WAVERLY, Neb. - The hitchhiker rode 85 miles on the vacant back of a semitrailer truck in pouring rain, state troopers say, before being rescued -- shaggy, sopping wet and wearing only a flea collar.
A motorist on Interstate 80 reported seeing the dog on the truck at about 7:15 a.m., troopers said. Authorities at a weigh station near Waverly began bringing trucks in to check.
That's when the dog's ride got cut short.
"The truck driver didn't know anything about the dog," said trooper George Owen Jr. "He was just as shocked as anybody when he saw him."
Owen said the dog was as bit startled too.
"We took him in back and dried him off and made sure he wasn't hurt," Owen said. "He was pretty happy after that."
The driver said the mixed-breed shepherd must have hitched a ride when he stopped in Sutton. Sutton is 130 miles from the driver's final destination, Omaha.
Troopers called around to local police and sheriff's offices, but so far they haven't found anyone missing a dog.
For now, the dog has found temporary lodging.
"A friend of mine has a farm and loves animals, so the dog is out there now," Owen said. "He'll have a good home if nobody comes looking for him — or he doesn't go looking for another ride."
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