Stranger, media help Oklahoma City man find his dog

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A kind stranger and media coverage helped a Warr Acres man reunite with his beloved pet dog. <br/><br/>Jim Black left his pickup truck as it warmed up in his driveway Tuesday morning

Thursday, December 23rd 2004, 6:10 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A kind stranger and media coverage helped a Warr Acres man reunite with his beloved pet dog.

Jim Black left his pickup truck as it warmed up in his driveway Tuesday morning with his dog, Katie, inside. When he returned, the truck was gone and so was Katie, a chow/husky mix.

Black went on television and pleaded for Katie, as well as offered a $1,000 reward for her return.

The next day, police were called on a complaint of a drunken driver parked in front of a house.

Derrick Wayne Farris, 21, was arrested on a complaint of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. But the dog wasn't in the truck.

Then Black received a phone call from a woman who said a dog had scratched on her apartment door and she let it stay inside that night.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, called Black the next morning after noticing his number on Katie's tag.

``I told her about the reward and she said 'absolutely not,''' Black said. ``She said she had pets, too, and she just wanted to make sure it gets back with its owner.''

Black said he's paying for repairs the woman needs on her car.

``Christmas is going to come a little early for her,'' Black said.