Station Agent Helps Rescue Service Dog Barack the ChiMinPin
Monday’s morning commute was almost disastrous for Sarah Funes and her newly acquired service dog, little Barack, a Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher mix, who got away from her grasp at South San Francisco Station and ran into traffic.
But thanks to the heroics of Station Agent Ed Martinez and newspaper salesman Alex “Al” Bonilla, who sprang into action to save the imperiled pup, the story has a happy ending.
A dog named Barack
It began on Monday when Funes, who regularly commutes from South San Francisco to Berkeley for work, set off with Barack, the helper hound she had acquired only the week before from the Berkeley Humane Society as a physical and occupational therapy dog.
Funes named her dog Barack in honor of the 44th president. “I will be missing President Barack Obama terribly once he’s done with his term. As a political science major and a proud Democrat, I thought it fit.”
Little Barack “bolted (at the fare gate) and Ed and Al helped me get him back,” said Fumes, who reached out to BART to say she was “eternally grateful.”
Barack is Sarah’s first dog, and she describes him as a mellow fellow who never barks. Apparently, however, he may have been startled by the sights and sounds of the Monday morning commute.
A scary situation
Upon entering the South San Francisco BART station Monday morning, Barack’s leash became unclipped and he darted across the adjacent plaza - about the same distance as if he were running the bases around the field at AT&T Park after hitting a homerun. Bonilla described the scene, noting that his first thought as Barack ran away was “Oh no! He’s crossing El Camino Real!”
Martinez and Bonilla were able to rush after the dog to assist Funes, who has more limited mobility.
Barack seemed to be having fun, dodging their grasp in what seemed like a game, until it become deadly serious:
Off on a chase
Suddenly, Barack was alone in the middle of El Camino Real, a six-lane thoroughfare with oncoming traffic ahead. “I was just scared that the poor lady was going to lose her dog when I saw him run,” Martinez said.
In the midst of a seemingly hopeless and frightening situation, a woman in a nearby vehicle scooped Barack up, and went out of her way to hand-deliver him back to Funes at the station.
This good Samaritan was not identified, but her actions have not gone unappreciated.
“If any dog lover would have seen him run off, they would’ve helped too," added Bonilla.
Extra effort no surprise
Tera Hankins, acting assistant chief transportation officer for Martinez's line, said the extra effort was no surprise.
"Our station agents do a great job day in and day out of helping customers, sometimes in ways that others never get to see," she said.
"We're glad Ed was able to help the two get reunited and wish them continued safe travels on BART."
With Barack back in Funes’ arms on the Tuesday commute, she expressed her relief and said she is going to appreciate every moment with him.
Kindness of strangers
“People with service dogs should feel comfortable that others are there to help, like Ed who is an amazing station agent,” Funes said.
“That's what makes the world better, when people help other people.”
Funes and Barack plan to go on many more adventures soon and will never forget the kindness shown by strangers in her community.
