A dog stowed away in the engine compartment of a Chevy Silverado. (KTLA-TV) |
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (KTLA) -- A 25-pound dog that stowed away in the engine compartment of a Chevy Silverado on a 110-mile journey from Chino to San Clemente is now up for adoption.
"The dog is doing very well, not affected by the long ride down there," said Kim Cholodenko, general manager at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter.
The truck's driver, Jaime Magaña, is a 52-year-old building-restoration supervisor from Chino.
He said he had no idea a dog was with him during a trip in his company vehicle from Chino to Orange to Camp Pendleton to San Clemente.
When he stopped in San Clemente for lunch and turned off the ignition, he could still feel movement in the truck.
He said he could see fur protruding above the left front tire.
"I didn't want to look under the hood," he said. But he did, and was ecstatic to find the dog.
"When I opened the hood he looked at me like thank you very much," Magaña said. I didn't want to pull him out. ... maybe something was broken."
He gently pulled the dog out, dialed 911 and gave it water.
Local officials are nicknaming the dog "Chevy" as they contact authorities outside Orange County to try to locate an owner.
Magaña, who said he has three dogs, said he had seen this dog around his neighborhood in recent days but he knows his neighbors' dogs and this isn't one of them.
He said he will put out fliers in hope of finding an owner.
The shelter was unable to identify a provable owner for the dog after five days.
It is now accepting applications from prospective owners.
Magana has submitted an application.
The shelter is at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente, at 949-492-1617.
"The dog is doing very well, not affected by the long ride down there," said Kim Cholodenko, general manager at the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter.
The truck's driver, Jaime Magaña, is a 52-year-old building-restoration supervisor from Chino.
He said he had no idea a dog was with him during a trip in his company vehicle from Chino to Orange to Camp Pendleton to San Clemente.
When he stopped in San Clemente for lunch and turned off the ignition, he could still feel movement in the truck.
He said he could see fur protruding above the left front tire.
"I didn't want to look under the hood," he said. But he did, and was ecstatic to find the dog.
"When I opened the hood he looked at me like thank you very much," Magaña said. I didn't want to pull him out. ... maybe something was broken."
He gently pulled the dog out, dialed 911 and gave it water.
Local officials are nicknaming the dog "Chevy" as they contact authorities outside Orange County to try to locate an owner.
Magaña, who said he has three dogs, said he had seen this dog around his neighborhood in recent days but he knows his neighbors' dogs and this isn't one of them.
He said he will put out fliers in hope of finding an owner.
The shelter was unable to identify a provable owner for the dog after five days.
It is now accepting applications from prospective owners.
Magana has submitted an application.
The shelter is at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente, at 949-492-1617.
