If you're a sucker for a good "lost dog makes it home after beating incredible odds" story, you have found the right place. Maybe I watched The Adventures of Milo & Otis or Homeward Bound a few too many times when I was a kid, but this is the stuff that makes me want to grab the tissues and have a good heartwarming cry. And boy did I get a good one out of Dooley.
The 4-year-old Shetland sheepdog spent 53 days alone in a desert! And before you start to worry, let me just clear up your concerns right now: no animals were harmed in the making of this blog post. That's right, Dooley made it home to his owner when she really, really needed a friend. Got your tissues ready? You're going to need them.
Barbara Bagley of Salt Lake City, Utah, lost her husband Brad and one of her dogs, Delaney, in a car accident right after Christmas. She was critically injured in the crash, and wouldn't you know it, Dooley was terrified ... and he took off in the Nevada desert. Searchers spent some time combing the desert for him, but when they found a dog's remains, they gave up hope ... the very day Brad succumbed to his injuries. (Pause for a clearing of those tears.)
Is it any surprise she was having trouble with her own recovery with that kind of weight on her shoulders? Grief is very powerful, and it can do a number on your health. There's scientific proof that we can die of the so-called broken heart.
But don't worry, it got good again. The gorgeous ball of fur survived -- most likely on roadkill -- and Barbara's friends somehow found him and brought him back to her. They probably saved his life. Fifty-three days in a desert is somewhat miraculous for a dog who is used to the comfort of a nice home.
Maybe that's what gets me most about these kinds of stories. We bring our animals into our homes and try to care for them, and when they go missing, we don't just suffer from heartbreak (although that's there). We are scared for them, terrified that all the nice things we've done for them hamper them in the wild where they now have to fight to survive. And then a miracle happens, they make it!
Check out Dooley and his mama, and tell us -- do you have a miracle pet story?
Image via KSL