Darien Dog Scared by Fireworks, Ran Away, Now Found

Wallace, a 5-month-old golden retriever owned by the Lesko family on Hummingbird Lane, a street just north of Darien High School where the town’s Independence Day fireworks display was held, became so frightened by Sunday night’s fireworks that he ran off.

But this story has a happy ending: Wallace once was lost, but now he’s found, was scared, but now he’s home.

Kelly Lesko posted on Darien Patch on Monday afternoon in the hope some reader might tell her where the dog was seen: “[T]he DHS fireworks frightened the puppy, and he took off running down Hummingbird Lane towards [Country Club] at 9:30 p.m.

“As of Monday afternoon, New Canaan Police think they may have spotted the dog, along with another Golden Retriever that the police were able to round up, running southbound next to the Merritt Parkway between exits 37 and 36. Several searches of the Merritt, Waveny and the vicinity have come up empty.”

Less than 45 minutes after posting the announcement, Lesko learned that Wallace had been found.

“Murphy’s Law,” Lesko wrote in an email at 4:43 p.m. (She told Darien Patch her emails could be published.), “Right after I posted the announcement on Darien Patch, a friend of my sons found him curled up in a pile of mud and sticks a few miles away on Nature’s Way, off of Wee Burn Country Club, scared to death. We are overjoyed [...]”

Lesko later wrote: “We should have known better than to leave the puppy outside with the noise of the fireworks directly overhead. He hadn’t been scared from thunder and lightening so we thought he’d be ok. Lesson learned. I think every dog should be put inside during 4th fireworks. We are just overjoyed right now to have him home safe and sound.”

The ASPCA, in on Darien Patch, gave this advice about dogs and fireworks displays:

“Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.”

Best Friends Dog Care Trainers, in a blog post on Patch, on the 4th of July:

“[The] Fourth of July week is peak time for lost dog reports.[...] Don’t leave a fearful dog outdoors. Bring him indoors to a quiet area of your home—preferably an interior room where the noise is muffled. [...] Don’t leave your dog alone during fireworks.”

Editor’s note: This article originally was published Monday. The time stamp has been changed for layout purposes on the Home page of Darien Patch.