After braving relentless traffic and enduring harsh winter conditions along Maryland’s bustling highways for over two months, a stray terrier has finally found a loving home. The heartwarming twist? Her adopter is none other than the driver who played a crucial role in her rescue.
Her adventure began in January when the small black-and-white terrier, now affectionately named Susan Badger, was first noticed near a construction site along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Construction workers soon realized that she was surviving all on her own, facing daily struggles.
Without a collar and too wary of human contact, the terrier depended on scraps thrown her way. As she darted between the construction site and the busy road, her makeshift diet consisted of whatever the workers could provide, ranging from sandwich leftovers to doughnuts.
Concerned for her safety as the winter deepened, the workers took it upon themselves to build her a shelter. Using available materials from the site, they crafted an insulated den, complete with a blanket and a makeshift bed, and regularly supplied fresh water and dog food.
Despite these compassionate efforts, the terrier remained elusive. Over the course of more than two months, she skillfully avoided capture, outsmarting both traffic and the determined animal services officers, even as a severe winter storm blanketed the area with up to nine inches of snow.
For more than two months, she dodged traffic, outran drivers and evaded repeated attempts by animal services officers to capture her, even as a winter storm dumped up to nine inches of snow across the region.
Residents who spotted the skittish terrier along the parkway began sharing sightings in a local Facebook group dedicated to lost pets, warning she was too fast to catch.
Her luck changed on March 26, when driver Rob Mark saw the dog sitting near the side of the highway and sent her location to his wife, Jill-Ann, who shared it online.
A stray terrier survived for more than two months along a dangerous Maryland highway, relying on scraps from construction workers who built her a shelter to help her endure freezing winter conditions
The terrier’s luck changed on March 26 when driver Rob Mark (right) saw the dog sitting near the side of the highway and sent her location to his wife, Jill-Ann (left), who shared it online
The sighting prompted rescuers, including Donna Darling and Lexy Sweno, to set a humane trap near the construction site using fried chicken as bait.
The terrier was safely captured the following day and taken to Anne Arundel County Animal Services, where she was found covered in ticks and without a microchip.
At first, Susan was wary of people, growling and attempting to escape her enclosure.
But within days, her behavior shifted. By her fourth day at the shelter, she was resting beside staff on a couch and beginning to trust those caring for her.
One construction worker who had helped keep her alive visited her at the shelter, telling the Washington Post that he was relieved to see she had survived.
Although he chose not to adopt her, Mark and his wife had been considering adding a third dog to their family.
After meeting Susan, the decision was immediate.
‘Both of us looked at each other like, “Well, I think this is a done deal,”’ Jill-Ann told the Washington Post.
The hut construction workers built for Susan Badger
With no collar and too skittish to approach, Susan relied on scraps from workers
The terrier, now named Susan Badger, was adopted by the Mark family
Now living in Ellicott City, Susan’s life has been transformed.
Her owners said she now spends her days enjoying treats and attention, often nudging her owners for affection with gentle headbutts.
‘The degree to which she has made herself comfortable is both heartwarming and hilarious,’ Jill-Ann said told the Washington Post. ‘Because she just is already queen.’
The makeshift shelter that once helped keep her alive will now be repurposed to assist in rescuing other animals in the area.
