Dog News

Dog Missing in Tahoe National Forest for 20 Months Reunites with Family

by Melanie

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According to FOX40 News in Sacramento, California, a Golden retriever that had been missing for 20 months in the Tahoe National Forest area had been found alive, and has been reunited with her family.

Murphy, the Golden retriever that had been missing since October 2012, decided this past weekend that she would wander over to where Janice Watkins and her family were at the Lewis Campgrounds.  This is located on the north shore of French Meadows Reservoir, which is not far from when she was lost in the first place.

“The dog actually came over and met our dog,” Janice’s husband Russ Watkins said.

The Watkins have a Border collie, and Murphy decided to come over and say hi.  She stood still just long enough for them to grab a hold of the five-year-old retriever.

This past Sunday, Father’s Day, Murphy was reunited with her family.

A message that had been posted to the “Murphy Braun” Facebook page (yes, Murphy has her own Facebook page) on the 16th of June 2014 went as follows:

“After 20 long months of being in the Tahoe National Forest, Murphy has come home. As you can imagine we are completely shocked and amazed with the miracle of her surviving this long. We responded to a call from a couple who spotted a dog matching her description in an area within 5 miles of where we lost her.

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.

We were reunited with Murphy, on Sunday afternoon – Father’s Day!

She is on the road to recovery, very thin and frail but happy to be home with her family. We have so many people to thank the list is endless.

Words cannot describe how grateful we are.

Homeward Bound was instrumental in their efforts to help, the campground host – Jason, Jacob (guy that made the call), Missy, Lea, Deann, Teresa, Mike, Mike, Mary, Jason, Lauren, Larry, Bubba, Wawa, Bob and Kim — You all know who you are Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are forever grateful.” – Nathan and Erin Braun