Riding the Underdog Railroad

Working in relays, volunteers haul rescued canines long distances to new homes. The trips aren't easy, and some say they're unnecessary.

"If you can get a picture of a dog online, there's a 90% chance you'll get a home for it. People see a certain face, and they can't resist," said Elizabeth Sescilla, 27, a cheerful North Carolina pharmacist who is a coordinator of a loose-knit movement known to animal rescuers as the "canine underground railroad." Linked by the Internet, cellphones and fervid love of animals, thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada and Europe go to enormous lengths to save strays.