Volunteers help rescue abandoned dog living on Santa Rosa street

A major rescue unfolded Sunday on the section of Santa Rosa's West Ninth Street where herons and egrets nest in the median trees.

No birds were involved. More than 20 people gave up part of their weekend to outmaneuver a young dachshund that's dodged cars and slept in flower beds for months.

Directing the rescue mission was Shirley Zindler, an extraordinary Sonoma County Animal Control officer who's written books and co-founded the Dogwood Animal Rescue Project.

She was blown away by all the people who answered her online call for help to capture the apparently abandoned weiner dog, known throughout the West Ninth Street neighborhood as Hank, before he gets run over or something else bad happens to him.

Using portable fencing and great patience, the humans at last corraled the little dude. Dogwood expects within a few weeks to put him up for adoption.

Zindler said she's aware that some people who work in animal welfare come to pretty much despise humans.

“The longer I do it, the more I love people,” she said. “They all gave up their Sunday morning to rescue a dog.”