Every weekday, Suzanne Bryan travels along I-85 from her home in Sharpsburg to her job in LaGrange. On Jan. 24, she was saddened to see a large white dog dead by the side of the highway.

"It's an area where they're doing a lot of construction and there's not really a shoulder. There are just barrels and equipment and things," Bryan said.

Fannette Janssen / Special (ENLARGE)

Two volunteers rescued Bear from the side of a road, but they were too late to do anything for Bear's mom, Cola.

Atlanta Humane Society (ENLARGE)

George, a 1 1/2-year-old neutered German shepherd mix, is the Atlanta Humane Society's longest resident. He is a friendly dog who will benefit from an owner who desires an exercise partner.

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She also noticed a black object just off the road. She assumed it was a tire or bag of garbage. She hoped someone would pick up the dog's body, but it was still there Jan. 30 as she drove by. But this time, the dark object was sitting up. It was a dog.

"I was just frantic," Bryan said. "I have four dogs of my own. I'm a dog lover. This poor dog had been out there for days, staying by the body of the other dog. I figured it must be hurt, too."

At work, Bryan searched frantically for a rescue group nearby, finally finding Georgia Heartland Humane Society, a group covering Coweta and Fayette counties.

"I left them a message and they called back within an hour and said they'd send someone out to check on the dog," Bryan said.

That "someone" was Linda and Ron Lefebvre, two volunteers with the group. The retirees drove the length of road and finally spotted a dog's body, with another dog standing nearby.

"It was a really dangerous spot right on I-85 with big trucks right there," Linda Lefebvre said. "It took my husband a little while to find enough room to pull over."

Linda Lefebvre walked back toward the dogs, but the black dog jumped some construction barriers and ran into nearby woods. Lefebvre said the dog was terrified, but it wouldn't leave the other dog's body. That gave her an idea.

"I told my husband to help me get the other dog, and we got it up like it was walking and then I started whimpering. When she heard that, she ran toward us and jumped the barrier, so we put the dog in the truck and I sort of moved the dog's paw around like it was alive and she leaned in and I slipped the leash on her," she said. "I pulled her in and she just jumped in and laid down beside the body."

They took the dogs to a local vet's office, where they found the black dog wasn't injured, just scared. After dropping the dogs off, Linda Lefebvre called local vet offices and animal controls to tell them about the dogs, in case the owners were searching for them.

And Barbara West of Newnan was. She had been for a week.

"We'd had some trees removed and we didn't realize they'd knocked a hole in the gate big enough for them to get out," West said.

The white dog, Cola, was a Samoyed that West had owned for nearly 14 years. The black dog, Bear, is Cola's daughter.

"Cola was always the one in charge; both Bear and Tess, our bloodhound, followed her," West said. "Tess just howled the whole time they were gone."

West said she spent hours looking for her dogs and going to local shelters. But it took a lucky call to her vet to find out where they were. The woman who answered the phone had taken Lefebvre's call about the lost dogs.

"When I went to get Bear, they told me she wouldn't eat anything, but I took her home and as soon as she saw Tess, she started running and playing, then she walked over to her bowl and started eating," West said.

Of course, West is still grieving over the loss of Cola. She had been picked up for disposal, but West was able to get the body back.

"I was thankful for that. At least I got to say goodbye and I'm having her cremated," West said, her voice breaking. "I'd always thought I would be there with her when it came time. But I'm thankful at least Bear was with her."

For more information on Georgia Heartland, go to www.gaheartland.com.

Art for pets. Get something new for the walls and help homeless dogs and cats at the vboggs galleries Saturday in Suwanee. Nearly 20 pieces of art, as well as other donated gifts, will be up for silent auction beginning at 11 a.m. The evening will conclude with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The reception is free, but an R.S.V.P. is required by Wednesday. 340 Town Center Ave., 770-271-8448. Information: www.vboggsgalleries.com.

Bow Wow, Meow Luau. Party with animal lovers at Club 104 above M'Vorneen's Irish Pub in Cartersville. The event, starting at 7 p.m., includes a buffet and music. All proceeds benefit the Etowah Valley Humane Society, which takes in animals from Bartow County Animal Control. 110 S. Museum Drive. Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Buy them at 770-607-6992. For more information on the shelter: www.etowahvalley

humane.org or 770-383-3338.

Wine tasting. Try five different wines for $10 at the Tasting Room in Sandy Springs and help the homeless pets at PAWS Atlanta. Go anytime between 4 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds benefit PAWS. Stay for dinner and get a free cheese plate. 6010 Sandy Springs Circle. Reservations recommended but not required to 404-252-8173.

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It's national Pet Dental Health Month, so check your pet's mouth for bad teeth, tartar, swollen gums and bad breath. Bad teeth can kill your pet.