Thanks to a good Samaritan, a Virginia dog found wandering in California is headed home for the holidays.
An American Staffordshire terrier named Petunia wandered away from the Pruitt family farm near Thanksgiving of 2003. The Fredricksburg, VA family says they searched for her extensively and eventually lost hope when no sign of her was found. The best they could do was honor her memory and hope that she had survived.
UPDATE (12-9-11): Petunia is home. She was reunited with her family Friday in an emotional interview with Fox & Friends. Not only did the Pruitts get to see Petunia for the first time in years: they also had an opportunity to meet and thank the woman, Meg Eden, who went out of her way to try and find Petunia’s owners after she found the stray dog.
“I can’t believe after all these years she’s alive,” Kristen Pruitt said through tears of happiness as she stroked Petunia’s head.
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Eight years would pass before they would learn that she had. On Wednesday, Oregon resident Meg Eden was hiking in the Spenceville Wildlife Area in Yuba County, California when she found Petunia. Eden turned Petunia over to an animal shelter in Sacramento, and reported that she was found roaming.
The shelter scanned her for a microchip and employees were stunned at the result. They immediately contacted the Virgina vet responsible for implanting the chip in Petunia, and it was only a short matter of time before the Pruitts were given some very good news.
Now plans are being made to send Petunia home for the holidays, and if you have ever had a pet go missing, this heartwarming tale of a lost dog found should restore your hope – and serve as a reminder to never lose faith.