New Years is a holiday for being around the ones you love. Everyone wants to start the year right with their best friends by their side.
But for one man, that seemed impossible — he had spent most of 2020 looking for his beloved dog, who had been missing for nearly a year.
But sometimes miracles happen when you least expect them — and this one happened just in time to start the new year right.
Dylan Summers, from Bourbon, Missouri, is the owner of a dog named Athena, who had her leg amputated last February after being hit by a car.
Then as she was recovering from the surgery, Dylan was shocked to find his dog had gone missing from his backyard.
“I searched everywhere for her and posted online but no one came forward,” Dylan told KTVI. “I had suspicions that she was stolen but I couldn’t confirm it. I was so worried about her.”
Sadly, he couldn’t find her anywhere. Ten months passed, and still no sign of his poor dog. He had no choice but to accept that Athena was gone for good.
As the year came to a close, Dylan decided to move on by adopting another pet. On December 30, he looked online at the dogs at Gateway Pet Guardians, a rescue located in East St. Louis, Illinois.
Then he found something he never expected: Athena!
In a remarkable twist, Dylan just happened to find Athena’s photo among the dogs. The shelter called her “Miss-A-Toe,” but he knew it was his girl.
It’s also remarkable how she ended up there in the first place. Athena had apparently spent months in someone’s home with many other dogs, most of whom lacked proper medical care.
It isn’t clear if this man stole Athena from Dylan’s yard, but he did get into legal trouble which led to the dogs away, and Athena ended up in Gateway Pet Guardians in December.
The shelter never expected a call like Dylan’s.” I just happened to check my voicemail before bed and there was a call from Dylan stating that we had his dog!” Gateway Pet Guarians Program Director Alisha Vianello told KTVI.
“I called him back immediately and was so happy to learn that the dog we had named ‘Miss-A-Toe; was actually his missing dog, Athena!”
Dylan and Athena, after over ten months apart, finally reunited on January 1. Gateway Pet Guardians called it “quite the crazy story to start off the year!”
And for Dylan, it’s the end of a long heartbreaking ordeal with a happy ending he never could’ve imagined.
“I was so happy to hear that she was safe and doing well and being reunited with her was incredible,” Dylan told KTVI. “She is already settled back in at home and it’s like she never left. I am so appreciative of Gateway Pet Guardians for getting her back home to me.”
What a perfect way to start off the new year. We’re so glad these two are reunited — and have a nice happy 2021 ahead of them!
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