Sparky, a beloved Florida family member, returned home after 331 days missing, thanks to a post by a local rescue shelter’s Facebook page.
The Westie‘s family couldn’t help but lose hope after a few weeks of searching, as the dog was 15 years old and partially deaf.
However, as it turns out, Sparky was on a journey that could easily make a great, heartwarming Disney story.
One Fateful Rainy Day
(Picture Credit: Sonia Padonou / EyeEm/Getty Images)For 15 years, Sparky had never left the side of his beloved human, Lisa Raulerson. This devoted family companion had gone on every road trip and had weathered some of their toughest trials.
“My husband passed away eleven years ago, and he was with us through all that, so he’s been a big part of our family,” Raulerson relayed to Ryan Hughes of WPTV, as he flipped through an old scrapbook filled with Sparky’s memories of his family.
Hughes described him as, “a small dog, with a big personality.”
But one fateful, rainy day, in West Palm Beach, Florida, through a gated fence that Raulerson had accidentally left open, Sparky snuck out. His curiosity set him off on quite the journey.
“Before we noticed it, he was gone,” Raulerson said.
A Family Searches
“We looked for a week, or two, just straight looking for him,” Raulerson continued, recalling flyers that she and her daughter made and posted around town, offering a reward for Sparky’s safe return.
Given Sparky’s age and health issues, it was difficult for Lynn to hold hope. “We pretty much figured he passed away,” she said. “It was sad because he was part of us, and we talked about him every day.”
Sparky’s family had no idea that while they diligently searched for him, Animal Control had already picked Sparky up. They’d scheduled the poor pup for euthanasia.
Fate, however, had other plans in the form of a heroic local dog rescue shelter, aptly named, “Sunshine State Westie Rescue.” They plucked Sparky out of harm’s way just in time.
Still, it would take quite a while before this Westie would reunite with his family.
331 Days After the Fence
Just short of a year after his disappearance, Raulerson came across the Sunshine State Westie Rescue’s Facebook page.
“I didn’t even start scrolling. There was a picture of a dog that looked like Sparky,” she recalled, going on to describe how his face spoke to her, even with his hair matted and dirty.
After eleven months, the 15-year-old, partially deaf pup returned home.
“I feel like a void in my heart was filled, I really do. I never thought I’d see him again, but here he is,” Raulerson said.
She expressed what many pet parents must think after their dogs go through such an ordeal, saying “I wish he could talk.” If only he could!
Sparky’s story had a happy ending, but it also reminds us to keep our dogs safe. DogTime has a guide on preventing your dog from getting lost here, as well as a guide on how to find a lost dog here.
If Sparky could talk, what do you think he would tell us about his journey? Have you ever had a pup go missing? Then let us know in the comments below!
