Dog named Blue eases sadness after Oso landslide

SEATTLE — After Brandy, his wife of 37 years, was killed in a landslide on March 22, 2014, in the rural community of Oso, one of the very few bright spots for Tim Ward was the reunion with his dog, Blue. A series of events recently marked the one-year anniversary of the mudslide.

Like Tim, Blue survived the disaster that claimed the lives of 43 people and uncounted animals and pets last year. But both the man, now 59, and the dog were injured. Tim Ward, who was among the few rescued in the first hours after the slide, was airlifted to a hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair his crushed pelvis.

It is believed that Blue spent three days trapped under a tree in the mud before he was found. He lost a leg in the ordeal.

When Ward started taking Blue with him to a grief support group that meets weekly in Arlington, near the site of the slide, he said he found that Blue had developed a new set of skills.

Somehow, the dog that had been born in distress, Ward said, and saved by Brandy Ward, now seemed to know instinctively how to comfort mourners.

“He’s a hugger,” said Ward, explaining that a dog’s ability to sense anxiety and sadness and provide emotional support through physical contact is not necessarily common.

Ward said he believes Blue is being called to a new career, and he is looking for an organization or individual in the county who can help him get Blue trained as a service animal.

Ward said many Oso survivors have benefitted from hugging Blue, and he wants others who have suffered traumatic events or are going through stress disorders to have that opportunity as well.

“It’s amazing to see people respond to him,” said Ward. “It’s pretty special what he does.”