It’s always devastating when a beloved pet goes missing, but having the help of your community can make all the difference.
That was the case recently, after neighbors rallied to find a cancer survivor’s pet basset hound who was lost in the freezing cold.
Teresa Nisperos, from Beaumont, Alberta, Canada, was devastated when her pet basset hound Gus ran off from home after getting loose. Teresa was afraid of how her dog would fare in unfamiliar surroundings.
“Knowing that he’s never been outside, and he’s not used to seeing a lot of people or even other dogs, my heart just basically sank,” she told CTV. “And I’m like, ‘Oh my God, the immediate thought was, is he gonna get hit? Is he gonna get stolen? What about the cold?’ I was just devastated immediately upon realizing he escaped.”
On top of that, searching for the lost dog was difficult: Teresa is a cancer survivor and immunocompromised. She’s also from the Philippines, and says she doesn’t have a lot of family in the country who could help her look.
Days passed with no sign of Gus, and Teresa feared her dog might have succumbed to the harsh, freezing winter weather. But hope was not lost: after the family posted pleas for help on Facebook, neighbors responded in a big way.
Locals from the community spread the word about Gus, and 15 vehicles assisted in the search party.
Then, a miracle happened: according to CTV, Teresa got word that a local spotted Gus on their property. She drove over immediately for a heartwarming reunion with her lost pet.
Though Gus had spent 8 days lost in the freezing cold, he was doing “remarkably well,” suffering only from some minor nose lesions due to exposure.
Teresa was thrilled to have her dog back and was moved to see such an inspiring show of support from her community.
“Having everyone rally around and behind us finding Gus felt like we had our families from back home here in Canada,” she told CTV.
What a miracle Gus was found safe and sound after so many days lost in the freezing cold! Thank you to everyone who helped search for him and bring him home!
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