(above: Buster, a.k.a. "The Devil Dog" is pictured trotting ahead of strolling Mooresville locals. Sadly, he's been missing for a few weeks.)

The December issue of Southern Living features a story on the annual Christmas Progressive Dinner in Mooresville, Alabama.  The whole town turns out to go from stop to stop (appetizer, entree, and dessert). Mooresville has no trouble hosting an event like that, because the population is only about 53. 

As you might imagine, in a place that tiny, everyone knows each other's business, habits, quirks, and pets–especially the dogs.  

One dog, however, has attained infamous status in Mooresville and its environs.

The pooch's name is Buster, and as of this posting, he is missing.

Buster Arrived

There once was a Mooresville resident named Buster Pollard, and on the icy, cold day that he passed away, a scruffy, white stray dog
trotted into town and wandered to Kathryn Price’s house.

“Now that I think
about it, the dog might have arrived the day of the funeral,” says Kathryn.

Her
family named the stray Buster in a sweet gesture honoring their late neighbor.

Buster Annoyed

When you would mention Buster to
anyone in Mooresville, however, you'd get eyebrow raises followed by eyeball rolls. Buster ended up being a a total pest. Everybody put up with his incessant begging, garbage-rustling,
and scrap-hunting. No one was bemused by abnormal Buster stories, such as the
time he was dognapped and held for ransom. Or when he crashed the Literary Society meeting and was reportedly eating off of the members' plates. 

“My kids ended up calling
Buster 'The Devil Dog,'” says Kathryn.

He was annoying. But like the other dogs in town—Emma, Lucy, Milo, George, Walter, and Mary Margaret—he was also accepted,
sheltered, fed, and watered by every neighbor he met. 

Buster Left

Buster disappeared a few weeks ago, and Kathryn has not seen a trace of him.

"I'm upset," she says. "Emma, the border collie, is upset.  I'm not sure if anyone else in my family cares, but I am upset." 

Sad as she is, Kathryn understands that Buster is a natural-born wanderer.

That's how he found Mooresville in the first place.

Have You Seen Buster?

If you have any info on Buster (white, scruffy dog pictured at the top of the post) or have seen him in the Mooresville, Huntsville, and Decatur, AL area, please call Kathryn Price at 256-353-4406

 
(above: Kathryn says that Emma, the Mooresville border collie, is upset because her buddy Buster is gone.)

Mooresville Info:

Join the Mooresville Yuletide Walking Tour,
December 6, 1 PM to 4 PM, www.mooresvillealabama.com
or 256-355-2683, 256-353-3628. Tour is free. Donations accepted.

Directions to Mooresville, AL:

Take
I-65 to I-565

Take
Exit #2, Mooresville Road, and turn right