Paul Rush is hoping to give his mom the best birthday present on Wednesday. All she wants for her birthday is for Spot to come home.
Spot is an 18-year-old dog who is owned by Rush. While Rush was at a doctor’s appointment on Jan. 31 at the Sandoval Regional Medical Center, his truck was stolen from the parking lot with his loyal friend Spot inside.
“I was in at four o’clock; I came out at 5:15, but by the security cameras the truck went by about a minute or more before I came out,” Rush said. “I was in shock and all I thought about was my dog. It was pretty brazen, I think, but maybe not.”
Rush, who lives is Anthony, New Mexico, has owned Spot for 16 years and the two are inseparable.“I’ve had him since he was 2,” Rush said. “He’s 18 now; he’s blind and he’s a little old and might be going a little deaf, too. He has selective hearing, let’s put it that way. But he’s my best bud and he has to go everywhere I go.”
Spot has been spotted in Albuquerque a few times since the truck was stolen a week ago, near I-40 and Sixth Street. But no one has been able to catch him. Some advice from Rush if someone does spot Spot:“He’ll listen to a squeaky toy, he’ll listen to that,” Rush said. “And he’ll usually come to ‘Spot’ but I don’t know because he must be so scared. He’s not gonna bite; he doesn’t have a lot of teeth left anyways. He loves beef jerky, I do know that.”
Rush said the truck hasn’t been found by police yet but his only concern right now is for Spot. Rush had eye surgery scheduled for Tuesday but cancelled the appointment to spend the day in Albuquerque searching for Spot.
And what’s the first thing Rush is going to do when he finds his beloved dog?
“Well, I gave him a kiss before I got out of the truck because he knew something was going on because he wanted out of the truck,” Rush said. “First thing I’m going to do is give him a kiss, and I guess then he can have whatever he wants. One thing my mom wants for her birthday – her birthday is tomorrow – she said it’d be wonderful for Spot to come home.”
