March 25 (UPI) — An Ohio woman whose dog went missing in 2017 was reunited with her beloved pet 9 years later when he turned up at a local shelter.
Youngstown resident Sharon Kelly said her shih tzu, Saleo, went out for a bathroom break in 2017 and vanished from her yard.
“This one particular day, he went out, 20 minutes, no Saleo. So everybody panicked because he had a routine,” Kelly told WJW-TV.
Kelly and her family launched a search for the dog.
“We called the police, checked the neighborhood, looked everywhere that he possibly could have gone,” she told WFMJ-TV.
The family followed multiple leads over the years when dogs matching Saleo’s description would be spotted in the area, but it was never him.
Kelly’s search finally came to an end this week when her granddaughter sent her a post from the Mahoning County Dog Warden about a small dog with badly-matted fur found wandering in the Fellows Riverside Gardens.
“He had several pounds of matted fur, and it was put into a ponytail, and on the top of his head was a star of white fur, and I knew that was my dog,” Kelly said. “Especially his mouth, my dog has the ugliest mouth. It’s his signature, and I knew it was him.”
Kelly went to the Dog Warden’s office as soon as it opened the next day and, using old photos of Saleo and his markings, was able to confirm the canine was indeed her long-lost pet.
She said Saleo, who is now about 10 years old, led the way during their walk home.
Kelly said Saleo has been groomed, but is still receiving treatment for an eye infection, sinus issues and dental problems.
“There’s two things we need to survive here on this earth — that’s faith in god and faith in ourselves. Never give up,” Kelly said.
