Whiskey gets another shot at life after rescued by trooper

Whiskey inside a Maine State Trooper's cruiser Saturday night. (MSP photo)

YORK, Maine - A dog that went missing following a Wednesday crash on the Maine Turnpike was found near a woodline off the highway on Saturday night.
Whiskey, one of 11 dogs being transported in a cage when the crash occurred, was found weak, hungry and dehydrated but is expected to be OK, according to safety officials. He is currently under the care of an area veterinarian.
The rescue unfolded as Trooper Matthew Williams responded to a pair of 911 calls around 8 p.m. Saturday from turnpike motorists who said they'd seen a dog thought to be Whiskey in York.
Williams began searching around mile 11 northbound on I-95, using his flashing cruiser lights and a flashlight to scour the treeline.
Soon after he was able to spot Whiskey's head through the tall grass. The dog began howling at Williams, who grabbed a piece of chicken to take to try to gain the pooch's trust.
"Whiskey could barely stand up when he was found," Williams said. "Fortunately he made himself visible enough for passing traffic to notice him, then made his way back into the woods."
Williams said he spotted the dog's eye reflection leading to his rescue.
"If I hadn't gotten that fortunate moment of his eye reflection, which then disappeared, I would not have seen him at all," he said, noting that eye reflections in the wood line are common.
"I frequently see deer, bear, coyote, and even bobcat down here; this time, fortunately, it happened to be Whiskey," he added.
Williams said the piece of chicken he brought to Whiskey bought him some trust, but he was still very weak.
He said after Whiskey made it back to the trooper's cruiser, he ate two more chicken breasts, a cheese stick and drank two liters of water.
"That was the last time he walked last night, I had to carry him after that," Williams said. "He's a survivor."
Trooper Williams said he hopes people will also pray for the passenger in the crash that is still in serious condition, "so it would be wonderful if prayers and support could keep coming for him."

Whiskey was turned over to the Ogunquit Police and Animal Control Officer where he will be cared for until reunification with his owner, who will not face any charges.

The Wednesday crash occurred around 9:30 a.m. as Maine State Police Troopers responded to mile marker 14 northbound in Ogunquit.
Police found that William Funkhouser, 38, of Baker, W.V., was driving a 2021 Toyota Tacoma northbound on the Turnpike when he fell asleep and swerved his pickup truck into the middle lane sideswiping a tractor-trailer, which caused the pickup truck to roll over several times. The passenger in the pickup truck, 23-year-old Jonah Hose, also of Baker, was ejected from the vehicle. Hose, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered serious injuries and was transported to a Portsmouth, N.H., hospital. Funkhouser and the driver of the tractor-trailer were not injured. At the time of the crash, Funkhouser was transporting 11 dogs in a steel cage in the back of the pickup truck.
One dog was found deceased, another was injured and another, Whiskey, went missing till his Saturday rescue.