If Sam the 6-year old sheltie could talk, he might have an adventure story worthy of a "Lassie" tale.

He was missing for three nights last week during heavy rains after escaping from his groomer.

Sam was between cleanings and wasn't wearing his collar when he slipped away in the River Road area.

His owner Leigh Fair-child of Diamond Point inherited Sam in January and was frightened for his life when he escaped.

"Shelties aren't aggressive, but somehow he survived," Fairchild said.

"We were scared he went into the hills and coyotes got him."

Fairchild, her husband, Tom McGuire, and friends searched the area and put "missing dog" fliers in mailboxes and newspaper bins.

Jerrin Fiorini, living in Dungeness Meadows, picked up a flier he found lying face down in the mud, planning to throw it away. He turned the paper over a moment later, read it and immediately saw Sam around the corner.

"It was a miracle," Fairchild said.

Fiorini received a reward for helping return the dog.

Fairchild said word caught on fast - many people they spoke to already had heard about it from the radio.

"I think the people in this community were so supportive," she said.

"I've never been in a place like this. It's very dog friendly."

Sam is back at home with his fellow shelties Bacal and Bogie and is being treated with antibiotics for barbwire cuts and a high temperature.

The groomer found out how Sam escaped and fixed the problem, Fairchild said.