Remember that guy who was saved from a car crash by his faithful dog, who ran for help and barked until someone came to rescue her human companion? (Is that the right term we're using now instead of "owner"?) [Update: we've been informed that the term is "guardian," like Brugman. But doesn't "companion" sound so much cuddlier and less S&M-y?] Well, look at that picture! Man and dog are reunited -- and it feels so good!

So it turns out that human Michael Bosch slipped off his driveway down an 80-degree slope, and was pinned in his upside-down car. Cocker spaniel puppy Honey got out of the car and ran for help. Unfortunately, she didn't find help for another eight hours -- but hey, she's just a puppy! We're sure in a year or so, she'll be like, "hey, give me that cell phone, Bosch." Bosch is recovering nicely -- he'd suffered a heart attack just two months ago, so they're being careful with him. His coworkers brought Honey to the hospital, along with some chocolates, dog biscuits, and a stuffed "superdog" chewtoy.

Bosch had only adopted Honey two weeks earlier! They bond to us so fast! Next up for Bosch: housebreaking. (Let's hope she doesn't have to run for help again.)

Remember that terrorizing deer that killed a dog in Orinda? Breathe safe, ladies -- he's been rubbed out -- with one shot. The trapper making the town safe again works for the US Dept. of Agriculture and had a license to shoot to kill from the California Fish and Game Department, got him last night around 7:30.

This was the trapper's fifth visit to the area since the end of last month, and he'd seen a lot of deer -- but he knew he'd gotten the right one because this one had wounds consistent with a dog fight. The deer carcass was donated to the Walnut Creek Lindsay Wildlife Museum, and will be fed to the coyote and bobcat that live there. "Instead of just throwing the deer away, we decided it would be nice to donate the meat," said a spokesman from Fish and Game.

Picture of WANTED poster from NBC-11

Well, maybe they're not sending human evacuees to the Bay Area anymore, but we're definitely taking the four-legged kind -- the first organized evacuation of pets from the devastated Gulf Coast arrived at SFO yesterday afternoon. The flight had a layover in San Diego, where 50 dogs were dropped off, and then flew to San Francisco with 30 dogs and 20 cats. The airlift was organized by Texas philanthropist T. Boone Pickens, who donated $50,000 to charter the plane and is seeking more donations to charter more planes to airlift out another 30,000 animals (with about 1000 ultimately to come here).

The first group of pets are going to the Marin Humane Society and the Sacramento SPCA. MHS is looking for as much help as possible with the pets -- you can donate cash, time at the shelter (cleaning kennels, doing laundry, or the dreaded "data entry"), pet supplies, or you can foster some of the animals if you live in Marin. You won't be allowed to adopt the animals just yet, because MHS will be trying to reunite pets with their owners -- but you can foster-to-adopt if the animals turn out to be abandoned.

Photo of dog too sick to travel by crate -- from the Chron by Mark Costantini