About three weeks had passed since Kathy Trager of Ottawa had to put her dog down due to cancer.

Her friend Peggy Rizzo, a humane investigator, told her she rescued a dog and wanted to know if Trager was interested in adopting. Rizzo had been keeping the stray at Eastside K-9 Pet Lodge in Streator.

"She was just so sweet. She needed a good home," Trager said. "She just looked at me with those big brown eyes and that was it."

Trager had Cassie, a black border collie mix, at home for about a week when she lost her. She had the 40-pound dog outside on Saturday when a neighborhood firecracker went off. Cassie became scared and tried to run. Trager lost the leash and tried to catch her, but she was too fast.

"She was just starting to get used to us," Trager said. "She's very fresh and ran like the wind when she got spooked."

Trager lives in the 700 block of Ottawa Avenue. The dog was last spotted on Ottawa Avenue heading toward Illinois Avenue.

"She's a rescue so she's very, very timid," Trager said. "She might not be able to be approached."

Rizzo and La Salle County Animal Control Officer Gary Wind initially found Cassie standing in the middle of a road. In addition to Cassie, they found her five puppies. Trager said they believed someone dumped them off. The dog stayed with Rizzo at Eastside for a month before being adopted. The puppies have since been adopted as well.

Cassie was wearing a choke chain and a flexible leash. The year-old dog is mostly black, with white on her chest and two paws. She might not be accustomed to her name, so she may not respond to it.

Anyone spotting Cassie is encouraged to call Trager at 815-434-3609, Rizzo at 815-257-6789 or La Salle County Animal Control at 815-434-8661. A reward is offered.