A desperate search is on for a dog who's gone missing in Middlebury. He fled after his owner was hit by a car, and many in town are now turning out asking "Where's Willie?"

It's been a tough week for Doug Anderson. His beloved 3-year-old golden retriever, Willie, has been missing after a freak accident while the two were out for a walk.

Anderson and Willie were crossing busy Route 7 at a crosswalk Monday afternoon. One truck stopped, but a second car did not. Anderson was hit, and Willie took off. "He totally freaked out by that, and went charging across the green faster than any dog I've ever seen. His leash trailing behind him," Anderson said.

Willie was spotted headed south in the direction of his East Middlebury home, but he hasn't been seen since. Now, Anderson is spending hours out looking everyday. He's even leaving his car open, with a meal waiting for Willie, just in case he returns. "We come and check it all the time," Anderson said.

Anderson is the executive director at the Town Hall Theater. In many of their promotional videos, Willie was the star of the show. But now with his dog bed on the office floor empty, phones are ringing off the hook and more people than normal are coming in the door. It seems like just about everyone in town is asking "Where's Willie?"

"We know he'll come home. We just don't know when," said Elizabeth Keefe, just one of many helping in the search. Posters are being put up all around, too. "Everywhere I've gone in town people are searching for Willie, this dog."

There have been multiple sightings, but so far no luck. Anderson decided to offer up some cash as an incentive."We're now offering a reward of $1,000, and we hope somebody has seen something or knows something and will come forward," Anderson said.

Willie was wearing a collar with tags and had a secured leash when he ran away. He also has a microchip. He's known as shy and friendly to his vet, who says Willie could be confused. "They're frightened and they don't know, they don't understand their situation - and they don't understand whether they were abandoned," said Thomas Munschauer with the Middlebury Animal Hospital.

Anderson remains hopeful. "It's going to be very hard to face a Christmas without Willie in the house," he said.

Anyone with information regarding Willie's whereabouts is asked to call 802-388-3345.