for herself. Sometimes she's had help eluding police.

"We got her a police pardon," Leddy said.

Arlington is for sure getting fed by businesses and people she meets along her trek. PAWS animal shelter said Arlington has been spotted so many times, within a four-mile radius of Arlington Road in Ada.

That's when animal control tries to get out and get her. But pictures like the one on the dog's fan page pop up and everyone knows, she got away again.

"McDonald's, nursing homes, then she circles back and comes back to Arlington," Leddy said.

It seems like every dog's dream, starting this game over each day.

"It's like she's smiling at me saying ha-ha ‘I'm smarter than you.'" Leddy said.

So far it appears Arlington has been able to outsmart everyone who's tried to catch her, But when you see or see what the traffic is like on Arlington, the street she was named after, No one wants her to get hurt, and hope to get her a forever home with someone here in Ada.

"She needs to be the town mascot," Leddy said.

Arlington has several people who want to adopt her and they hope to catch her soon. In the meantime, she's got a lot of friends at the Paws Animal Welfare Society in Ada in need of good homes too.

Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society