By Sigourney Nuñez, Ventura County Star
Posted July 7, 2010 at 5:14 p.m.
Monet, a service dog who went missing after Simi Valley’s Fourth of July fireworks, has been reunited with her owner.
“I haven’t slept more than a couple of hours at a time since she was gone,” said Tracy Brown, owner of the Australian cattle dog.
Monet was found about 3 miles from Rancho Santa Susana Park, where Brown was watching the fireworks show with his 2-year-old grandson when the dog bolted. He was reunited with the dog Wednesday at a residence on Royal Street.
Brown said Monet followed an irrigation ditch, eventually leading her to the Royal backyard. The owners of the home said they gave the dog water right away and posted fliers the next day.
“There was a leash attached to her collar, and it (the dog) had been obviously taken care of,” said resident Anne Wagar.
Although Monet had a collar, she did not have tags. Friends of the Wagars recognized the dog from fliers that Brown also had distributed and were able to contact him.
“We kind of just put two and two together,” Wagar said.
“I actually made a friend out here,” Brown said.
Brown lives in Arizona and came to Simi Valley to house-sit his brother’s home. He could not return home without his service dog. Brown broke his back in 1990 and has had several spinal surgeries and knee replacements.
“She’s my ears and my eyes,” he said of Monet.
Brown said he got several misleading and bogus calls before he connected with the family on Royal.
“She won’t be going to any more firework shows,” Brown said. “I had her acclimated to gunfire, sirens and emergency vehicles, but they never covered explosions.”
Monet did suffer a small injury on her foot and was limping but is generally healthy, he said.
“I’m just glad to have her with me. She hasn’t left me out of her sight,” he said.
Brown said he is thankful for the support and help he received from the community.
“We’ll definitely be heading home now,” he said.
Source: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/jul/07/missing-service-dog-reunited-with-owner-in-simi/
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