There’s something primal about the reaction you have when spotting a desperate “Lost Dog” sign posted on a tree or in a coffee shop. If you’re like me, you picture a little boy crying nightly for his lost friend; a guilt-ridden parent wondering what he or she could have done; and a hungry, helpless creature, wet and starving, hiding behind a dumpster somewhere.
We all know it’s a one-in-a-million shot that lost dogs are found. Apparently, a California couple has taken such an incredible ride from sadness to joy.
Nathan and Erin Braun say their golden retriever Murphy was lost almost two years ago during a camping trip. Weeks of searching proved fruitless. They gave up. When a seeming stray golden retriever was spotted recently by other campers nearby, the couple returned but still couldn’t find him. Then, the detail that will stir every primal feeling about lost and found you’ve ever had, posted on the Braun’s find Murphy Facebook page.
“After multiple days looking for her without success, we left her bed and our clothing behind with the campground host, in the hopes that she would respond. A week went by and we got a call from the campground host who was able to coax her into a kennel after she had been sleeping every night on the blanket and clothing that was left behind,” the family wrote on a Facebook page devoted to finding Murphy.
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The dog is thin and frail. Consequently, it is expected that a vet will be using Dog Vitamins to ensure the golden retriever makes a speedy recovery. The Brauns are awaiting DNA tests to ensure they have got the right dog, according to local ABC station KXTV.
If you are a dog lover, read through the Brauns entire Murphy page. It’s a tear-jerker, better read with the apparent happy ending in mind. Friends leave sentiments like, “Thinking of you (Murphy), as I do every day, and praying you are safe and warm with a full tummy. Merry Christmas to you sweet girl, wherever you may be.” There’s the usual false sighting, and posts of other dogs reunited with owners after long stretches. And the heart-wrenching, we-have-to-give-up note posted by Nathan Braun:
“My family and I have decided to put a reunion with Murphy in the hands of God. We have done all we can to bring her home safely including hiring a dog tracker, posting/handing out numerous fliers and advertisements on social and print media, hours of searching by foot and car, and most of all, utilizing the help from the great community of dog lovers throughout the Lake Tahoe basin, Georgetown/Forest Hill and other parts of California who have dedicated numerous hours to the search efforts,” he wrote back in December 2012.
Pet your dogs today. And I know it’s fun to let them roam free when you are traveling, but never forget that they are animals who can do unpredictable things in unpredictable circumstances. The most important thing on every trip is that you all get home safely. And consider microchipping your pet.
With a big hat tip to LATimes, where I first spotted this story.
