With all the bad news out there, I wanted to share my wonderful experience with Bellevue.

While visiting relatives here, my little terrier slipped through an open door (without his identification collar, of course) and made his way over to busy 108th Avenue. We discovered him missing and realized he probably had been gone at least an hour.

I prepared for the worst.

I made all the necessary contacts with animal shelters and with the nearest veterinary hospital and pet supply stores and found them all very helpful and concerned. Not knowing what more to do, I drove around looking for my pet, asking people as I passed if they had seen my dog.

After an hour with no success, I returned to the house as a neighbor came running with a flyer of a picture of a cairn terrier, stating that the dog had been found and at what shelter to retrieve my dog. Needless to say, my relief was immense.

I immediately went to the Humane Society on Eastgate Way and found my dog in the cleanest shelter I have ever seen with a cheerful staff who game me the number of Jamie and Eric Alfaro, the rescuers of my escapee.

Through this whole ordeal, I found all who I made contact with helpful and understanding.

This is a beautiful little city with people with big hearts. Our experience here will certainly be remembered with fondness. The people of Bellevue turned what could have been a tragedy for us into one that inspired us.

Janeen and Steve Jydstrup, Bay City, WA