Life With Dogs: Pit Bull Reunited With Mom’s Family 9 Months After Deadly Crash

Nine months ago, Smash the Pit Bull was in a deadly crash with his mom, Tabitha Leslie. Unfortunately, Leslie didn’t survive, but Smash made it out alive. He was in shock after the incident, so he must have run off in fear. When officers and other bystanders neared the scene, they didn’t see any sign of a dog nearby.

However, Leslie’s family members knew how important Smash was to her. So, they searched for him right away. They frequently drove around the area of the crash, determined to find the lost pup and bring him to safety.

Pit Bull Laying on Pavement — Image: Jennifer Burkart Facebook

The Search for Smash

Jennifer Burkart, Leslie’s sister, spent a lot of her time searching for Smash. She lived about 2 hours away from the scene, which was in Tulare County, California. Even so, she kept driving back and forth to search for Smash. She also posted about Smash in local Facebook groups, where she quickly gained lots of support. Soon, everyone was hoping that the Pit Bull would return home safely.

It was unclear as to whether or not Smash had any injuries from the accident. Burkart prayed that he was safe and sound, and she never gave up hope that he’d return. She knew that her sister would want her to find the pup, so she couldn’t give up.

Pit Bull In Car — Image: Jennifer Burkart Facebook

Finally, about nine months after the deadly crash, Smash was located. An animal control officer found him tied to another dog and a cowbell. When Tulare County Animal Services took the dogs in, they scanned them for microchips. Smash’s microchip was still connected to Leslie’s information. Luckily, the employees remembered seeing posts about Smash, so they contacted one of the numbers on the lost dog poster.

Smash is Safe!

A connection was quickly made thanks to Smash’s microchip and all the posts online. Burkart did an amazing job spreading the word about Smash. Family members of Leslie traveled to Tulare that same day to pick up the dog.

Burkart shared the good news all over Facebook groups. She also shared a photo of Smash being reunited with them and a photo of him on his way home. He looks excited to see familiar faces again.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to Tulare Animal Services and everybody in Visalia that’s helped,” Burkart wrote on Facebook. “It’s been 9 months since my sister’s accident and we never gave up hope. I just want to say thank you. WE DID IT SISTER!!”

No one knows where Smash was for those nine months, but what’s important is that he’s safe and healthy now. He might not be able to be reunited with his mom, but he’s lucky to have other family members to care for him. They truly love him so much.