When Bear, a giant St. Bernard mix from Colorado, escaped his sitter on April 14, 2022, his family was shocked.
Brandy Ross, his owner, already had found it hard to part with her beloved boi temporarily, but the fact that he was actually gone shattered her heart.
They searched desperately for him everywhere, yet Bear was nowhere to be found. Months passed, then years, and this sweet family canine became only a distant memory to them.
Until…
They Never Found Him After He Went Missing
Never in their wildest dreams could Ross and her family imagine that Bear would find his way home someday.
This was especially due to the fact that they had to move to New York due to military duties, which only meant one more step further from a possible reunion with their dog.
“Bear got loose from a pet sitter in April 2022. His family reported him missing and posted in Facebook groups, but they never found him. The saddest part is that they had to leave Colorado Springs without their beloved Bear as the military moved them to New York,” HSPPR wrote on Facebook.
In two years, the family never received a call about their dog until one day, it finally rang!
Animal control, in cooperation with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, spotted this giant canine one day near a construction site, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Is That Bear?
Even though they weren’t 100% sure that the spotted dog was Bear, they had a pretty good reason to believe so! He looked exactly like the dog reported missing, with only a few pounds less.
However, capturing Bear wasn’t exactly a picnic.
This Colorado boi roamed from one place to another, reluctant to stay in one spot. The volunteers with HSPPR set feeding stations and trail cameras all around, hoping to gain better insight into his movements.
Then, one day, a miracle finally happened!
Bear walked into a so-called “messy trap,” hit the light, and the doors closed! Danielle Neiner, the volunteer who found him, soon confirmed his identity. It was indeed Bear!
The kind-hearted team of rescuers happily shared the good news with the family, and this missing canine was now on his way to a new-old life!
Before his journey home, the team took him to the vet, gave him the much-needed grooming session, and provided him with some TLC!
“He’s going home, and these volunteers are taking care of everything! They already took him to get a much-needed groom,” the Humane Society added.
Heartwarming Reunion
Ross and the family received the news in tears. They couldn’t believe that Bear was finally on his way home after more than two years of living outside.
And, to make things even more unbelievable, he was perfectly healthy! Other than some weight loss, he had no serious issues.
“I was literally bawling my eyes out and even now I’m in shock that this is him. It’s like so crazy that he survived for two years in the Colorado weather,” Ross told WKBT News.
On September 1, 2024, Bear stepped into his New York home, all thanks to his rescuers!
It was a truly heartwarming reunion between him and his momma – one that left thousands of people in tears.
“I’m home mom! I’m so excited,” the video posted on Instagram said.
Even though confused, Bear soon recognized his long-lost pawrents, and he is now on his way to fully adjusting to his old life.
Thanks to Danielle and the rest of the team, Bear got a second chance at life, and stories like his truly restore our faith in humanity!