Manatee animal shelter reunites lost dog with owner after house fire 500 miles away
Staff at the Manatee County Animal Welfare Palmetto Adoption Center discovered an abandoned mixed-breed dog was hundreds of miles from home.
The dog, which was not tied up and was at the shelter’s front gate last week, had its identification microchip scanned, a news release said.
The dog’s home?
It was in Augusta, Georgia, about 500 miles away. The city is known for Augusta National Golf Club, the home of the Masters.
The dog’s owner, Joyce Hathaway, was contacted and her dog, Dozer, left Florida for Georgia on Aug. 3.
The news release said Hathaway lost almost everything in a July fire and a family friend was taking care of Dozer until she got back on her feet.
It is not known how Dozer arrived in Palmetto, the news release said.
“She’s unable to come to Manatee County to pick up her dog, so we’re going to take it one step further and bring the dog to her,” MCAW field supervisor Steven Bell said.
Bell drove up to Augusta to deliver the pup, along with extra food and bowls, to Hathaway. Photos provided by Manatee County Animal Welfare show Hathaway embracing Dozer as the dog wags his tail in excitement.
“It was a busy week for Dozer,” the press release said. “But there is a happy ending!”
