Couple takes a road trip and returns with their hearts full and a new family member

Lots of people have great ideas of how to celebrate graduation from college. Emily Trost and her boyfriend Nick Mazzone decided to fulfill a long-time dream and hit the road for ten weeks once he had graduated. They wanted to see a bit of the country and do lots of hiking and camping along the way. When they got to Montana, they picked up a unique souvenir.
At the gas station where they stopped to fill up in the town of Browning, a pretty (if dirty) dog caught their attention. She was friendly and since both Emily and Nick liked dogs, they petted her. Surely, they thought, she belongs to someone here.
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Actually, she didn't. They asked every patron at the gas station and even waited with her to see if someone who came out of the door would claim her. Eventually, a woman drove up in a car and told them to please, please adopt her. She was a stray that the woman had been feeding along with other dogs who lived on the street. So Nick and Emily opened their car door and let her in, intending to take her to a shelter in the next town.
But not only did they open their car door, they also opened their hearts, and before they were much farther down the road, their plans had changed. Instead of stopping at a shelter, they stopped at a Petsmart to buy a leash and collar, food and bowls to put it in, and a tag with her new name on it: Montana.
From then on out for the remainder of the trip, Montana accompanied them wherever they went. She cuddled in their sleeping bags and snoozed on the passenger seat in the car.
“It’s as if she filled a space in our truck, tent, and hearts that we never knew was empty,” Emily said.
All too soon, the couple turned the car towards home. Montana was happy wherever they went, as long as they were together.
Back at home, Montana was delighted to find that there were two other furbuddies waiting. “Montana is very playful and social with other dogs, so she’s been having the time of her life since we returned home from our trip since there is always another dog around for her to play with,” said Emily.
Emily hopes that their tale encourages others to help strays they may find along the pathways of life. “I would love to bring more awareness to this problem,” she intimated. “There are so many stray dogs on and around this Indian Reservation in Browning and they all deserve to be rescued.”
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What's the most unusual souvenir you've ever brought back from a road trip? Was it as beautiful as Montana? Share Nick, Emily, and Montana's story with your Facebook friends. And the next time you see a stray dog, think of Montana and consider if you might like to have a new, wet nose in your life!